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Forensic Pig Dissection (Carolina Biological. One student group, $55. Kit for class of 32, $200.) I have been teaching Anatomy and Physiology for the past 13 years, and one of the underlying themes in the semester is forensic science. This is an introductory course, so I have a lot of freedom to select activities to pique my students’ interest. I was looking for an activity that could introduce students to dissection before the much more detailed cat dissection, which occurs at the end of the course. I was also looking for a new way to have my students explore the steps of autopsy. In the past, I had done the virtual autopsies available on the Internet, but I really wanted an activity in which the students could be more active in the process. The Carolina Forensic Dissection Kit, as I discovered, does a great job of meeting both of my needs. It engages students in the process of a forensic autopsy, while using a new approach to teach mammalian anatomy. The kit is designed for middle and high school students, with the overarching learning goal of students conducting a fetal pig dissection using the protocol for a human autopsy. If you are like me and have to check off every indicator and benchmark, Carolina Biological has designed the product in such a way that it is effortless to modify the investigation to match your goals …

Investigating Osmotic Rates. Carolina Biological Supply, $191. Overview of Product "Investigating Osmotic Rates" is a hands-on, inquiry-based investigation that allows students to visually explore many of the aspects that affect osmosis and diffusion, with particular focus on osmotic rates. While it is intended for both the high school and the college level, it is likely best suited for the introductory college laboratory. It is designed to help students understand the fundamental advanced aspects of osmosis and diffusion. The class, divided into different expert teams, has the opportunity to investigate effects of solute concentration on osmotic rate, electrolytes versus natural solutes, and the effects of enzymes on osmotic rates. After completing the investigations, each expert team shares their results with the rest of the class for discussion and comparison. Students then analyze pooled results by creating a master graph looking at the impact on osmotic rate and then reflecting upon a series of higher-order questions. Learning Goals & Standards Carolina Biological continues to create high-quality educational products, and this is clearly evident when one opens the teacher's manual. The National Science Education Standards are clearly outlined, and a brief overview of what students are expected to do and how they will be assessed is provided. If you're a teacher who has to document every standard covered in each lesson plan, Carolina has done a great job of including these in the teacher's manual. The manual was clearly designed to be practical and to assist the teacher in implementing the activity and reducing preparation time. Copy-ready student activity sheets and teacher preparation pages have been well designed to maximize the lab experience while reducing overall preparation time. To help teachers and students get the most out of this inquiry experience, safety notes, background information, detailed materials lists and preparation notes, and extension activities are provided. Materials & Preparation This compact kit comes packaged in a box for easy storage until you're ready to implement this inquiry in the classroom. Compared to typical osmosis activities that I have utilized in the past, I found this investigation relatively simple to prepare and was able to set up all three stations in about 30 minutes. The reusable osmometers feature genuine animal membrane that is freely permeable to water and dissolved inorganic salts, but not to large molecules. Carolina provided all the essential materials except for a few items such as markers and paper towels, which can be found in most science classrooms. Instruction Carolina has designed this kit around the 5E model of instruction: engage, explore, explain, extend, and evaluate. I had my class of 23 divide into six teams of 3-4 students per experimental team (the kit was designed for classes of up to 36). Two student research groups were then assigned to each of the three primary investigations. This created expert groups for each of the three investigations that could collaborate with each other, verify observations and data, and then report back their results to the entire class for discussion. My high school freshman students were excited to tackle their assigned investigations. To help prepare the students the day before the lab, it is important to have each research group review their procedure carefully. I have only 50 minutes of class time, so it was important to instruct each lab group on how to divide the experimental set-up procedures so they could work collaboratively to get their experiments running. …

