Name: ______________________________________ Date: ___________ Period: ________
Partner’s Name: ___________________________________________
Cow Eye Dissection Lab
For this lab exercise, we will examine the internal anatomy of the cow eye. Cow eyes are relatively
inexpensive, and are particularly useful because of their size. Moreover, the basic structures are
similar to those in the primate eye. Most diagrams of the eye show a cross section to illustrate the
relative locations of all the important internal structures. However, we are going to divide the eye into
front and back hemispheres and examine each half separately. This will allow us to examine the lens
and the ligaments that hold it in place in the front half and to view most of the retina, still intact in the
back half of the eye.
Materials:
cow eye
gloves
dissecting scissors
dissecting tray
Use the Dissection Guide for the dissection procedures. Please do not write on the Dissection Guide.
When you have finished, answer the following questions and complete the drawing on the back, and
the final two questions.
Questions:
1. The _______________ is the colored part of the eye.
2. The dark oval in the middle of the eye is the ______________. It is really just a hole.
3. The clear liquid under the cornea is the ________________
_____________________
4. The cornea helps to ______________________ the eye.
5. Why would the cow need such a thick cornea?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
6. The _______________ is between the cornea and the lens.
7. The ________________ is a clear lump the size and shape of a squashed marble.
8. Hold up the lens and look through it at your partner. How does your partner appear?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
9. All of the nerves go out of the eye at the back. This is called the _____________
_____________.
10. At night, the cow eye will shine in the light. This is because of the shiny blue-green covering called
the _________________________.
Identify each part of the Cow Eye. On the solid line, name each part of the cow eye. Look at the
description and location and name each part.
11. What did you find most interesting about the cow eye dissection?
12. Is this a dissection that we should do next year with the incoming 6th graders? Why?