Human back

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/human-back

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How many bones make up my back?Your back has 33 vertebrae: 7 in the neck, 12 in the chest, 5 in the lower back, 5 fused in the sacrum, and 4 fused in the tailbone.
2. Why does my spine look like an S?The S‑shaped curve helps spread the weight of your body, keeps your spinal cord safe, and makes walking and running easier.

Vertebral column: The segmented bony structure protecting the spinal cord and supporting the body's axial skeleton.
Intervertebral discs: Fibrocartilaginous cushions between vertebrae that facilitate movement and absorb mechanical stress.
Bipedalism: Locomotion achieved by means of two legs, a defining characteristic of the human species.