Using Skeleton Typograms to Explore Comparative Anatomy

A highlight activity of the author's comparative anatomy class, this skeletal typogram activity challenges students to take their understanding of the skeletal system's components beyond mere memorization of bone names and locations. Each student creates a poster of a vertebrate skeleton, using the letters of the bone names to depict the actual bone shape and location. Animals are chosen by the teacher to represent a wide variety of evolutionary adaptations (swimming, flying, grazing, hunting, etc.). Students are then asked to compare the different typograms through analysis of contrasting skeletal evolutionary adaptations. The infographic nature of the project helps students understand the power of visual information, allowing for creative cross-disciplinary work. Through developing and comparing typograms, students deepen their understanding of how skeletal form fits function and the role of adaptation in vertebrate evolution.