What once was a typical science classroom, filled with posters of abstract vocabulary and sea creatures, is transformed into a shark dissection lab. Mr. Eckrich’s Marine Biology class prepared for an experience of discovery and exploration of the different concepts related to sharks.
The dissection teaches students about how sharks thrive and survive in their environment. As students carefully identify the shark’s organs, they explore how each structure plays a role in movement. Students learn about the shark’s ability to sense other fish through electrical fields. One of Mr. Eckrich’s outstanding students, Kathya Garcia, states that this unique ability allows sharks to detect their prey.
The process of dissecting sharks starts from a biological supply company. Preserved sharks, specifically dogfish–the most common species used for academic dissections–are delivered to the school where students start the external anatomy. “At this point,” states Mr. Eckrich, “Students actually have a pretty good grasp of what’s called form and function,” where students look at living things and make good predictions about how they hunt their food or how they move through the water. During this external anatomy, students discover a unique way sharks breathe: through a hole behind their eyes called spiracles. The class then moves on to the internal anatomy of sharks. One main organ that Marine Biology students are exploring is the shark’s huge liver, which helps prevent them from sinking.
The shark dissection is only a portion of the learning journey in Mr. Eckrich’s Marine Biology class. As the course progresses, students will explore pufferfish, stingrays, seahorses, squids, and many more for their form and function labs. Hands-on experience is crucial in marine biology because it enables students to gain a deeper understanding of the material they are learning. This allows students to bring the knowledge they have gained through classroom concepts and apply it in the real world. By the end of their marine biology course, students will be able to have an appreciation for marine life.
