Science Projects: How to Make a Skeleton

Making a meringue skeleton is a fun science project.

Creating a skeleton is a great way for a student to learn about human bones through hands-on experience. Part science, part arts and crafts, this project is perfect for a parent and student to do together. Although making a skeleton is not difficult, it is time-consuming; allow at least three hours to complete your project. As a bonus, when you follow these steps, you may even end up with edible meringue leftovers.

Things You'll Need

• Electric mixer
• Mixing bowl
• Plastic baggy
• 5 baking sheets
• Sketch of skeleton
• Meringue recipe
• Ingredients for meringue recipe
• Oven
• Parchment paper
• Box of toothpicks
• Address labels
• Glue
• Pen
• Science fair board

Instructions

Make Your Bones

1. 

   Meringue, traditionally used for cookies, will become a skeleton.

   Follow the meringue recipe. Double it, if you want to make a large skeleton.

2. Put parchment paper on the cookie sheets.

3. Cut the tip off of the plastic baggy and place meringue in the baggy.

4. Following your skeleton sketch, squeeze the meringue out of the plastic baggy onto the cookie sheets in the shape of bones.

5. Place the cookie sheets in the oven and bake, following the meringue recipe.

6. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven to cool.

Arrange and Label Your Skeleton

1. 

   No science project would be complete without labels.

   Write the name of each bone on 1/2 of an address label.

2. Remove address labels from the sheet and carefully wrap them around toothpicks. Fold the labels in half so that the sticky sides are touching each other.

3. Lay out your skeleton according to the sketch.

4. Lay the science fair board on its back. Glue the skeleton to the science fair board. Wait one hour for the glue to dry.

5. Stick toothpicks with attached labels into the proper meringue bones. Reinforce with glue and wait for the glue to dry.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember to wait for the meringue to cool and the glue to dry before moving on to the next steps. Rushing through the project could ruin it.

• This method of creating a skeleton requires parental supervision since you will need to use an oven.

References

• Little Blue School: Skeleton Lesson: Meringue Bones
• Penn State Biology Department: Skeletal System

Resources

• Artists Helping Children: Skeleton Crafts for Kids
• Kicked-Up-Cookie-Recipes.com: Meringue Skeleton Bones Recipe