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Biology 12: Heart Dissection
Let’s watch the following heart tutorial:
http://www.zerobio.com/videos/sheep_heart_anatomy.html
1) Lay the heart down on the dissecting tray. Orient yourself with the heart by identifying the
aorta at the top and the apex at the bottom, as well as the right and left sides. The right ventricle
can be identified by squeezing the heart, since the myocardium on the right side is much less
rigid than that of the left ventricle. The coronary artery will be visible running diagonally along
the heart, separating the smaller right side from the larger left side. Identify the auricles… the
external portion of the atria.
2) With your scalpel, make a cross-sectional incision that will split each chamber. Separate the
two halves of the heart for examination.
(Note: Steps 1 and 2 combine for 2 technique)
1
3) Identify the following structures with the corresponding coloured pin:
Heart Structure
Pin Colour
Right Atrium
Right Ventricle
Right AV Valve
Right SL Valve
Septum
Left Atrium
Left Ventricle
Left AV Valve
Left SL Valve
Chordae Tendineae
#1
#2
#3
Clear
White
Black
Blue
Green
Yellow
Red

4) Identify, with a probe, the following blood vessels:
Blood Vessel
Aorta
Anterior Vena Cava
Posterior Vena Cava
Pulmonary Arteries
Pulmonary Veins
Coronary Arteries/Veins

5) Explain (and show) the path of blood through the heart.
Heart Dissection Performance-Based Assessment:
Technique
Identification of
structures with
pins
Identification of
structures with
probe
Explanation of
circulation of
blood through
heart
Beginning
Only some of the
incisions are
precise.
Only some of the
structures are
correctly
identified.
Only some of the
structures are
correctly
identified.
Only some of the
circulation of
blood is correctly
explained.
Developing
Most incisions
are precise.
Correctly
identified most of
the structures.
Correctly
identified most of
the structures.
Correctly
explains most of
the circulation of
blood through
the heart.
Accomplished
Almost all
incisions are
precise.
Correctly
identified almost
all of the
structures.
Correctly
identified almost
all of the
structures.
Correctly
explains almost
all of the
circulation of
blood through the
heart.
Exemplary
Proper precise
incisions.
Correctly
identified all of
the structures.
Correctly
identified all of
the structures.
Correctly
explains all of
the circulation of
blood through
the heart.
2