Life Science lab
Fetal Pig Dissection
Watch Part 1, then Part 2. Explore the external features and major internal organs of the fetal pig. Complete the pre-lab and lab sheet.
Learning sequence
- PrepareRead the guide and complete your pre-lab.
- ObserveWatch Part 1, then Part 2. Follow your teacher's directions.
- RecordComplete each task on the lab sheet.
In This Lab You Will
Explore the external features and major internal organs of the fetal pig.
Begin with the umbilical cord as the external landmark.
Follow Part 1 to open the body cavities, then Part 2 to examine the internal organs.
Use the liver, just caudal to the diaphragm, as the internal landmark.
Connect each structure's shape and position to its function.
Complete the pre-lab and the lab sheet.
Materials
Preserved fetal pig. Some specimens have vessels injected with latex: arteries red, veins blue, and hepatic vessels yellow. Dissecting tray, string, blunt probe, forceps, dissecting scissors with a rounded tip, and a scalpel when your teacher authorizes it. Protective eyewear, gloves, an apron or lab coat, paper towels, and drawing materials if assigned.
Safety
Wear protective eyewear and gloves. Keep hands away from your face while working.
If preservative contacts your eyes or skin, tell your teacher immediately and follow the classroom rinsing procedure.
Lift tissue before cutting. Keep fingers outside the cutting path, and keep instruments in the tray when they are not in use.
Between sessions, keep the specimen moist using only the solution your teacher supplies. Clean the tools and work surface, remove gloves, and wash your hands.
Photos & Anatomy References
Select an image to enlarge it. The first photograph is the unlabeled cover. Additional figures are the labeled plates from the Dissection Guide.
Photographs and labeled plates from the Mr. E Science Fetal Pig Dissection Guide.

