WARNING: This graphic-heavy post is not for the weak-hearted.
As part of our KONOS Attentiveness unit, we dissected cow’s eyes this morning. I’ve had these in my frig for a week. I had to hide them in a brown bag in the back because it was mighty eerie having them stare at me as I reached in for milk!
From the front
From the back
We watched a video dissection on You Tube for instruction.
The first cut (those are my hands in super-thick gloves) was to make an entry point for scissors.
Next we had cut the whole eyeball in half with scissors. (I chickened out and passed along the scissors.)
Here’s a really gross cool shot of the vitreous humor squirting out!
Don’t worry–I threw away the containers. You don’t have to wonder if the corn I’m serving you was cooked in the dissection bowl.
We studied the inside of the iris, which is a muscle. We were all surprised last week to learn that it is actually the iris contracting and relaxing that makes for a bigger or smaller pupil. The pupil itself is actually just empty space leading into the inner eye.
That clear circular object in the corner is the lens. It is surprisingly hard and somewhat striated. When we dug into it it felt much like cartilage. That is what focuses the images that are projected onto your retina.
Speaking of the retina…
Isnt’ that beautiful?
Brooke and my friends’ girls worked on the eyes while my boys asked for blindfolds and took cover.
Well, who can blame them, really. I would have if I’d had a choice.
The only thing I’d do differently is cover my table with plastic before beginning. I just washed it six times and made sure to let the disinfectant soak in in-between washings
Coming up…Owl Pellet Dissection!
As We Walk 
