Squid Dissection
One of the highlights of the first semester biology is the squid dissection. In fact, from the very first day of class, students ask “when do we get to dissect?”  It is the squid where they get their first experience with a dissection.   However, after years of teaching freshman, I’ve learned there are some pitfalls to be avoided. Certainly, one can imagine the dangers of letting thirty fourteen-year-olds loose with sharp instruments, dead squid and latex gloves.  I can guarantee you that without sufficient instruction and management, it will take less than five minutes for certain boys to turn the latex gloves into balloons, cut off a tentacle, and wave it around the face of the girl they would love to get attention from.
Unfortunately for us teachers, these antics can be stressful. The girls squealing and the general mayhem that can result from a dissection lab can give even veteran teachers a migraine.   To avoid some of this chaos, it is best to start off the dissection lab with some very clear instructions.   DO NOT LEAVE IT UP TO CHANCE!
First of all, a little bit of theatrics can go a long way. When students understand that they are in a lab, and labs are special places with special rules, then they will behave accordingly. I have perfected this strategy over the years, and now I find my students tend to behave even better in a lab than they do in the lecture-oriented classes.
First, you need the white lab coat. As students are filing in, put this coat on to signal that today is a lab day.  Have your equipment and demonstration specimen ready to go and wait for the students to get settled and quiet before introducing the lab.
Explain to them the importance of safety and that any “horsing around” will not be tolerated.  Be sure to utilize the deadpan stare on students who may be tempted to play during the lab. (The deadpan stare is also something that can take years to perfect.)  Threaten a maximum punishment if this rule is broken. Be sure it’s a punishment that you can enforce, as threats of punishment that are not followed up on can completely undermine your classroom discipline. This punishment does not have to be elaborate, for instance, I simply send unruly students out into the hall and they receive a zero for the lab.
Next, put on your safety goggles as an extension of the safety speech. Specimens are preserved in a fluid that is caustic, which is painful if it gets in the eyes. Also show the students the proper way to take on and off latex gloves. These simple demonstrations serve to reinforce the concept of LAB and LAB RULES.
Finally, give the procedures for acquiring their specimens and disposing of them. These instructions will probably vary based on the lab set up, number of students and sinks in the room, so I won’t go into detail here. The important part is explaining beforehand, and getting the students settled and focused before they get their lab materials.
All in all, don’t be afraid to do the dissection. Most students find this the most memorable part of the biology class (the squid, and later the frog dissection).  Keep a close eye on your students throughout and circulate to help them find structures. See Squid Dissection handout if you need instructions or a guide to the dissection.
December 3, 2009
· 
smuskopf · 
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Posted in: Best Practices
