Anatomy and Physiology, taught by Mr. Fontaine, has become a very popular class at Westborough High School over the past few years. A big part of that is thanks to a company based in Mexico that provides students with cats to dissect and study throughout the year. For many students, the cats are a huge highlight of anatomy and physiology. However, there is a lot more to the dissection than what meets the eye.
The importance of teamwork comes into play during the dissection. Working with just one other partner, communication and hard work are critical. It is crucial the partners split up the work in a way where they can both work efficiently and effectively.
Each group begins by naming their cat as a result of Fontaine finding that students who name their cats often treat them with far more respect.
Skinning the cat is the first step of the process to prepare the cat for deeper dissections later on. While making the cuts on the cats, both partners must be engaged, wearing their eye and hand protection, and being safe with the tools given. Scalpels are used for real-life surgeries and can be very dangerous if they are not used responsibly. During clean-up, it is important that both partners evenly split up the work to get the classroom back to normal quickly.
Students dissect the corresponding part of the cat to the unit being studied in class. For example, after studying skin, students skin their cat, allowing them to apply their knowledge making it easier to visualize and absorb the information.
Having the ability to dissect cats in high school can be extremely beneficial for students interested in pursuing a medical background by giving students experience for future dissections they might have to do later on in life. In Anatomy and Physiology, it’s all about gaining skills and learning to remain calm under pressure no matter how gross the dissection can get. WHS is very grateful to have such useful and unique opportunities! If interested, be sure to take advantage of Anatomy and Physiology while you are a junior or a senior here at WHS.
