Bones are living structures. The skull protects the brain, ribs help protect the chest, and long bones support movement. Bone has a dense outer layer and internal spaces with different tissues. Use the cutaway to locate those regions. Choose a bone and inspect its outer layer, spongy network and marrow. The cutaway is a picture to explore.
The human body · Discover & try
How can bones support and protect the body?
Reading level 2 of 5 · DevelopingChange
Word help
Skeleton
The body’s framework of bones.
Marrow
Soft tissue inside bones; some marrow makes blood cells.
Watch · Try · Explain
See how it works
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Original simplified skeletal shapes and internal regions. Several structural and biological roles overlap in each bone.
What to look for
- The skull surrounds the brain; the compact layer is the dense outside.
- A long bone includes a supporting internal network, not just an empty shell.
- Marrow occupies spaces inside living bone.
Explain what you noticed
Vertebrae surround the spinal cord. Which familiar bone role does that illustrate?
Keep this idea: Bones are living structures whose forms support movement, support and protection.
Follow the sources
- NIH NIAMS — Health Lesson: Learning About Bones
- NIH National Cancer Institute — Introduction to the Skeletal System
Source material checked 2026-10-29. Explanations and activities by Nepedia. Source links do not imply endorsement.
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