A colouring book for learning the structure and function of animals. Begins with parts of the microscope and progresses through the kingdoms. Contains 9 plates of piglet dissection diagrams and 9 relevant to cane toads.
Anatomical colouring-in is a popular teaching tool for a variety of reasons, including:
– Colouring-in is fun and appeals to all levels and types of learners,
– Diagrams reinforce the relationship of one body part to another,
– Colouring-in highlights the details of anatomy as well as the big picture,
– Colour coding is a tried and true method for many different industries so the skills learned can be applied elsewhere,
– Assists in memorising parts of the body, developing motor skills, is a fun mathematics activity for sequential numbering and numeral identification and introduces new vocabulary to enhance science literacy.
Learning can be extended by:
– investigating the same body part in a different species and identifying analogous structures,
– investigating the structures of each section in the diagram,
– investigating the body parts attached to the next section of the diagram and building a broad and detailed knowledge of anatomy and physiology.
If I had a testis for every time I got a phone call or an email asking if I can supply rats we’d never be out of stock.
Raising and euthanasing whole animals has never been my thing and thinking about all the paperwork involved with licenses and permits and animal ethics approvals just about puts me into a bureaucratic coma.
Consequently the short answer is – “No, we’ don’t supply rats, sorry.” Miss Vivi is, however, very happy to recommend Southern Biological in Victoria and Pisces Enterprises in Brisbane as suppliers of rats for dissection. They both come highly recommended by lab technicians we personally know and love – and trust to know where to go for the good stuff.
Another question I get asked is “Do you know where to get toads?” and invariably my reply is “Do you know any 13 year old boys?”
A little bird tells me, though, that the demand for rats for science in Australia is so great that everyone is having trouble getting enough. So there is a lovely little niche sitting there just waiting to be filled by someone who is willing to have a go at it. Sounds like a job for a labbie to me.
UPDATE MAR 2014: We now supply cane toads ethically euthanased via CO2 asphyxiation in accordance with the latest method endorsed by Biosecurity Queensland. Dissection Connection no longer endorses the use of rats or mice sourced from the pet food industry as no ethical or health standards are applied to the practices of the breeders or suppliers.
