Rat Dissection with Year 7 Scholars
Reporting by Zara and Elena
Year 7 Academic Scholars had the chance to experience a rat dissection in a lunchtime session led by Biology teacher Mr Merrett.
Some twenty students gathered as Mr Merrett explained the purpose of the dissection: “Studying rat anatomy is a great way to learn about human anatomy,” he says. “Both rats and humans are mammals and every structure we find in a human is there in a rat, just on a smaller scale.” For those who did not want to get too close to the specimen, the dissection was also projected onto a screen at the front of the class.
With the rat on its back, Mr Merrett showed how to pin its limbs out of the way and then remove the skin using a scalpel, scissors and forceps. It is important not to make any deep incisions, he explained, to avoid damage to the underlying organs. Mr Merrett then cut through the sternum and removed the ribcage to reveal the lungs.
Over the course of the dissection, the scholars got to see many other organs, including the heart, the stomach, the small and large intestines, the kidneys and even the brain.
When students enter Year 9 and begin the iGCSE Biology syllabus, they will get the chance to carry out their own dissections of specific organs, including the heart, the eye and the kidney.
