Name_________________________ Block______
Chicken Leg Dissection
Purpose/Objective: To become familiar with observation and dissection techniques (equipment/terminology)
when completing a comparative anatomy lab
To make inferences about homologous structures in the study of human anatomy (compare the chicken leg
structure—muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments and cartilage to what you have learned about the human skeletal
and muscle system)
To observe (see) and name the bones and muscles of the lower leg
To observe the origin and insertion of the lower leg muscles
To compare the movement of cold and warm muscles and to identify opposing muscle groups
To see what the inside of a long bone looks like and to see the bone marrow
Materials:
Dissecting tray
Dissecting probe
Notebook
Writing instrument
Pair of rubber gloves
Magnifying lens
Chicken Leg/Thigh (pre-soaked in a mild bleach solution)
1. Identify the lab equipment
2. Note: the chicken was soaked in a mild bleach solution to inhibit bacterial growth. BE CAREFUL not to get
the solution on your clothing. BE SURE to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water at the end of each
lab
3. Read the lab for a complete understanding of the process. MAKE SURE that you have a complete
understanding of what you will be doing before obtaining the materials
4. Select one person to obtain materials. Stay at your place; speak quietly with your lab partners.
Part 1: Examine the chicken. Draw a picture of it. Look closely at the skin. Can you see where the feathers
once were? ______________.
What function does the skin serve? ______________ _____________ ________________
_______________
Remove the skin. The membrane that attaches the skin to the muscles is called ____________.
Part 2. Examine the skinless chicken. Draw a picture of it. Move the leg while the muscle is still cold. You
will move it again near the end of the lab to see if there is a difference in moving a cold muscle vs. a warmer
one. Is there a difference? ____________________
Which direction are the muscle fibers? ________________ Where do they start and end?
_________________. The start is called the ______________. The ending point is called the
_______________.
Using a dissecting probe, try to separate the muscle groups. Then try to separate out an individual muscle
fiber. Draw a picture of what you see. What are the names of the muscles? ____________
______________ _______________
(Hint: use the muscle handout)
Part 3. Remove the muscle bundles from the bone. The connective tissue that attaches muscles to bone is
called _______________.
What is the name of the connective tissue that covers the ends of the bone? ________________
After removing the muscles, you should see bones. Which bones do you see? _____________
_______________ ________________
Notice the hinge joint of the knee. Can you see the ball and socket joint, as well? ________________
With teacher assistance, break the long bone. Examine the inside of the bone. Do you see the bone marrow?
_________ Describe it. _________________________________________________________
Clean-up expectations:
Place the chicken in the bag provided
Rinse the dissection tray and other equipment
Put the equipment in the designated area
Clean floor and table area thoroughly
Wash hands using soap and water
Lab reflection. Write about your lab experience. In list or paragraph form tell six things that you
have learned.