This week in my AP Biology class, we had the opportunity to participate in a fetal pig dissection to explore the Kingdom Animalia. In previous classes and camps, I have dissected a frog, worm, squid, and fish... but this so far was the most interesting!
Due to Covid-19, the amount of hands-on labs we have completed this year has been minimal. So, when given the opportunity, my class was excited to watch our teacher dissect a fetal pig and teach us about the different structures in our body! What I found interesting about this lab was getting to see how the organs and tissues package together and fit within an organism. It was fascinating to discuss the different structures and functions of each organ and relate this to the human body and previous topics in AP bio. Our class was able to make connections to previous units that covered the topics of cell structure, diffusion, osmosis, enzymes, and evolution. As our teacher completed the dissection, we eagerly discussed how these topics related to the many processes that occur in our body!
For example, when exploring the coiling small intestine, we noted how large the surface area to volume ratio was. Then, we connected this back to our topic of osmosis and diffusion, discussing how a large surface area to volume ratio allows water and important nutrients to diffuse at faster rate - because there is more surface area (room) for these molecules to diffuse through. This is beneficial to the organisms because the organ will get the important water and nutrients it needs for the cells to function properly.
This investigation left me curious about about my own body and the many processes happening in these complex systems! Overall, I really enjoyed being able to participate in a hands-on lab that explored Kingdom Animalia. Fascinating!
Check out this short video on how to dissect a fetal pig! Note - content may be disturbing to some viewers:
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