Lesson Plan: Activity to help kids understand the important role that cartilage and the discs in the spinal column play in allowing us to move easily.

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Materials needed:

• 3 colored pipe cleaners

• 1 white pipe cleaner

• 8 iti pasta pieces (tube shaped)

• 6 rotelle pasta pieces (wheel shaped)

• 11 gummies

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Steps:

1. Twist the two colored pipe cleaners together. Stop at about halfway down. 

2. You will need six wheel shaped pasta and seven gummies. Start with a gummy and alternate the gummies and wheel pasta pieces on the twisted portion. You should have a gummy on the top and gummy on the bottom portion once you are done with this part. Leave a large gap on the top for the head. 

3. To make legs, start adding from the bottom of the two pipe cleaners. You will need four long pasta pieces and two gummies. Start with one piece of long pasta followed by one piece of gummy, and then another long pasta piece. Fold the excess pipe cleaner at the end to make the feet. 

4. Take the excess pipe cleaner on the top, and twist it in a circle to make the head. Push the end into the center of the gummy.

5. Take the third colored pipe cleaner and put it behind the first wheel shaped pasta from the top and twist it around the back. This should look like two long arms.

6. You will need four long pasta pieces and two gummies. Start by adding a long pasta piece, a gummy, and then another long pasta piece. Fold the excess pipe cleaner at the ends to make the hands.  

7. Take the white pipe cleaner and twist it around the upper body a few times to make ribs.