Animal body structure and movement
Elementary school science, 4th grade
Tokyo Shoseki "The Structure and Movement of Animal Bodies"
Dainippon Tosho, "Our Bodies and Exercise"
Just like humans, animals also have bones, muscles, and joints in their bodies.
These functions allow us to move our bodies.
Let's look for similarities and differences between animal bodies and human bodies.
To all elementary school students
First, open the [Elementary School Page] and try the activity that compares animal bodies to human bodies.
For teachers
On the [Teacher's Page], you can read explanations about the worksheets posted on the [Elementary School Student Page], and on the [Teaching Materials Collection], you can read explanations about the animal species covered.
Elementary school student page
Elementary school student page
Following this exercise, let's think about the structure of Giraffe 's body by comparing it to the human body. First, we'll examine the bones and joints of Giraffe 's legs, and then we'll find the areas where there is a lot of muscle.
preparation
Print out a picture of Giraffe and an illustration of its bones.
Work 1
While watching a video of Giraffe walking, find the joints in Giraffe 's hind legs that bend and straighten, and mark them on Giraffe 's photo, like the human photo on the right. You can mark as many joints as you like.
Work 2
Humans and Giraffe look completely different in body shape, but in fact, the order in which their bones and joints are arranged is the same. For example, in a human leg, if you look from the center of the body, there is the "hip bone" followed by the "thigh bone (major ligament)," and then the "shin bone." The joint between the "hip bone" and the "thigh bone" is the "hip joint," the next joint is the "knee," and the joint after that is the "ankle."
Now, among the bones of Giraffe 's hind leg, which are the "thigh bone" and the "shin bone"? Also, where are the "hip joint," "knee," and "hind ankle" located? Write them on the illustration of Giraffe 's bones.
Work 3
Compare the illustration of Giraffe Giraffe and draw the joints of Giraffe 's hind legs—the "hip joint," "knee," and "hind ankle"—on the photograph. Also, watch a video of Giraffe walking again and confirm that the "hip joint," "knee," and "hind ankle" bend in those positions.
Work 4
Which muscles do you think are particularly well-developed in Giraffe 's body? Circle Giraffe 's bones in the illustration.
You can mark as many as you like. Also, please write down what the muscle is used for and when it is most commonly used.
Work 5
Let's use the same method to study other animals such as Lion and African Bush Elephant. Photographs, illustrations of their bones, and videos of them walking can be found in the [Educational Materials].
Teacher's page
Teacher's page
This page contains teaching materials that can be used in the 4th grade elementary school science unit, "Our Bodies and Movement." We have provided illustrations of the full skeletons of various animals so that students can compare the bones of humans with those of other animals. Additionally, you can watch videos on YouTube of animals walking, allowing you to compare the movements of different animals. We hope this will help children discover the similarities and differences between animal and human bodies in an enjoyable way.
We have prepared worksheets using teaching materials on the [Elementary School Page]. Explanations are provided below. You can use the worksheets as they are, or you can adapt them to your own needs.
The objective of the work
Objective 1
Understand that while humans and other animals have bones with the same function and the same bone arrangement, differences in bone shape and size result in different apparent absolute joint positions.
Objective 2
Understand that both humans and other animals have muscles around their bones, and that the areas where muscles are particularly well-developed vary from animal to animal.
Explanation of Work 1
Elementary school workbook
While watching a video of Giraffe walking, find the joints in Giraffe 's hind legs that bend and straighten, and mark them on Giraffe 's photo, like the human photo on the right. You can mark as many joints as you like.
Explanation
If you watch a video of Giraffe walking, you can see that Giraffe hind legs bend and straighten at the positions marked with ● and ★ in the diagram on the left.
The joints marked with a ● are, from top to bottom, the "hip joint," "knee," and "hind ankle." The ★ at the bottom is also a joint, but it is the joint between the toe bones, not the hind ankle. More details will be explained in the next section.
Explanation of Work 2
Elementary school workbook
Humans and Giraffe look completely different in body shape, but in fact, the order in which their bones and joints are arranged is the same. For example, in a human leg, if you look from the center of the body, there is the "hip bone" followed by the "thigh bone (major ligament)," and then the "shin bone." The joint between the "hip bone" and the "thigh bone" is the "hip joint," the next joint is the "knee," and the joint after that is the "ankle."
Now, among the bones of Giraffe 's hind leg, which are the "thigh bone" and the "shin bone"? Also, where are the "hip joint," "knee," and "hind ankle" located? Write them on the illustration of Giraffe 's bones.
Explanation
Humans and Giraffe look completely different in body shape, but their bones have many similarities. For example, they both have the skull (the bone that protects the brain), the ribs (the bones that act like a cage protecting the lungs and heart), and the spine (the bone that forms the center of the body). Furthermore, the arrangement of their bones and joints is the same.
