There are few things as memorable as a dissection. It has so many emotions tied to it, some exhilarating, some horrifying, but most of all the curiosity and excitement to find out more trumps them all.
This project will impact both 7th and 8th grade students.
While all the students live in a rural community they vary vastly in socioeconomic status and ability levels. About 60% of students in our school are free and reduced lunch eligible but others live in middle class homes. The sciences are almost running at 100% inclusion in our school, so there are a variety of students in the classroom. While some students are in the advanced educational track there are others with learning disabilities or mild mental impairment. The community, unfortunately, also has had one of the highest high school drop out rates over the last 10 years. Getting students excited about school and learning is a great way to combat this. And it has gone down slightly.
My Project
Students will be using eyes, hearts, and scalpel blades to complete a dissection of those organs. Sheep have very similar structures to humans, so while they are learning about the sheep organs, they will also be learning about their own anatomy. The ear model will be used as a classroom tool to understand how the ear works to gather and perceive sound.
Dissection is the a fascinating tool that can be used in science classrooms.
Even though there are diagrams, models, and virtual dissections, they cannot compare to seeing and feeling the actual tissues inside of the organs. Not only are they learning about the organs, they are learning about their own likes and dislikes. Some are gaining an interest in medical science, while others realize they may not really want to be a vet anymore. Overall, this is an experience they will never forget.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Uhl and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.