Name _____________________________ Period ____________

Joints and Body Movement Lab (44 points)

Joints are also called Articulations and have 2 functions for the body:

-Holds the bones together

-Allows the skeletal system flexibility so that body movements can occur.

In this lab, you will investigate the movement, structure and location in the skeletal system of the
three main types of joints: Fibrous, Cartilaginous and Synovial.

1. Fibrous Joints: have no joint cavity and essentially no movement between the bones.

2. Cartilaginous Joints: have no joint cavity and the bones are connected by a pad of
cartilage allowing only slight movement.

3. Synovial Joints: are joints where the bones are separated by a fluid filled joint cavity and
lined with synovial membrane resulting in the greatest degree of freedom of movement.

Activity 1: Classification of Joints. Joints can be classified according to their structure (i.e. how
adjacent bones are bound to each other) or their function (i.e. how much the joint moves).

Fill in the table below with the structural classification of joints (eg. Collagen, cartilage,
membrane with slippery fluid). (1pt each)

Type of Joint Bones bound together by…

Fibrous

Cartilaginous

Synovial
Activity 2: Sporting Examples (3pts each)

a) Sport: _______________________________

Bones involved: ______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

Description of why this is a good example for the type of joint being used:
__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

b) Sport: _______________________________

Bones involved: ______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

Description of why this is a good example for the type of joint being used:
__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

c) Sport: _______________________________

Bones involved: ______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

Description of why this is a good example for the type of joint being used:
__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________
Activity 3: Identifying Fibrous Joints

QUESTIONS: (2pts each)

A._______________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

B._______________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

Activity 4: Identifying Synovial Joints

QUESTIONS: (2pts each blank)

A.________________________________________________________________

B.________________________________________________________________

C._______________________________________________________________

D. ______________________________________________________________

E. ______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

F. _______________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

G. _______________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________
Activity 5: Identifying Cartilaginous Joints

QUESTIONS :( 2 pts.each)

A. _______________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

B. _______________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Activity 6: Joint Movements

A. Movement performed _______________________________

Description of movement:
________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

B. Movement performed _______________________________

Description of movement:
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

C. Movement performed _______________________________

Description of movement:
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

D. Movement performed _______________________________

Description of movement:
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

E. Movement performed ______________________________

Description of movement:
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Name ___________________________________ Date________________

Exit Slip: Joints Lesson

1. Define joint or articulation

2. Describe the general structure of fibrous joints. Name and give an example of a fibrous joint in the human
body.

3. Describe the structural characteristics of synovial joints. Give two examples of synovial joints.

4. Describe the structural characteristics of cartilaginous joints. Give an example of a cartilaginous joint.

Bonus: Name and describe three common types of body movements.

Activity 7: Structure of a Synovial Joint

Label the figure with the correct terms.( 6pts)

Activity 8: Modeling a synovial joint

Respond to the following questions: (1pt each blank)

A) ________________________________________________________________

B) ________________________________________________________________

C) ________________________________________________________________

D) ________________________________________________________________

E) ________________________ ________________________

________________________ ________________________

Activity 9: Using the worksheet provided, demonstrate and practice the movements.
(13 pts.)
 Activity 10: Identify the movements indicated in the diagrams: (11pts)

A.____________________________ G. ____________________________

B. ___________________________ H. ____________________________

C. ___________________________ I. ____________________________

D. ____________________________ J. ____________________________

E. ____________________________ K.____________________________

F. ____________________________

Activity 11: Body Movements

QUESTIONS: (2pts each)

A. Which of the body movements was the most difficult to perform? Why?

B. Hinge joints like the elbow and knee have limited movement. Why are these types of joints
more prone to injury?

C. When you perform flexion on your arm, the biceps muscle (on the anterior of the arm)
contracts. What happens to the triceps muscle (on the posterior of the arm) as you do this
action?

D. Both the shoulder and the hip are ball and socket joints. Why does the shoulder have a
greater range of motion than the hip?

Conclusions:

Explain how skin, bones and muscles are related to each other. Why is this relationship
important to your understanding of the skeletal and muscular systems?
 Closing Activity:

Pick a physical action of your choice, related to a hobby or interest. Write out a step by step
instruction of the action using anatomical terminology for the bones and joints involved and the types
of movement at the joints. Assume you will be starting in the anatomical position. You will then read
your action to the class, while the class acts out the action and tries to guess what the action is.

This assignment is worth 10 points and you must use at least 10 anatomical terms relating to
bones/joints/movements. If the use 10 terms correctly then you will receive all 10 points.