Dissection Visual Aides-Rat Internal and External Anatomy
Name:______________
Date:_______
Period:_____
Standard(s):

BI9. a. Students know how the complementary activity of major body systems
provides cells with oxygen and nutrients and removes toxic waste products such
as carbon dioxide.
Learning Objective (s):
SWBAT…
 Understand the how the human body is organized starting from the smallest (cells) to the
largest (organism) level.
 Explain how different organ systems work together to maintain homeostasis.
 Understand the importance of maintaining a stable internal environment in the human
body.
Resources:
 http://kingdomcms.com/dissected-rat
 http://kentsimmons.uwinnipeg.ca/16cm05/16labman05/lb7pg3_files/image002.jp
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 http://www.biologymad.com/ratphotos/ratdissection_files/frame.htm
Directions:
 Label the external anatomy of the rat in diagram 1 using text boxes.
 Label the internal anatomy of the rat in diagram 2 using text boxes.
 Answer the analysis questions below.
Diagram I. External Anatomy-label the external anatomy of the rat by inserting text
boxes with the following organs: external nares, incisors, pinna, vibrissae, auditory
meatus, eyes, tails, eyelids, forearm, claw, scrotal sacs, urogenital orifice
Diagram II. Internal Anatomy-label the internal anatomy of the rat by inserting text boxes
with the following organs: heart, left lung, right lung, liver, stomach, large intestine,
caecum, small intestine, testis, thymus gland, urinary bladder
Analysis Questions:
1.) What is the difference between the terms internal and external?
2.) What is the function of the vibrissae?
3.) What are the external nares equivalent to in a human?
4.) Why do rats have such large incisors?
5.) Which organs appear to be the largest in the dissected rat?
6.) Which digestive organ does the rat have that humans do not have? Why does the
rat need this organ?
7.) How do the lungs and heart work together to circulate oxygen throughout the
body?
8.) What is the function of the liver?
9.) Starting from the anterior end of the rat and ending at the posterior end place
the organs in order: heart, urinary bladder, testis, lungs, large intestine, thymus
gland, small intestine, liver, stomach, caecum