Free Dissection Guides and Resources

Help for teachers new to (or returning to) dissection labs.

Dissecting preserved specimens plays an important role in biology education–but teaching dissection labs for the first time can be stressful. Our free guides and resources can take some of the stress out of teaching your first (or first in a while) dissection lab.

Why is dissection important? Because it:

• Helps students learn about the internal structures of animals
• Helps students learn how tissues and organs are interrelated
• Connects structure and function
• Gives students an appreciation of the complexity of organisms through hands-on learning
• Provides one of the most memorable and instructive units in a biology course

Our guides include overview information about the specimen; labeled diagrams of its internal and external anatomy; and instructions and videos to guide the dissection. These free resources also provide guidance on group sizes, suggested class time, required supplies, personal protective equipment (PPE), and links to other helpful information.