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I'm going to be teaching Anatomy and Physiology next year. I was wondering if anyone had any labs or activities that they do that the students really like. I have to order supplies for this class soon and was wondering what to get. Thanks for any information and input.
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Hi Brittany -
I'm also teaching Anatomy & Physiology for the first time again in years. Looking for creative labs that are NGSS aligned.
Several colleagues recommended:
Feets of Clay or Anatomy in Clay. Where you use a skeleton and clay for students to model muscles and other structures.
I'm currently looking into the costs.
They also recommended having students read the book 'Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers' by Mary Roach.
I'll need to review the book first and see if my new school requires any approval process.
Good luck!
Dorothy
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One of my students' favorite labs for the year is a cardiovascular inquiry lab where they design their own experiment to test the effects of a factor on blood pressure and pulse. It's really helpful to have automatic bp cuffs that give both a bp and pulse reading. They also love to dissect - we do long bones (I just buy chicken drumsticks at the supermarket), and sheep brain, cow eyes and hearts if we have time. There is a really good case study site http://sciencecases.lib.buffalo.edu/cs/ You can view the cases for free but there is a charge for the teacher key (I think it is $25 a year - but well worth it). I would suggest also a good full sized skeleton and also disarticulated bones. Any body system models you can afford are also great. Hope that helps
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Hi Amy -
What case titles do you use from the Case Study site? Or which are your favorites?
Thanks!
Dorothy
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Hi Amy -
What are your favorite sources for purchasing full-sized skeletons and body system models?
Dorothy
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Speaking of chickens and human physiology, one of my culminating musculoskeletal labs is to get a chicken wing or drumstick with the joint intact, (this can be kind of tough to find since they chop them up these days, but not impossible). When dissecting this joint they can go over every type of connective tissue here from cartilage types, tendons, and ligaments, to bone and muscles and their roles in joint physiology. It's a great way to see how all parts are connected both structurally and functionally, and also do a little comparative physiology between birds and humans. How are they different and why? In the big picture of how form follows function, this is a great hour long hands on experience to directly experience the topic.:)
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Hi Kimberlee -
Are you using the chicken raw or cooking it?
Just wondering about potential salmonella issues if it is raw.
If cooked - boiled or baked?
Thanks!
Dorothy
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Hi Kimberlee and Dorothy,
When I taught anatomy and physiology, I also had my students dissect a chicken wing to observe the structure and the function of the joints as well as the macroscopic view of all of the different types of tissue. The specimen is raw so that students can observe fresh tissue. To prevent Salmonella, I soaked the wings in bleach solution and refrigerated overnight. The lab only takes one period (mine are 48 minutes) so the specimens were thrown away at the end of the period. All equipment was washed well with soap and water and allowed to air dry. Those precautions prevented any problems with bacteria. I also required my students to wear gloves while dissecting. Proper hand washing also prevent the spread of any microorganisms that might be present.
This was one of my students' favorite labs because they got to see how all parts worked together to produce movement.
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I do a gummy bear dissection lab to teach anatomical planes and directions. The students enjoy it and they get to eat the leftover undissected gummies.
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Hi Kathryn -
Creative idea! Do you have any notes to share on how you run your Gummi Bear dissection lab?
Dorothy
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Hello Dorothy,
I first give the students a list of anatomical directions (superior, inferior, distal, proximal,medial, lateral, anterior, posterior) to define. I then have them cut three bears (with scissors or a scalpel); one bear is cut in the sagittal plane, one is cut in the frontal plane, and one is cut in the transverse plane. I have them label on a piece of paper under the bear what type of cut they made and the anatomical directions.
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