Skulls and Skeletons! ― With 25 Science Projects for Kids

What would happen if you had no bones? You might fall over flat on the floor!

Bones are those hard parts of our bodies that make up our skeletons and skulls, and we need them in lots of different ways. In Skulls and Skeletons! With 25 Science Projects for Kids, readers learn about the bones in their bodies and why we can’t live without them. And bones aren’t just good for humans—many animals can’t live without them! But do all animals have bones? No, they don’t! And why do fish look so much different from birds, even though both have bones? Organisms use their bodies in different ways to successfully live in different habitats. For example, a bird’s light bones are great for flying, but would not support them deep in the ocean.

Skulls and Skeletons! encourages readers to learn as they compare and contrast their own bones with those of other vertebrates. They make working models, measure bone lengths and brain capacity, learn how to identify skulls and bones by shape, structure, and functions, and much more! Bones provide the framework that allow our muscles and organs to do their jobs. They also protect important body parts, provide a place for muscles to attach, and even make our blood. By exploring the skeletons that make up our bodies, kids gain foundational knowledge about how bodies work and what people can do to stay healthy.

Skulls and Skeletons! includes hands-on STEM activities and critical thinking exercises related to anatomy and biology. Fun facts, links to online primary sources and other supplemental material, and essential questions encourage readers to take a deep dive inside their own bodies!

Nomad Press books integrate content with participation. Common Core State Standards, the Next Generation Science Standards, and STEM Education all place project-based learning as key building blocks in education. Combining content with inquiry-based projects stimulates learning and makes it active and alive. Nomad’s unique approach simultaneously grounds kids in factual knowledge while allowing them the space to be curious, creative, and critical thinkers.

Cindy Blobaum works as a naturalist for Dallas County Conservation. She spends much of her time leading school kids on outdoor explorations to help them about the natural world. She has written nine hands-on activity books for kids including Explore Night Science, Explore Honey Bees, and Explore Predators and Prey for Nomad Press. Blobaum lives in Des Moines, Iowa.

Tom Casteel is an illustrator and cartoonist that graduated from the Center for Cartoon Studies in 2011. He has illustrated more than two dozen books for Nomad Press. He lives in South Bend, Indiana, with his family.