Looking at the torso, the bones after the pelvis are the thigh bone, then the shin bone, and beyond that are the toe bones. The joint where the pelvis and thigh bone meet is the "hip joint," the next joint is where the thigh bone and shin bone meet, that is, the "knee," and the joint after that is the "hind ankle."
Explanation of Work 3
Elementary school workbook
While comparing the illustration of Giraffe 's bones with a photograph of Giraffe, draw the joints of Giraffe 's hind legs—"hip joint," "knee," and "hind ankle"—on the photograph. Also, watch a video of Giraffe walking again to confirm that the "hip joint," "knee," and "hind ankle" bend in those positions.
Explanation
Compare the illustration of Giraffe 's bones with a photograph of Giraffe with the joint locations marked. Looking at the photograph of Giraffe, the locations of the hind leg joints—the base of the leg (hip joint), knee, and hind ankle—are as shown in the diagram on the left.
Actually, the direction in which the knees bend is the same for humans and Giraffe. First, bend your own knees and confirm that they bend forward. Then, if you watch a video of Giraffe walking, you'll see that Giraffe knees also bend forward.
Explanation of Work 4
Elementary school workbook
Which muscles do you think are particularly well-developed in Giraffe 's body? Circle Giraffe 's bones in the illustration. You can circle as many as you like. Also, write down what those muscles are for and when they are most commonly used.
Explanation
Muscles are found throughout the entire body, from head to toe. However, there are certain areas where the muscles are particularly well-developed. For example, in a human arm, the back of the hand and wrist feel hard to the touch, indicating the presence of bone beneath the skin, while the upper arm feels soft to the touch, indicating thicker muscle tissue.
The parts of Giraffe 's body where the muscles are particularly well-developed are:
• Forelegs (around the humerus) and hind legs (around the femur): These areas contain muscles for walking and running.
• Neck area: Contains muscles to support the head and long neck.
These are just a few examples. Let's look for other areas where the muscles seem particularly well-developed.
*Please also refer to the teaching materials: Giraffe.
Explanation of Work 5
Elementary school workbook
Let's use the same method to study other animals such as Lion and African Bush Elephant. Photographs, illustrations of their bones, and videos of them walking can be found in the [Educational Materials].
Joint position
Lion and Cheetah have the same arrangement of bones and joints as humans and Giraffe.
Areas where muscles are well-developed
In the case of Lion
In most quadruped animals, the muscles in the hind legs (around the femur) are more developed than those in the forelegs (around the humerus) because they use their hind legs to push off the ground when walking or running to generate forward propulsion.
However, in the case of Lion, not only the muscles in their hind legs but also those in their forelegs are well-developed. The muscles in their forelegs are useful for holding down prey during hunts. In addition, their shoulder blades are wide to accommodate the large muscles of their forelegs.
*Please also refer to the teaching materials: Lion.
In the case of Cheetah
In addition to their front and hind legs, cheetahs also have well-developed chest muscles. When Cheetah make sharp turns while running, they lean their bodies deeply (similar to how a motorcycle leans when turning a corner). It has been found that their well-developed chest muscles help them maintain this lean while running.
*Please also refer to the teaching materials: Cheetah.
Joint position
African Bush Elephant and Asian Elephant have the same arrangement of bones and joints as humans and Giraffe.
Areas where muscles are well-developed
African Bush Elephant and Asian Elephant elephants also have large muscles around their humerus and femur. In addition, they have well-developed muscles from their neck to their shoulders to support their very heavy heads. Furthermore, there are no bones inside an elephant's long trunk; it is almost entirely made of muscle.
*Please also refer to the teaching materials: African Bush Elephant and Asian Elephant.
Advanced: How animals stand
Unlike humans, Lion and Giraffe do not place their heels on the ground when standing. There are three patterns of how animals stand, and each is suited to different movements.
Unguligent
Only the tips of the toes touch the ground. Because the heels are lifted, the legs appear longer, making this the most suitable stance for running fast. This stance is common in herbivores such as Giraffe, cows, goats, sheep, and horses, and is advantageous for escaping predators. Because this stance puts a lot of strain on the toes, they are protected by claws (hoofs) that surround the toes.
Plantigrade
The heels are placed on the ground. This is the way humans normally stand. It is the most stable stance. They can stand on their two hind legs and use their front paws to grasp food or branches. Humans, Chimpanzee and other primates, as well as Red Panda and bears, stand in this position.
Finger-directed
The entire toe, from the base to the tip, touches the ground. This is an intermediate form between the ungulate (ungulimaginous) and plantigrade (plantigrade) forms. It is common in carnivorous animals such as cats and dogs. It offers greater stability than when only the tips of the toes touch the ground (ungulate), and is suitable for moving through complex terrain.
Collection of teaching materials
Collection of teaching materials
On this page, you can download illustrations of the bones of Giraffe, Lion, African Bush Elephant, and various other animals. You can also watch videos demonstrating how different animals move.
Giraffe
They are the tallest land animals. Adult Giraffe are 4 to 5 meters tall from the top of their heads to the tips of their toes.
