Download Heart Dissection Lab:

Names:______________________________________________________
Date:_________________
Period:____
Heart Dissection Lab:
Problem: Can you correctly locate and identify all the chambers, blood vessels, and other
structures in the heart?
Background: The four chambers of the heart are called:___________________________
_______________________________________________________________________.
The main blood vessels taking blood away from the heart are called ________________.
The largest of these ____________ is called the _________________, and it splits into three
branches.
The main blood vessels that return blood to the heart are called _____________.
The two ________ that return blood directly to the heart are called __________________
and _____________________, which means upper major vein and lower major vein.
The wall that separates the left and right side of the heart is called the ______________.
Hypothesis: If I am given a sheep heart to dissect, then I _________ be able to locate the four
chambers, the major blood vessels, and the other structures of the heart.
Procedure:
Materials list: sheep heart, dissecting scissors, dissecting tray, straws, gloves, heart diagrams
Procedure:
a. Have a group discussion and find out who wants to touch the heart, and who would like to
just watch the procedure. (Respect a person’s decisions!) The person(s) watching will be your
notetaker and responsible for your group’s paper.
b. The materials master will pick up all your materials from the teacher.
c. Find Figure 1. Locate all the major veins and arteries shown in Figure 2 on your heart,
and check them off on your Diagram (each group member must check off their own papers).
When finished, have your teacher initial the box before moving onto the next step.
d. Find Figure 3. Place your heart on the dissection tray in the same position as it is in Figure 3.
Follow the instructions on Figure 3 carefully to begin dissecting your heart. Be very careful
not to cut your fingers!!! Check off each item as you locate it. When finished, have your
teacher initial the box before moving onto the next step.
e. Find Figure 4. Place your heart on the dissection tray in the same position as it is in Diagram
3. Follow the instructions on Figure 4 carefully to further dissect your heart. Be careful not
to cut your fingers!!!! Check off each item as you locate it. When finished, have your teacher
initial the box before moving onto the next step.
f. When you have finished exploring your heart you may clean up. All tools and trays must be
cleaned and returned to the blue tub. Your heart must be put in the trash bag. The
materials manager will return all tools in the blue tub to your teacher to get checked off.