While discussing the human brain, Honors Anatomy & Physiology students dissected sheep brains. Students observed and identified the frontal, parietal, occipital and temporal lobes and the optic chiasma. Next, students made a cut along the longitudinal fissure and were able to see interior structures of the brain. Once this was done, the name “arbor vitae” of the cerebellum made sense – the white matter resembles branches of a tree. Finally, students isolated and labeled principal structures of the brain such as – ventricles, pineal and pituitary glands, thalamus and hypothalamus, corpus callosum, pons, medulla oblongata, etc.
