Grade 11 Biology Students Dive into Heart Dissection Lab

Last week Ms. Keoughan’s Grade 11 biology students had the opportunity to explore the intricacies of the human heart firsthand! Students completed a dissection lab to observe the anatomy and physiology of the heart and reinforce their understanding of the circulatory and respiratory systems.

The heart dissection lab aligned with the students' current curriculum, which focuses on the interconnectedness of the human body's systems. Students worked in small groups to ensure a thorough investigation of the heart's anatomy. Equipped with dissection tools and guided by detailed instructions, they identified the right and left atria and ventricles, the aorta, the pulmonary arteries and veins, the tricuspid valve, the chordae tendinea, and the papillary muscle. Students were excited to observe the literal “heart strings” and were shocked at their tensile strength and they all successfully held the weight of the heart with a single chordae tendinea. This hands-on experience was pivotal in helping students appreciate the heart's role in pumping blood and maintaining the body's oxygen and nutrient supply.

A key objective of the lab was to highlight the connection between the circulatory and respiratory systems. As students dissected the heart, they discussed how the respiratory system supports the circulatory system by oxygenating blood in the lungs before it is transported throughout the body. This interplay between systems was visually reinforced as Ms. Keoughan had one sample with both the lungs and heart attached. Students were able to see where the pulmonary arteries and veins provided pathways to the heart. Students were able to feel the difference between the strong, muscular heart, and the much softer lung tissue. They were also surprised by the strength and rigidity of the windpipe.

The heart dissection lab was undoubtedly a very exciting experience. Many students were timid to get started, but by the end the curiosity was flowing, and they thoroughly enjoyed themselves.