A Seafood Feast
A Seafood Feast
Many teachers face the dilemma of whether or not to use organisms in the classroom,
yet feel a need to expose pre-college students to animal dissection. In
an effort
to overcome student objections, reduce the number of organisms used, and
avoid wasting any part of an animal, we use common "seafood items" to
illustrate features
of the nervous system. Squid, octopus, lobster, fish and
shark can give students
hands-on knowledge about giant axons, nerve cords, brain structure,
and visual as well as
auditory and electrosensory systems. In the context of food preparation, students
lose the inhibition of cutting into animals, and the use of lower organisms is
acceptable to more students, including some vegetarians. Knowledge of comparative
anatomy can be gained from "cleaning" these organisms and ending the session
with a seafood feast.
The availability of items at the seafood market determines which sensory systems
will be the focus of this season's lab. There is usually a fairly diverse
phylogenetic representation. The external anatomy of the organisms is examined and
compared, with discussion centering on features specific to each organism
and its
suitability to particular environments. We try to follow the evolution
of certain structures such as the eye and the brain, and discuss the
type of nervous systems that the organisms have. This lab generally follows weeks
of instruction on classification and the evolution of all of the organ systems.
After considering the external anatomy, we begin to "clean" the organisms,
revealing examples of neuroanatomy and other structures. Prior to the lab,
students have teamed up and reviewed the anatomy of selected organisms and are
prepared to be the principle investigators and chefs explaining to, discovering
with, and cooking for their peers.
Interested in Recipes?
Last updated:
12/17/2004 HEC