RCHS offers Biology II, which features Human Anatomy and Physiology. Mrs. Theresa Ritter, the Biology, AP Biology, and Biology II teacher, conducts a Sheep Heart Dissection for her Bio II class almost every year. 

She has three separate Bio II periods, all of which are taking on the dissection. The Bio II class is in their Circulatory System unit, and since the heart is the center of this system, it is crucial to learn all of the heart’s basic functions and parts.  

One of Ritter’s main principles is her belief that the best way to understand something is through hands-on learning. 

“I am an ‘old school’ teacher, having taught this stuff for the past 35 years,” said Ritter. “There is no replacement for learning the feel, the look, and even the smell of a real specimen like a heart, or a brain, or a rat, which we will be dissecting before the end of the year.”

Senior Kelsie Caldwell is a nursing student, and she decided to take Bio II to help get a basic understanding of the human body and how it works. Some students were taken aback by the stench of the heart, but Caldwell handled the dissection with ease. 

“It definitely helps any student going into the medical field to learn basic anatomy,” said Caldwell. “It also gives students a head start on the basics because you can actually touch what you have been learning about in the classroom.” 

Even with the advancement of technology in the medical field, dissections still play a huge role in understanding human anatomy. Dissections help make connections between organs and muscles and how the body works together to form a function. 

“Future medical students are still required to dissect real specimens and take a practical exam and therefore, they need the experience of the ‘real deal,’” said Ritter. 

If you are interested in taking the class next year, you can email [email protected] for more information.