A free printable skeletal system worksheet for Grade 11 biology.
This free skeletal system worksheet takes students through the 206 bones that hold the human body up. They label 14 major bones on a front-view skeleton, sort bones into the axial and appendicular skeleton, and match the five functions of the skeleton to real examples.
They then match connective tissues to their jobs, complete a table of joint types, estimate height from femur length with a forensic formula, and explain how marrow, exercise and growth change our bones.
| Part | Skill practised | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| A | Label the skeleton (14 bones) | 7 |
| B | Axial or appendicular skeleton | 4 |
| C | Functions of the skeleton | 3 |
| D | Connective tissues | 2 |
| E | Types of joints | 4 |
| F | Skeleton calculations | 4 |
| G | Bone health and growth | 5 |
| H | Spot the mistake | 2 |
It fits the Animals: Structure and Function unit of Ontario Grade 11 biology and works well as a review before a Grade 12 kinesiology course.
The skull (cranium) protects the brain, and the mandible is the only skull bone that moves. The clavicle and scapula form the shoulder girdle, the humerus is the upper arm bone, and the radius (thumb side) and ulna sit side by side in the forearm. In the leg, the femur is the longest and strongest bone in the body, the patella protects the front of the knee, and the tibia (shin bone) carries most of the weight while the thin fibula runs beside it. For a full list, see the human skeleton on Wikipedia.
The axial skeleton (80 bones) forms the central axis of the body: the skull, vertebral column, ribs and sternum. Its main job is protection of the brain, spinal cord, heart and lungs. The appendicular skeleton (126 bones) is the arms and legs plus the girdles that attach them: the clavicles and scapulae at the shoulders and the hip bones at the pelvis. Part B of the skeletal system worksheet asks students to sort eight bones into these two groups.
| Function | Example |
|---|---|
| Support | The skeleton gives the body its shape and holds it upright |
| Protection | The rib cage surrounds the heart and lungs |
| Movement | Muscles pull on bones, which act as levers |
| Blood cell production | Red marrow makes red and white blood cells |
| Mineral storage | Bones hold calcium and phosphorus for the body to use |
| Energy (fat) storage | Yellow marrow in long bones stores fat |
Part C of the skeletal system worksheet links each function to an example. Red marrow produces about two million red blood cells every second. The circulatory system worksheet follows them around the body.
A joint is any place where two bones meet. Movable (synovial) joints are held together by ligaments, cushioned by cartilage and lubricated by synovial fluid.
| Type of joint | Example | Movement allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Ball-and-socket | Shoulder or hip | Movement in all directions, including rotation |
| Hinge | Elbow or knee | Back and forth in one direction, like a door |
| Pivot | Top of the neck (atlas and axis) | Rotation around one axis, as in shaking your head |
| Fixed (immovable) | Sutures between skull bones | No movement |
Remember the difference that trips up most students on a skeletal system worksheet: ligaments join bone to bone, while tendons join muscle to bone. ligament: connects bone to bone at a joint, tendon: connects muscle to bone, cartilage: smooth, flexible tissue that cushions the ends of bones, synovial fluid: lubricates a movable joint so bones slide smoothly.
Bone is living tissue. Hard compact bone forms the outer layer, lighter spongy bone fills the ends, and the hollow shaft of a long bone holds marrow. Bone constantly remodels: weight-bearing exercise makes it denser, while osteoporosis is a loss of bone density that makes fractures more likely. Calcium and vitamin D in the diet support strong bones; the digestive system worksheet shows how those nutrients are absorbed.
Bone length can even tell forensic scientists how tall someone was. Using height = 2.38 × femur length + 61.4, a 45 cm femur gives an estimated height of 168.5 cm. Part F of the skeletal system worksheet uses this formula forwards and backwards, and the skeleton mass of a 60 kg student works out to 9 kg.
These questions match the skeletal system worksheet PDF, which has the full-size skeleton diagram, word bank and ruled answer space.
Questions 1–14: label the fourteen numbered bones in the diagram above.
Question 15: sort these bones into the axial and appendicular skeleton: skull, femur, ribs, clavicle, vertebrae, humerus, sternum, hip bone.
Questions 16–21: match support, protection, movement, blood cell production, mineral storage, energy (fat) storage to an example.
Questions 22–25: match ligament, tendon, cartilage and synovial fluid to their descriptions.
Questions 26–29 of the skeletal system worksheet: complete the table for ball-and-socket, hinge, pivot and fixed joints.
Open each part of the skeletal system worksheet answers to check your work. The printable key is at the end of the PDF.
Yes. The worksheet and its answer key are free to download and print as a PDF, with no account needed.
An adult has 206 bones. A newborn has about 300, but many of them fuse together during childhood, such as the bones of the skull and the sacrum.
The axial skeleton is the central axis of the body: the skull, vertebral column, ribs and sternum. The appendicular skeleton is the limbs plus the shoulder and hip girdles that attach them.
Support, protection of organs, movement (with muscles), blood cell production in red marrow, and storage of minerals such as calcium. Yellow marrow also stores fat.
A ligament connects bone to bone at a joint. A tendon connects muscle to bone, so when the muscle contracts it pulls the bone.
Ready to start? Download the free skeletal system worksheet PDF (use the Download button above), print it double-sided and keep the key for marking.