SCHOOLS USE MOUSE TO STUDY FROGS Are virtual dissections better than real dissections?

DAY 1: FIRST RUN-THROUGH  Number the paragraphs in the article  Read the article one time on your own  As you read, “code” the article using the codes on the board  On the back of your article, write one word used in the article that you didn’t understand.

DAY 2: UNDERSTANDING AND ANALYZING  There are lots of ways to learn about anatomy. Sometimes we learn by reading, and sometimes we learn by doing. Even when we learn by doing, there are several different options. When it comes to dissections (learning by doing), which method of teaching anatomy do you think schools should adopt?  Virtual dissection only  Real animal dissection only  Both-allow students to make the decision  Be ready to explain your answer!

VIRTUAL EXAMPLES  Virtual dissection for iPad:   Froguts virtual dissection 

VOCABULARY  At your table, come up with YOUR OWN DEFINITION for the following words:  Awesome table: anatomy  Brilliant table: desensitize  Cool table: dissection  Dedicated table: jeopardize  Excellent table: virtual  Fantastic table: pick your own word!  Create your own sentence using your word to help us better understand its meaning through context

VOCABULARY  Anatomy: studying the structure of the body; “In my science class, we are learning about the anatomy of the frog by examining its different parts and how it is put together.”  Desensitize: to make someone less aware of or caring for their surroundings; “Some people think that violent video games desensitize children to real violence.”

VOCABULARY  Dissection: to cut something up in order to learn about it; “In my English class, we are learning about sentence dissection, when you break the sentence into parts and talk about each word in the sentence.”  Jeopardize: To put something or someone in danger; “Letting the dog stay outside in the rain would really jeopardize its health.”  Virtual: a computerized version of something real; “This virtual reality game makes me feel like I’m actually in space!”

LET’S READ THE ARTICLE!!

QUESTION 1:  Which of the following best describes how virtual dissection and real animal dissection differ?  A. Unlike real animal dissection, virtual dissection gives students a chance to actually feel organs inside the body  B. Unlike real animal dissection, virtual dissection desensitizes kids and shows a lack of respect for animals  C. Unlike real animal dissection, virtual dissection allows students to correct their mistakes and repeat steps  D. Unlike real animal dissection, virtual dissection allows students to spend less time on dissection out of class

QUESTIONS 2:  The article states: “Also, unlike a real dissection, a virtual dissection allows students to correct their mistakes and repeat steps to reinforce lessons. Which would be the closest synonym for the word reinforce?  A. Suppress  B. Surpass  C. Exterminate  D. Emphasize

QUESTION 3:  What is the fourth paragraph mainly about?  A. A digital dissection program for an entire school costs up to $1,500 per year  B. Patrick Durkin is Wheeling Park High School’s science department chairperson  C. One benefit of using virtual dissections is that they will lower costs to schools  D. Some schools have every two students share a frog and pay about $6 per frog

QUESTION 4:  Which of these is most important to include in a summary of this article?  A. The difference in cost between frogs and pigs used for dissections in high schools  B. The different opinions regarding the use of virtual dissection to teach anatomy  C. The number of students at Wheeling Park High School who own home computers  D. The number of students using the new program at Wheeling Park High School

QUESTION 5:  Think about the following statement made by science teacher Christopher Perillo: “It’s not the same as the real thing. To actually cut through the tissue, see how the skin layers feel, the extures, the way the organs look inside the body, I think that can’t be duplicated. It’s like trying to become a gardener without touching the dirt.” The author’s purpose for including this quote was to ________.  A. Describe the process by which students do dissections on real animals in anatomy classes  B. Present the reasons that dissection is similar to gardening because they both use tools  C. Describe the ways in which educators in Kenosha disagree about how to teach anatomy  D. Present reasons why virtual dissection may not be comparable to real animal dissection

QUESTION 6:  According to the article, what is one reason that activists with the SPCA are promoting the use of virtual dissections in Wheeling, West Virginia?  A. Because when the schools use virtual dissection, the lives of frogs and other animals are spared  B. Because when the schools use virtual dissection, the SPCA is able to stop buying frogs for them  C. Because when the schools use virtual dissection, students get desensitized to real dissection  D. Because when the schools use virtual dissection, more students can decline dissection projects

QUESTION 7:  The article states: Some educators, like Christopher Perillo, a science teacher in Kenosha, Wisconsin, do not agree that virtual dissection is comparable to actual dissection. Which would be the closest synonym for the word comparable?  A. Extravagant  B. Conscientious  C. Contemporary  D. Equivalent

QUESTION 8:  Which question is not answered by the article?  A. What is the name of the school where Christopher Perillo teaches science?  B. What is the approximate cost of animals used for real dissections?  C. What is the approximate cost of puchasing the Froguts program for one school?  What is the name of the school using “The Digital Frog” purchased by the SPCA?

SO WHICH IS IT?  Which method of teaching anatomy do you think schools should adopt?  Virtual dissection only  Real animal dissection only  Both-allow student to make the decision  Use information and arguments from the article to support your opinion.