Students can only learn so much from paper diagrams and endless PowerPoints, so getting the chance to learn by doing is always a treat.
For the past few months, sophomore biology students have been bracing themselves for the inevitable shark dissection unit. Some students waited for months with anticipation, remembering the stories from their older siblings and friends. Others were more reluctant, remembering the stench in the hallway that scarred their freshman year.
Students in Mrs. Halloran’s honors biology class, like sophomore Kayli Oddo, were guided through the process of dissecting their sharks and determining certain organs, such as the brain, heart, liver, and stomach. Once the stomach was located, students could see how the digestion process in a shark takes place.
“The worst part was definitely the fact that the preservatives smelled so bad,” Oddo said.
Oddo was particularly fascinated with the dissection process and plans to take anatomy next year. She was able to see how the digestion process happened in the shark and was very interested by it.
Below are some snapshots of the sophomore class dissecting sharks:
The team of boys Zack Deleo, Nick Demers, Ender Jimenez and Mike Dimambro put in some serious work on day one of shark dissections.
Sophomore boys Ender Jimenez and Nick Demers are excited to see the first cut be made while opening up their shark.
“Do I just break its jaw?” Jimenez said hesitantly.
The boys identify their shark.
The girls show how skilled they are as they open up their shark and make their first cuts. Sophomores Laynie Holk, Kayli Oddo, Erin Barnes and Kate Lind were very focused when opening up their shark.
Sophomore’s Holk Barnes and Lind enjoy the dissection process and know what they need to do to get the job done.
The girls identify their shark.
The girls examine the insides of their shark.
