Anatomy of a Human Hand 6-9

Dr. Montessori once said that “the hands are the instruments of man’s intelligence.” In effect, the hands allow humans to perform daily activities, which is possible due to their complex structure. Our new materials on the Anatomy of a Human Hand aim to help children develop an appreciation for this firsthand knowledge that is the human’s hand. The human hand consists of 27 bones, 27 joints, 34 muscles, and 100 ligaments. The Anatomy of a Human Hand puzzle and nomenclature cards also support the Montessori science curriculum by studying parts of a whole, the human body. Our transparent graphic shows the human hand’s outer layer and inner structure. Children can see how tendons, ligaments, muscles, and bones are harmoniously intertwined.

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The human hand is comprised of three main parts: the phalanges, the metacarpal bones, and the carpal bones. While the four fingers have three phalanges each, the thumb only has two phalanges. It is exceptionally mobile. The thumb can bend its knuckle and touch all the finger’s tips, creating a range of gross and fine movements. The four fingers, also known as digits, are formed by three phalanges: distal, middle, and proximal.
The metacarpal bones are a group of five elongated bones that connect the fingers to the palm. The carpal bones are a group of eight bones that connect the hand to the forearm. The bones of the hand provide structure.
An assortment of ligaments, tendons, and muscles are responsible for orchestrating the movements of the hand. The ligaments connect together the joints in the hand. The tendons connect the muscles of the hand to the bones. The muscles contract, allowing movements of the bone in the hand.

Materials

• Anatomy of a Human Hand Puzzle with Wooden Labels and Control Chart
• Anatomy of a Human Hand Nomenclature Cards (6-9) with a Control Chart, a Blackline Diagram, a Booklet, and a Reproducible Booklet with Cloze Tests.
• or Anatomy of a Human Hand Puzzle with Nomenclature Cards (6-9)

How to Use the Materials

You won’t need a model to introduce the human hand! Prepare the materials on a rug. Invite children to a new presentation on the human body. Ask them what parts of their body are very active in accomplishing tasks. The answer will vary; bring attention to the unique features of the hand. Ask children to observe the motions of their hands. The children can begin to look at the puzzle. Invite them to look at the various parts using the Control Chart. Pronounce the parts, and have children repeat them. Ask children to take turns placing the wooden arrows on the control chart first, then on the puzzle.

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Using the Anatomy of a Human Hand Nomenclature Cards and booklet, read the description for each part. As always, the Nomenclature Cards 6-9 are designed for elementary level and contain descriptions cards and cloze tests. There are various ways to use our exclusive 6-part Nomenclature Cards. Children can decide how they would like to work with the cards based on their comfort level with the knowledge. For instance, a strong reader may feel ready to use the cloze test cards, while a younger reader may prefer to read the descriptions and match them to the control cards.

The Anatomy of a Human Hand Nomenclature Cards 6-9 also contains reproducible materials such as a Blackline Master and Booklet. You can make copies in advance and leave them with the materials. Invite children to complete these materials as follow-up works. They can complete the Reproducible Booklet by reading the descriptions, filling in the blanks, and coloring the corresponding parts on the images above the descriptions.

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The Blackline Master is ideal for children to integrate knowledge. This exercise allows them to pay attention to details, sort the parts using different colors, and spell scientific terms. Writing the words will aid children with memorization and distinguishing terms that are common or similar. For instance, children will notice that the term “pollicis” appears several times near the thumb. Pollicis means “the thumb” in Latin.

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Finally, you may want to invite children to build a mechanical hand! This project will encourage children to practice mechanical engineering and troubleshooting. Read more about the engineering design process here.

For more materials on Human Anatomy, please visit our website at www.alisonsmontessori.com