One system for standing and moving

The idea

The musculoskeletal system, made of bones, muscles, joints, cartilage, tendons and ligaments, lets us stand upright, move, maintain posture and protect delicate organs, and works under the control of the nervous system.

A dancer's balance

A dancer stands upright, bends, jumps and balances. Many parts inside the body work together to make this possible.

Which parts do you think are involved?

• Bones, muscles, joints and other parts together
• The skin alone
• The blood alone

Is it part of the system

Tap the group where each part belongs.

What the system does

Bones, muscles, joints, cartilage, tendons and ligaments together make up the musculoskeletal system. Together they help us stand upright, move, keep our posture and protect delicate organs. The nervous system controls them.

The musculoskeletal system is made of bones, muscles, joints, cartilage, tendons and ligaments. It lets us stand upright, move, maintain posture and protect delicate organs, and works under the control of the nervous system.

Notes

The musculoskeletal system (bones, muscles, joints, cartilage, tendons, ligaments) lets us stand upright, move, keep posture and protect delicate organs, under the nervous system.

Check yourself

Which list names the parts of the musculoskeletal system?

Which of these is a job of the musculoskeletal system?

What controls the musculoskeletal system?

The musculoskeletal system is made of bones, muscles, joints, cartilage, tendons and ligaments. How many kinds of parts is that?

Answer: 6

Bones, muscles, joints, cartilage, tendons and ligaments make 6 kinds of parts.

• Bones, muscles, joints, cartilage, tendons and ligaments — correct. Yes!
• Bones, muscles, neurons, blood and skin. Neurons and blood are not among its parts. Its parts are bones, muscles, joints, cartilage, tendons and ligaments.
• Epidermis, xylem, phloem and bones. Epidermis, xylem and phloem are plant tissues, not parts of this system.
• Digesting food in the stomach. The musculoskeletal system helps us stand upright, move, maintain posture and protect delicate organs.
• Helping us stand upright and maintain posture — correct. Yes!
• Making food by photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is how plants make food. The musculoskeletal system helps us stand, move and protect organs.
• The skeleton itself. The system functions under the control of the nervous system.
• The blood. The musculoskeletal system works under the control of the nervous system, not the blood.
• The nervous system — correct. Yes!