Many of our Upper School juniors and seniors had the opportunity this week to welcome kindergarteners to Human Biology class to demonstrate a cow’s eyeball dissection. “This activity gave our Upper School students the opportunity to demonstrate some of what they have learned about the human body,” explains science teacher Dave Whaley, “and hopefully inspire curiosity in their younger schoolmates.” Teaching others is one of the most effective ways for students to demonstrate mastery, and it is clear that they have.

As the lesson began, each kindergarten student was paired with an Upper School “lab partner” whose job it was to teach about the human eye by dissecting the cow’s eye, another vertebrate animal with similar body structures to our own. Kindergarten students had the opportunity to see the outside and inside structures of the eye, including the cornea, iris, lens, and optic nerve. 

“After some initial hesitation,” reports Mr. Whaley, “it quickly became apparent that our students’ curiosity is a driving force in their learning, with many ‘ewwws’ being replaced with ‘wows’! It was impressive to observe the careful way our juniors and seniors explained content and process to the kindergarteners.”

“It was awesome. I thought it was going to be yucky but it was the most interesting thing ever!
Evie H. ’36

“This part is so squishy - it’s cool.”
Annabelle A-H. ’36

“I thought it was a clam from the ocean.”
Arlo G. ’36

“It was so cool.”
Practically everyone.