Newsela Big Questions: Why do we have bones? Learning Check

What is a reason WHY bones are important?

• They pull tendons.

• They are all large.

• They stop bleeding.

• They help us move.

What detail in the text shows one way bones can take care of us?

• Our rib bones protect our heart. They protect our lungs, too.

• A special tissue connects them. It is called a tendon.

• Blood is made up of cells. There are different types of cells.

• Exercise is important for our bones. Walking is good for them.

What can a reader learn by looking at the article's subheadings?

• Ear bones let us hear.

• Exercise helps bones.

• Armor is a kind of bone.

• Bones have blood inside.

Select the paragraph from the introduction [paragraphs 1-4] that BEST explains why we have bones.

• Question: Why do we have bones?

• Answer: Humans have lots of bones. We have flat bones in our skulls. We have long bones in our legs. We even have tiny bones in our ears.

• Why do we have all these bones? Why are some large? Why are some small? After all, not all animals have bones. Some have no bones at all. Think of a jellyfish, for example. Others, such as crabs, just have a hard shell. It grows on the outside of their body.

• But people have a skeleton. It protects us. It keeps us healthy, too. Our many bones do this in different ways.