Mitosis Sequencing Kit: Plant Cell Mitosis. Cell Zone, $99. Overview of Product As teachers of biology, I think we can agree that when we teach mitosis, we hope our students will do more than just memorize the phases. Unfortunately, that is not the case. When I asked my AP Biology students what mitosis was, they immediately shouted "PMAT." When I asked for some clarification, they were able to recite prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase. When I further asked about the process, I got a lot of blank stares. I had hoped the cell cycle would have been a topic that was covered in enough detail when they were sophomores. No luck. However, I was fortunate to have the Mitosis Sequencing Kit from Cell Zone still sitting in its bag in the back of my room. I had hoped to use the kit with my sophomores, but I decided that my AP biology students needed an intervention. The kit is designed as a Universal Design for Learning System. (UDL is an approach to learning that reaches the most students without watering down the content. To learn more, visit http://www.CAST. org.) Knowing a little bit about UDL, I knew the kit would be hands-on, minds-on, and interactive. Learning Goals & Standards Mitosis is one of the universal topics that all biology teachers cover in one form or another during the course of the school year. The National Science Standards for Life Science in High School and Middle School are addressed with the activities found within the guidebook. Depending on what the goal of your course is, this kit can be modified for use in the middle school classroom up to AP Biology or Introductory Biology courses. Because the kit is UDL, it does reach more learners than the traditional microscope activity that is commonly done. As found in the guidebook, the UDL approach provides for a more inclusive classroom that encourages interaction and discussion among students. Materials & Preparation Each kit comes with two different sets of plant-cell photomicrographs. One set is numerical (1-15) and the other alphabetical (A-O). A guidebook is also provided that is full of tips and ideas on how to use the kit. In the guidebook, there is background for instructors, a traditional approach to using the kit, and an inquiry-based learning approach. As for preparation, I was able to have the kit ready to go in about 15 minutes. Instruction What is so great about this kit is the ease with which it takes a complex process such as mitosis and makes it more than just a memorization activity. The Mitosis Sequencing Kit requires students to use knowledge acquired during class and create new knowledge, all the while working as a group. I used the inquiry-based learning approach with my AP students, who had some previous knowledge about mitosis. …

Anatomy in Clay. Zahouk Systems. $349.00. Overview of Product "Anatomy in Clay" is a hands-on kit that gives students the experience of sculpting human anatomical structures from clay as an alternative to dissection. The versatility of the kit makes it useful for teachers at any level who cover form and function of the human body The way the kit is designed allows for easy modification to suit the needs of the particular class. Beginning with anatomical terminology, students have the opportunity to identify bones, create musculature, lay out neural pathways, and construct the cardiovascular system, all using clay. Depending on the needs of the classroom, students can also build the digestive and urinary systems. In using this kit, the teacher has complete control and can modify it as needed. The lessons are frameworks, not cookbook, and allow for creativity, which is not always the case in other classroom kits. Learning Goals & Standards The goals and standards found within the curriculum guide are clear and concise for each activity. "Students will compare the relationship between anatomical structures" is just one example of an objective that can be used at any level of instruction. For those who have to write out every standard to be covered, the curriculum provides a place to write in state and local standards. Materials & Preparation One of the best features of this product is that everything is reusable from year to year and is economical. Each kit comes with hardware for assembly, a basic tool set, clay, and an activities booklet. The clay is oil-based, so it will not dry out. My class started our models in September, and 4 months later the clay was still pliable. In terms of prep time, the actual assembly of the models required the most time. Once the models were assembled, I was able to set up the workstations in less than 10 minutes, and cleanup is minimal. Instruction The learning-activities booklet that comes with the set is helpful in providing examples of what can be completed using the Anatomy in Clay system. It includes ideas for explorations of the skeleton, muscle anatomy, and the nervous system. However, I found that I was bound only by my imagination in what I could do with the kit and that students can be very creative when given the opportunity to work at their own pace. A curriculum guide can be purchased separately that gives a great overview and introduction to the use of Anatomy in Clay. The curriculum is adaptable to any teaching situation, style, or time frame. I was able to add and change the activities as my students moved through the process. …