Bones and Muscles

• Our body has many bones joined together, called the skeleton.
• The skeleton gives the body its shape and support.
• Muscles are attached to bones and help the body move.
• Bones also protect soft parts, like the skull protects the brain.

Level 1 — Core idea

Verbal: Bones act like a frame; muscles pull on bones to create movement.

Symbolic: Skeleton → shape + support + protection; Muscles → movement.

Visual: Draw a stick figure and mark where bones and muscles work together, like the arm.

Level 2 — Going deeper

The skull protects the brain, and the ribs protect the heart and lungs. Without bones, our body would not hold its shape.

NCERT anchor

NCERT Looking Around 3 talks about body movements and how we use our body parts for daily activities like running and lifting.

You bend your arm to lift a bag. What helps you do this?

Step 1 — Bones give the arm its shape
Step 2 — **Muscles** attached to the bones pull and bend the arm
Answer: Muscles help the arm **move** ✓

A helmet protects your head when you fall. Which body part already protects the brain?

Step 1 — The head has hard bone around the brain
Step 2 — This bone is called the **skull**
Answer: The **skull** protects the brain ✓

• What is the name for all the bones in our body together?
• What do muscles help us do?
• Which bones protect the brain?
• Stretch: Why do doctors put a hard cast on a broken bone?

Revision tip: Feel your own arm bend and notice how muscles tighten near the elbow.

Open the Practice tab for graded questions on Bones and Muscles.