Muscles for movement
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain why humans have muscles
Key learning points
- Humans and most other animals have muscles throughout their bodies that help them to move and balance
- Different muscles move different parts of the body
- Muscles work in pairs around our joints to help us move
- One muscle pulls in one direction, and another pulls in the opposite direction
Keywords
Muscle - A muscle is a part of the body that pulls on bones to help us move.
Movement - Movement is when a person, animal, or object changes position.
Direction - Direction is the path taken by someone or something to reach a particular place.
Joint - A joint is the place where two bones meet.
Common misconception
Pupils may think that there is just one huge muscle that moves the body.
Use diagrams that explain how muscles work in pairs and that muscles are different sizes throughout the body.
Teacher tip
Encourage the pupils to feel their own bodies to identify joints and muscles in action. Find some videos online that show muscles in action in humans and animals. This lesson includes a diagnostic question on slide 11 - see additional materials for further guidance.
Equipment
See addtional materials for further guidance.
Content guidance
Risk assessment required - equipment
Exploration of objects
Risk assessment required - physical activity
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.A skeleton is made up of hard ...
Q2.Which of these statements describes a skeleton?
Q3.An animal's body needs a skeleton to provide so that it can stay upright and keep its shape.
Q4.Match the body part to the bone which you will find there.
Q5.Match these things to identify whether they are living or non-living.
Q6.Which of these things can move by themselves?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Without to move our bones, we would not be be able to balance or even stand.
Q2.Which of these statements is true?
Q3.Match the correct muscles to the action carried out.
Q4.A is where two or more bones meet.
Q5.Which of these statements is true?
Q6.Which of these statements are true?
To help you plan your 3 science lesson on: Muscles for movement, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 3 science lesson on: Muscles for movement, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 science lessons from the Introduction to the human skeleton and muscles unit, dive into the full primary science curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.