Looking at plucks in primary schools
The term “dissection” is used in this and the other primary documents to mean just close
observation. The cutting into the organ does not require special equipment or skills.
Why do this?
The dissection can help pupils to gain an appreciation of the range of organs found in the
mammal’s body.
It also gives teachers an opportunity to relate their teaching of the circulatory system to the
functioning of organs in the body.
Studying the pluck gives pupils an appreciation of the organs link together in the chest region.
Where to obtain the pluck
A pluck obtained from a butcher will be suitable
Examining the pluck
Show the pupils the lungs and heart.
There is often some liver still attached
Blood vessels that
carry blood to the
lungs and the rest of
the body
lung
liver
heart
Looking closely at the heart and its connections
The heart obtained from a pluck has all its blood vessels attached. See “Looking at (dissecting)
hearts in primary schools” for a comparison with hearts obtained from a shop.
Look at the back of the
heart to see the
connections of the blood
vessels with the lungs.
The blood vessels that
connect to the body can
also be seen.
Connecting
blood
vessels
The heart from the side
atrium
ventricle
Looking at the liver
FRONT VIEW:
The lobes of the intact liver can be clearly
seen.
the diaphragm ( as sheet of muscle that
separates the thorax and the abdomen) can
also be clearly seen.
Liver
The relationship between the diaphragm, the
oesophagus and the liver can be seen in this
photograph.
The way that the oesophagus passes through
the diaphragm.
The teacher may want to discuss how hiccups
are produced.
lungs
oesphagus
diaphragm
Liver
Safety and disposal
Please refer to the safety guidelines are in CLEAPSS guide, “Looking at (dissecting) animal
organs in primary schools, health and safety aspects”.