This activity involves collecting and examining a selection of bones. If you are a vegetarian, you may not want to take part in this activity.
1) Make a collection of bones from the ones left over at meal times. Clean them by boiling them in water until the flesh scrapes off easily. GET AN ADULT TO HELP YOU WITH THIS - BOILING WATER IS DANGEROUS.
2) Try to decide where the bones came from (the ribs of the animal, the legs, the back) and then cut one of the large bones in half, make notes on the structure of the bone. TAKE CARE doing this. You need to clamp the bone and use a hacksaw.
3) Now put two desks together. Lay a small clean leg bone between the desks and hang weights from the centre of the bone one at a time. What weight is needed to break the bone?
4) Repeat the exercise using different types sizes and shapes of bone.
5) Now repeat the exercise again using other materials such as wood, plastic, cardboard tubes and a pencil. Make a list of the strongest materials.
