Year 11 Biology Workshop: Investigating Multicellular Organisms

On Friday, 1 August, our Year 11 Biology students participated in a practical workshop at Faith SAS, bringing their classroom studies to life through hands-on experiences.

The focus was on dissecting key organs connected to the bodily systems covered in Unit 1, Topic 2: Multicellular Organisms.

Heart Dissection

They were able to dissect cow's hearts which are large and demonstrate the parts of the heart very clearly. They were able to see the different chambers of the hearts, the difference in musculature of the chambers due to their different roles, the valves between the chambers, and the main arteries and veins leading from and to the heart.

Kidney Dissection

They then dissected lamb's kidneys which clearly show the different areas of the kidneys with their different roles in filtering the blood and creating urine.

Brain Dissection

Finally, they dissected lamb's brains, using a helpful diagram to identify various parts of the brain and dissecting them to find distinctive features like the pineal gland.

Linking to Real-World Biology

The workshop finished with a final experiment where the students looked at the effect of exercise on heart rates over increasing lengths of exercise. This related to the body's homeostatic ability, which is to do with their Unit 2 Topic 1 concepts.

A Day of Enthusiasm and Encouragement

Throughout the workshop, students demonstrated enthusiasm, attentiveness, and strong teamwork. Their kindness and support for one another were particularly commendable. We are grateful for these opportunities to come together in person and engage deeply with the subject content.