This morning I headed to DS2's school to help with the science enrichment lab. Today's topic - anatomy. We dissected a pig heart and lungs. It was actually quite fascinating. I went through a practice/training run last week, and it went well. I even learned something about bypass surgeries that I'd never known before.
This morning, DS2 was in the first group. We talked about how the lungs work, used a trach tube to blow up the lungs, and cut one apart to see what it looked like inside. I had to do all the cutting as I didn't feel comfortable handing a razor sharp scalpel to a group of squirming 5th graders.
Then we talked about the 4 chambers of the heart and how they work. We cut into each chamber and followed the arteries and veins into and out of the heart. We compared the texture of the heart to the texture of the lungs. We compared the thickness of the walls of the atria and ventricles.
DS2's group took a while to get going. They didn't want to touch at first, but after a while they even put their fingers through the arteries and veins.
After DS2's group, I had to do another group. In this group was a girl who wanted to spend the whole time "touching something bloody." I constantly had to tell her to back away so I could cut without cutting her fingers. I almost made it through this group too, but just before the lab ended it all got to be a bit too much. Thankfully I only had another 10 minutes and was able to leave.
I definitely couldn't have done it for more than two groups. And I'll probably go ahead and volunteer when my girls go through it. I think if I get a less ... enthusiastic ... group, I may even make it all the way through. Though I will not be volunteering to be parent leader as they have to lead several groups of parents and students through the lab, and twice is my limit. :)
For the record - I did not vomit, although I felt a little nauseous, and kept the windows in the car open all the way back to the house. The stench of decomposing pig is still in my nostrils 12 hours later.
Ok, one last warning! If the descriptions made you queasy - stop now!
Our lab:
DS2 getting ready for the lab:
Me, getting ready to cut:
Our specimen:
2 comments:
How great that you did this with your son, especially something that is pretty icky! Heh, you can come over and chop up Mingus and Vespa's cow hearts now. It makes me want to pass out every time.
Fascinating! I think its awesome you did this! Seeing the pictures was a lot easier than reading your description because at least I didn't have to smell decomposing pig :-P
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