Name:
Period:
Pig Heart Lab
Every student is accountable to know the parts of the heart and lung each person should look and find
the parts. All answers need to be in complete sentences and use descriptive words. This does not
include (icky, gross, or any other words that are your opinion). Don’t be shy, use your fingers today!
Station 1: Examine the outside of the heart and how blood enters and leaves the heart. At this
station you will need to identify the superior vena cava, inferior vena cava, aorta, pulmonary vein and
pulmonary artery. Arteries have thick, rubbery walls. Veins have much thinner walls. Feel inside these
vessels with your fingers and feel the texture and strength of both vessels.
Find the pulmonary vein first. The aorta should be a little behind it. It might be covered with fat,
so use your fingers to poke around until you find the opening. Push your finger all the way in and you will
feel inside of the left ventricle. Use two different fingers to push into the aorta and the pulmonary
artery. You will notice that they crisscross each other with the pulmonary artery in front.
The two major veins that enter the heart can be found on the backside entering the atria. On the
left, you should be able to find the opening of the pulmonary vein as it enters the left atrium. The
superior vena cava enters the right atrium. Use your fingers to feel around the heart to find the
openings. If you’ve already marked the aorta and the pulmonary artery then you won’t mistake them for
the veins you are looking for.
Use the labeled pins to identify the parts. Once you and your group members have identified all five
veins and arteries, raise your hand to be checked off.
Describe below what the heart looks like using descriptive words. Tell me about the physical
features of the heart and the type of muscle tissue in at least 2 sentences.
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Station 2: Station two: Examine the four chambers of the heart. Like a human heart, a pig heart
consists of four chambers: two atria and two ventricles. You and your group members will have to
determine which side of the heart is which (right from left).
Using your pencils or fingers, follow the aorta into the left ventricle. You should also see how
much thicker the walls of the left ventricle are compared to the right ventricle.
Use the labeled pins to identify the four chambers. Once you have all four labeled, right and left
atria and right and left ventricles, raise your hand to be checked off.
Describe what you see and notice using descriptive words and at least 2 sentences.
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Station 3: Examine the inside of the heart to find the 4 valves and septum.
Like a human heart, a pig heart has four valves and an aorta. These similarities allow blood to flow
through a pig’s heart in the same way it flows through a human’s heart. Pig hearts are so similar to human
hearts that tissue from pig hearts is used to make heart valve replacements for humans.
Name:
Period:
Within the heart you may see “heart strings” that look like cords from the upper atria to the
lower ventricles. These are tendons that hold the heart valves in place. You might be able to follow the
cords to the bicuspid/mitral valve on the left side of the heart and the tricuspid valve on the right side
of the heart. Remember the valves are smooth muscle tissue and will feel very smooth and slick.
Use the five labeled pins to identify: tricuspid valve, mitral (bicuspid) valve, pulmonary valve, aortic
valve and septum tissue then raise your hand to be checked off.
Describe what you see and notice using descriptive words and at least 2 sentences.
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Station Four: Examine the Lungs. Using your fingers try to find and identify the bronchi and
bronchioles and any blood vessels linking the lungs to the heart. Remember, arteries have thick,
rubbery walls and veins have much thinner walls. Can you tell the difference between the veins and
arteries? Are you able to see any alveoli, the smallest air sacs in the lungs? Can you find the larynx at
the top of the trachea? You should be able to find the vocal cords at the top of it.
The aorta has its branches attached to it. There are three vessels that branch from the aorta
just as in humans.
If want to, take a clean straw and find the opening that will allow you to blow air into the lungs.
Pull your mouth away immediately and DO NOT inhale the automatic exhalation.
Describe what you see and notice using descriptive words and at least 2 sentences.
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Station Five: Deer Trachea and Liver. Examine the deer trachea. Compare the cartilage in the
“rings” that help push food down to the smooth muscle lining the trachea.
Describe what you see and notice using descriptive words and at least 2 sentences.
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Now examine the liver. Where do you think the gall bladder would have been located? Look at the
chart on the table instructions to see all the functions livers do to keep us in homeostasis. Think about
these as you write your sentences.
Describe what you see and notice using descriptive words and at least 2 sentences.
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Name:
Period:
Station Six: Examine the deer and elk hearts. Can you tell which heart is elk and which is deer by the
size? How do they compare to the pig hearts in stations 1 – 3? Think about the number of valves, number
and size of the chambers and size of the arteries/veins.
Describe what you see and notice using descriptive words and at least 2 sentences.
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Station Seven: Examine the deer brains and pig head. Can you locate the cerebellum, cerebrum and
brain stem on the deer brain?
Be sure to look at the pig’s eyes, tongue, teeth and any other features of the pig head you find
interesting. Think about how they compare to humans and trout.
Describe what you see and notice using descriptive words and at least 2 sentences.
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