Today was a fun day of teaching. My students dissected pig uteri as the culmination of the sexual reproduction unit. They had a great time whether they thought it was awesome or gross. Students were able to identify the umbilical cord, placenta, and amniotic sac. I even let them take photos of their dissections to post on facebook later on their own time. So, even though its a memorable experience for high school freshmen, do they actually further their knowledge of the female reproductive system by pretending to be pig Obstetricians, or is it an activity to stall in anticipation of a new week when we can start fresh on a new topic?
I started asking as myself this question as I passed from lab station to lab station. I realized students were having fun dismantling their specimens, but I did not get the feeling that they were progressing in their knowledge of what it means to be pregnant. The purpose of the activity is to handle the female pig anatomy in order to make the connection between structure and function. I got the feeling that it was something fun for them because it had nothing to do with regents practice.
Prior to this lab activity we fully discussed the structures and hormones involved in pregnancy. Yesterday they took an exam on reproduction and actually did poorly overall. But, I do not think their grades overall would have improved if we completed the dissection lab before the exam. For example, I extracted one of the fetal pig lungs from one of the fetal pigs extracted by a lab team and asked around the class, "If I submerged this lung in water, would you expect it to float or sink?" Most of the students responded with blank stares, but a few reasoned that they would expect it to float because they're used for breathing and contain air. Not one student could make the connection on their own that the fetuses got all the oxygen they needed through the placenta and therefore, the lungs never contained air.
Many of the older teachers in the department have abandoned dissections all together, a practice I don't agree with. But, in this age of APPR, is it better to have fun and create an experience a student can look back on fondly, or is it better to look good in the eyes of the district by drilling students with regents practice so they become good test takers? It's a catch 22.
The more I think about it, the more I hate final exams.
Interesting post. Teachers need to walk the tightrope. You have to inspire and excite students about science and at the same time make sure they can pass the standardized tests.
ReplyDeleteI think dissection does teach some important skills. Too many people are completed detached from the reality of the natural world.
Current trends in science involve deeper exploration into the genetics and molecular makeup of organisms while at the same time neglecting the study of organisms, their behavior and their place in natural world.