Name: ………… Date: 12/15/2020
Student Exploration: Muscles and Bones
Directions: Follow the instructions to go through the simulation. Respond to the questions and
prompts in the orange boxes.
Vocabulary: actin, biceps, cartilage, contract, extend, fast twitch fiber, flex, fulcrum, humerus,
lever, ligament, muscle fiber, myofibril, myosin, powerstroke, radius, sarcomere, skeletal
muscles, slow twitch fiber, tendon, triceps, ulna
Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)
1. When you lift a weight, what part of the arm is doing the most work?
Your biceps since most of the weight is centered at this area.
2. How do you think your arm muscles cause your forearm bones to move?
Flexing at the elbow causes the forearm bones to move.
Gizmo Warm-up
In the Muscles and Bones Gizmo, you will learn about the
anatomy of the arm. You will build an arm model, then test its
ability to lift a dumbbell and throw a ball. You will see how
making adjustments to the arm can affect its ability to lift and
throw.
To begin, make sure you are on the ANATOMY tab, the entire
arm is shown, and no circles are open. Select Hide muscles. Click
Play.
1. Describe what the arm bones are doing.
[Author]
, The forearm is moving at the elbow joint and
2. Turn off Hide muscles and turn on Show labels. Describe what the biceps and triceps are
doing as the forearm moves up and down.
Get the Gizmo ready:
Activity A:
● Make sure the ANATOMY tab is selected
Muscle anatomy
and no circles are open.
Introduction: Your arm contains muscles, bones, and other connective tissue. When muscles
contract, they pull on the bones, causing them to move. In this activity, you will learn what
causes muscles to contract.
Question: What causes muscles to contract?
1. Observe: Turn on Hide muscles and Show labels.
A. Which bone connects the shoulder to the
forearm?
B. What are the names of the two forearm bones?
2. Observe: Note the white connective tissue along the elbow. Cartilage reduces friction
between bones. Examine the ligament.
A. Ligaments connect bones to
B. Turn off Hide muscles. Inspect the tendons. Tendons join bones to
3. Explore: Click Play. Observe the muscles as the forearm moves up and down.
A. When the arm flexes (bends upward), which muscle
contracts?
B. Which muscle relaxes when the arm flexes?
C. When the arm extends (straightens), which muscle
contracts?
D. Which muscle relaxes when the arm extends?
E. Why do muscles work in pairs?
4. Observe: Click on the biceps to see a close-up of the muscle.
[Author]