Mink Dissection

This is the presentation I created to help my students through each major step of a mink dissection.

While the presentation came in handy, I also modeled each step for them, but tried not to show them TOO much as I went-- there's something great in the discovery being theirs.

As they started opening each mink, I would call them back, show more pictures on the board, or model through mine a bit more, quizzing as I went.
(The first day is the toughest as students have to find the trachea and esophagus and separate out connective tissue.)

As they dissected, I walked around and quizzed them, and kept a running record of who knew what. I also called other groups over to have them look at exemplars.

While not explicitly in the presentation, I also made sure to go over safety procedures (gloves, goggles, how you use a scalpel, when to use each tool etc.) With some classes, we also wrote up a "dissection agreement" and signed it.

Most students had basic knowledge of organs, and some basic systems. I used the mink dissection to launch not only my unit on various body systems, but also levels of organization, and eventually cells and genetics.

Key words: esophagus, trachea, heart, connective tissue, muscle tissue, fat/adipose, ribcage, lungs, stomach, diaphragm, small intestine, large intestine, greater and lesser omentum, gall bladder, pancreas, spleen, kidney, ureters, artery, vein, digestive system, circulatory system, respiratory system, urinary system.

Presentation includes:
Pictures of each step
Exemplars of what their notebooks should look like every day
Daily quizzes
Do-nows
Clean up guidelines
And more!

Students' final exam included walking around the room, looking at various mink, and identifying parts, telling what system each was in, and a major function.

Note: Before doing a dissection, you may want to send a note home to parents explaining your rationale and the importance of the dissection. While I have only had one student in six years who did not participate, it does sometimes happen. Make sure you have an alternative activity for those who object.