Studying the skeletal system can be a daunting task: the human body has more than 200 bones, 206 to be exact. While this may seem like a lot of information to process, implementing a study plan will help you overcome adversity. Further, we walk around with our very own skeletal system every day; with that in mind, if you ever get stuck, remember that you are your own walking model of the system. If only you had some X-ray specs...
Break the Body Down
While staring down at 206 different bones can seem intimidating, if you step back and organize the bones into their separate areas, you can effectively study the entire skeletal system as if you were studying three separate, smaller systems. There are a number of ways to do this. For instance, you can separate the bones into bones of the head and the neck, bones of the torso and arms, and bones of the lower body. By breaking the skeletal system down into smaller, manageable sections, you can key your studying into the areas where you have the most trouble. If you know the bones of the lower body every time but struggle with the bones in the chest and the arms, then focus the rest of your efforts on your weaker areas.
Use Diagrams
Print a diagram of the human skeleton. The more detailed the diagram, the better. Also, make sure the diagram is large enough to write on. Using the diagram and your textbook, label each of the bones. Next, make study sheets from your master copy. To do this, use strips of white paper to block out certain bones, particularly the ones you tend to forget. Then make photocopies of the diagram and test yourself by filling in bone names. Test yourself completely by trying to label an entirely blank skeleton without looking at your notes.
Make Note Cards
Another helpful technique is to make your own note cards. Instead of using the diagram or simply studying a list of bones broken down by region, write the name of a bone on one side of a card and the bone's location in the body on the card's other side. Simply writing the information on note cards will help you learn. When you are finished, however, mix up the note cards and use them to study.
Tags: skeletal system, bones into, bones lower, bones lower body, lower body, note cards, will help