Format
Students and teachers should be prepared prior to starting the session. This includes procuring and providing each student (or pair of students) with a preserved sheep brain and set of equipment for dissecting.
Teachers may obtain the sheep brain specimens at:
https://biologyproducts.com/collections/preserved-specimens/products/sheep-brain-in-dura?variant=40102099746897
We recommend that students have their own sheep brain specimens or work in pairs. Each student/pair should have one preserved sheep brain, a dissecting pad and one scalpel, forceps and scissors. We also recommend gloves for each student.
The Saint Louis University anatomy education specialist/healthcare professional will guide the students to explore their sheep brain including the following structures:
Protective coverings (dura mater, arachnoid mater, pia mater)
Lobes, hemispheres, cerebellum, brainstem
Cortex, white and gray matter
Gyri and sulci
Cranial nerves (optic, olfactory)
Pituitary gland
Corpus callosum, thalamus, hypothalamus, lateral ventricles, choroid plexus, cerebrospinal fluid
Functional significance of brain structures
Comparative analysis of sheep and human brain
Discussion of common neurological disorders and treatments
Questions and Answers
Objectives
Lesson Objectives:
Students will complete a dissection of a sheep brain, identifying the principal internal and external structures.
Students will increase their understanding of the surface area and structures of the brain and spinal cord as well as their functions within the central and peripheral nervous systems.
Students will be able to identify the protective structures of the brain.
Students will be able to identify the four lobes of the brain, including their functions.
Students will participate in the use of a cadaver as a learning tool for health science education.
Students will utilize comparative anatomy to observe various structures of the brain.
Students will increase their understanding of common neurological disorders, their symptoms and treatment.
Students will be able to increase their understanding of the effects of drugs and alcohol on the brain.
Standards Alignment
National Standards
National Science Education (NSES) Content Standards
Content Standard K-12: Unifying Concepts and Processes: systems order and organization; evidence, models and explanation; form and function (Grades 9-12)
Content Standard A: Science as Inquiry (Grades 9-12; Grades 5-8)
Content Standard C: Life Science: matter, energy and organization of living systems (Grades 9-12)/Life Science: structure and function in living systems; diversity and adaptation of organisms (Grades 5-8)
Content Standard F: Science in Personal Health and Social Perspectives: personal and community health (Grades 9-12)/Science in Personal Health and Social Perspectives: personal health (Grades 5-8)
State Standards
Show Me Standards (Science and Health/Physical Education)
Science 3: Characteristics and interactions of living organisms
Health/Physical Education 1: Structures of, functions of and relationships among human body systems
Health/Physical Education 2: Principles and practices of physical and mental health
Health/Physical Education 3: Diseases and methods for prevention, treatment and control
Health/Physical Education 5: Methods used to assess health, reduce risk factors, avoid high-risk behaviors
Health/Physical Education 6: Consumer health issues