Bone length: plan and do
I can plan and carry out an investigation to find out if bones grow as we get older.
Bone length: plan and do
I can plan and carry out an investigation to find out if bones grow as we get older.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Bone is a living thing. Our bones change throughout our lives.
- Scientists ask questions and then plan how to carry out the right type of investigation to find answers.
- Scientists choose the correct equipment to be able to measure accurately.
- Scientists gather and record data using tables and charts.
Keywords
Plan - A plan has all the steps that will be taken during an investigation.
Measure - To measure is to use equipment to find numbers to describe something such as its length, weight, size or time.
Equipment - Equipment includes all the things needed to carry out an investigation.
Record - To record information is to keep it so that it can be passed on to others.
Data - Data is information collected during an investigation. It may be numbers, symbols, pictures, text, graphs and more.
Common misconception
Children may think that bone is not a living thing and therefore does not grow.
This lesson is all about children finding out for themselves. They will find answers to the enquiry question: Do bones grow as we get older?
To help you plan your year 3 science lesson on: Bone length: plan and do, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 3 science lesson on: Bone length: plan and do, 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 secondary science curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
A range of equipment for measuring length, such rulers, tape measures, metre sticks.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
- Risk assessment required - equipment
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Starter quiz
6 Questions

rib cage
skull
spine


Exit quiz
6 Questions




centimetre
degrees Celsius
millilitres
gram