Life-size Giraffe foot
Print it out and stick it together to create a sheet that shows the actual size of Giraffe 's hind legs!
The actual length of the bone in the right hind leg of the "Giraffe Hind Leg Life-Size Sheet" is 191 cm. Giraffe have legs longer than a human's height, but they also have many things in common with humans.
In addition to their front and hind legs, Giraffe also have particularly well-developed muscles in their necks. Their necks are not only filled with muscle but also have thick ligaments, which help to pull their Giraffe upwards.
Lion
They are carnivorous animals that hunt. They cooperate in groups to catch animals larger than themselves. Their large forelegs are useful for holding down prey.
Males have manes, but females do not. This may seem obvious, but it is unusual for a feline to have such a clear difference between males and females in their fur.
The Lion lions living at Tama Zoo have manes that grow not only around their faces but also around their bodies. It is believed that the male lions' manes have the effect of making them appear larger and displaying their strength. If you want to observe the body shape and muscle movements of Lion, it is recommended to observe the females.
Lions have highly developed muscles not only in their hind legs but also in their forelegs, which helps them to pin down prey with their front legs. The reason Lion have broad shoulder blades is that they need many places for the muscles that move their forelegs to attach.
Cheetah
Like Lion, they are members of the cat family, but unlike Lion, they usually live alone. They can run at speeds of approximately 100 km/h.
Its basic body structure is similar to that of Lion, but compared to Lion, its head is smaller in proportion to its body and its legs are longer. Its physique is well-suited for high-speed running.
African Bush Elephant
They are the heaviest land animals and are herbivores. Adult African Bush Elephant can weigh up to 7,000 kg (males).
When you see African Bush Elephant walking, it looks like its heels are touching the ground. However, if you look at an illustration of African Bush Elephant 's skeleton, you'll see that the heel bone doesn't actually touch the ground. In fact, beneath the elephant's heel is a resilient pad made of fat and fibers. This pad cushions the impact when the heavy elephant's feet hit the ground. That's why elephants make almost no noise when they walk.
There are no bones inside the long trunk of African Bush Elephant. An elephant's trunk is almost entirely made of muscle. Because there are no bones, the trunk can not only bend in various directions but also extend and contract.
Asian Elephant
Along with African Bush Elephant, it is one of the largest land animals. Adult Asian Elephant weigh around 3,000 to 5,000 kg.
African Bush Elephant and Asian Elephant elephants share the same basic physical structure. They both have pads of fat or fiber under their heels and long trunks without bones. However, there are some differences in their body shape. For example, the shape of their heads and backs, and the size of their ears differ.
Human
Let's work together with others to check the areas of the human body where the joints and muscles are particularly well-developed.
Upright bipedalism is unique to humans among animals. No other animal walks on two hind legs while keeping its trunk straight. Other animals may also walk on two legs, but their trunks and knees do not extend straight, so it is not "upright bipedalism."
The bones of the human body are shaped to be well-suited for upright bipedal locomotion. For example, the pelvis is bowl-shaped to support the internal organs. Also, the thigh bone is not straight but tilted at about 10 degrees, allowing the feet to be placed directly beneath the body's center of gravity.
Chimpanzee
Sometimes they walk on the ground, and sometimes they climb trees. When they go far, they walk on the ground. They also climb trees to eat berries and rest in the trees.
When walking on the ground, they bend the toes of their front paws at the second joint and place the backs of their toes on the ground. This way of walking is called "knuckle walking." At this time, their hind feet are on the ground with their heels down, just like humans.
They are also adept at climbing to high places such as trees and towers. Not only their front paws, but also their hind paws have a gap between the big toe and the other four toes, which allows them to grip tree branches and ropes with both their front and hind paws.
Red Kangaroo
It is a type of marsupial, where the mother raises her babies in a pouch. They live in herds on the grasslands of Australia. They move forward by moving their hind legs simultaneously, not independently.
Whether walking or running, the hind legs move forward simultaneously, not independently. When walking, the tail and front legs support the body while the left and right hind legs move forward at the same time. Even when standing up on only the hind legs, the tail supports the body.
When running, their front legs don't touch the ground; they propel themselves forward by jumping with their hind legs. To maintain balance with their upper body, which tends to lean forward, they extend their tails backward.
Oriental White Stork
This bird lives in forests with rivers and wetlands. It feeds on fish, frogs, and insects near the water's edge and builds its nest in tall trees. An adult Oriental White Stork measures approximately 1.1 meters from the top of its head to the tips of its toes, and its wingspan is about 2 meters.
Birds have wings with feathers covering their forelegs, and they stand on their hind legs alone. However, they have the same bones and joints as mammals' forelegs and hind legs.
The thigh bone is very short and plays a supporting role close to the torso. The area below the knee is covered in feathers and is not easily visible.
Of Oriental White Stork 's legs, only the part below the knee is visible from the outside. The joint that bends backward is the ankle.
