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♥
"Always listen to your heart..."
"Always listen to your heart..."
"Because even though it is on your left side, it's always right."
-Nicholas Sparks
We encourage our students to follow their heart. And now we are asking them to study them.
We have several students who have expressed an interest in the medical field after high school. A component of our program is to help expose students to some of the studies they will encounter in future job fields. We also try to connect students with a person who works in that field. We are very lucky to have a cardiac nurse in our building, Ashley Haney.
Students will dissect not one heart, but many that represent the different chambered hearts present across species.
Count-up to Heart Dissections
Count-up to Heart Dissections
The girls began their count-up to dissection as they work on preparatory material to learn the parts of the heart, the difference between arteries and veins, and the functions of each chamber, valve, and circulatory system.
How much blood in a minute?
How much blood in a minute?
Our first quick-fire challenge was to move the same amount of liquid in a minute that the human heart does. The human heart pumps a gallon and a half of blood in a minute. Students were challenged to move a gallon and half of tinted water from one tub to another in a minute. A few students were successful, but some did not make the time limit.
Check out these hand-drawn pictures of the internal structures of the heart that the girls created! These pictures are hard to BEAT!!!! ❤️
Above: Nurse Ashley assissts a student with the initial cut of the dissection.
Below: Student locate the aorta on their specimen.
Above: our group of intrepid and curious STEM Girls who braved this unit with the serious intention it requires.
Below: It's all thumbs up after that first initial cut.
Below: Setting our kids up for success and learning.
Above: Nurse Ashley watches as students make the important dissection that allows students to see the chambers, major arteries and viens, and valves of the heart.
Below: A student prepares the heart by trimming fat away from the aorta.
Ashley Haney, BSN, RN, CSN
Certified School Nurse, Ashley Haney, graduated from Alderson Broaddus University School of Nursing. Nurse Ashley has a background in nursing for twelve years and has been South Middle Schools School Nurse for the past three years. Prior to becoming a School Nurse, Nurse Ashley cared for cardiac patients in the acute care setting. Her passion in life has always been to care for others and to make a positive impact on the lives of the patients and students she cares for. Nurse Ashley loves ensuring the health and well-being of our students here at South Middle and for the patients she cares for in the hospital setting.
Want to try this in your classroom?
Lesson Plans
Day 1: Introduction to the Heart
Objective: Students will be able to identify the main components of the heart and their functions.
1. Begin the lesson by discussing the importance of the heart in the human body and its function as a vital organ.
2. Introduce the main components of the heart, including the chambers (atria and ventricles), valves (tricuspid, pulmonary, mitral, and aortic), and major blood vessels (aorta, vena cava).
3. Show diagrams and models of the heart to help students visualize its structure.
4. Discuss the function of each component of the heart and how they work together to pump blood throughout the body.
Day 2: Heart Anatomy
Objective: Students will be able to identify the different parts of the heart and their functions through hands-on activities.
1. Provide students with diagrams and models of the heart.
2. Have students work in pairs to label the different parts of the heart and discuss their functions.
3. Conduct a hands-on activity where students listen to their own heartbeats using stethoscopes, or online heart sound simulators.
4. Review the parts and functions of the heart as a class and answer any questions students may have.
5. Assign a quiz or worksheet for homework to assess students' understanding of heart anatomy.
Day 3: Heart Dissection Preparation
Objective: Students will be able to understand the anatomy of a pig's heart and prepare for a heart dissection.
1. Review the main parts of the heart and their functions with the students.
2. Introduce the pig heart dissection lab and discuss safety precautions, including wearing gloves, goggles, and aprons.
3. Show a demonstration video or guide on how to properly dissect a pig's heart.
4. Provide students with dissection kits and tools, and review proper handling and disposal of the specimens.
5. Assign a pre-lab assignment for students to research the anatomy of a pig heart and prepare questions for the dissection.
Day 4: Pig Heart Dissection
Objective: Students will be able to properly dissect a pig heart and identify its main components.
1. Review safety precautions and proper dissection techniques with the students.
2. Guide students through the step-by-step dissection process, highlighting the main parts of the pig heart. (See pig heart dissection guide below.)
3. Have students identify and label the chambers, valves, and major blood vessels of the pig heart.
4. Conclude the lesson by discussing key findings from the dissection and answering any remaining questions students may have.
Safety Precautions for Pig Heart Dissection:
- Wear gloves, goggles, and aprons at all times during the dissection.
- Use sharp dissection tools carefully and handle specimens with care.
- Wash hands thoroughly before and after the dissection.
- Dispose of all biological waste properly according to school guidelines.
- Clean up workstations and tools after the dissection to prevent contamination.
Pig Heart Dissection Guide
Procedure
Notice the fat that covers the upper part of the heart and blood vessels. Remove as much of this fat as possible, so that the heart can be clearly observed and dissected. Use forceps to pick or scrape the fat away. Work carefully, and do not damage any of the heart structures as you remove the fat.
The fat is light-colored, soft, and without organized structure. Heart muscle is dark and fibrous. The walls of blood vessels are thin, tough, and usually smooth on the inside. Make an effort to distinguish between these three tissue types.
Locate the following structures: Aorta, Superior Vena Cava, Pulmonary Valve, Right Atrium, Tricuspid Valve, Right Ventricle, Inferior Vena Cava, Pulmonary Artery, Pulmonary Vein, Left Atrium, Mitral Valve, Left Ventricle, and Aortic Valve.
Place the preserved pig heart so that the anterior view is oriented towards you.
With the scalpel, begin splitting the heart in half with a single incision. Begin the incision behind the aorta and make a straight crosscut, cutting both atria in half.
Use great caution while using the scalpel. Have one group member, or another classmate, gently separate the two sides of the heart as you gently cut across the initial incision down the apex (point) of the heart. Leave a small connection between the halves of the heart so you can close it like a book.
Notice the thickness of the outer wall of the left ventricle and right ventricle.
Observe the bicuspid valve supported by the chordae tendineae and papillary muscles.
Observe the bicuspid valve supported by chordae tendineae and papillary muscles.
Using a probe, trace the pathway of blood from the left ventricle through the bicuspid mitral valve to the aorta. Repeat this action for the right ventricle, tracing the pathway from the ventricle through the pulmonic semilunar valve to the pulmonary trunk.
When directed by your teacher(s), clean up your workstation and dispose of the heart specimen in accordance with your teacher’s instructions.
By the end of the five-day lesson plan, students will have a comprehensive understanding of the heart's anatomy and functions, as well as practical experience in dissecting a pig heart. This hands-on approach will enhance their learning and provide a memorable and engaging experience in studying the heart.❤️
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