Comparative Anatomy

Science | Comparative Anatomy | Lesson Plan

Prepared for NSERC’s PromoScience Program by Kutz Research Group at the University
of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine

Unit/Topic: Comparative Anatomy Time: 2 days

Fabien Mavrot Day 1: 1 hour
Kaleigh Eichel Day 2: 1 hour (Grades 5+)
May 27, 2020 Grades: 5-12, can be
adapted to younger grades

Local Experts:
● Hunters
● Elders
● Wildlife Officer
● Museum Curator

PromoScience Connection:
This lesson fits into the overarching learning goals associated with wildlife health and
monitoring by introducing how scientists use bones to determine how healthy an animal
is and what animal it is. Students will learn how to identify the type of animal from a
bone found on the ground and be able to explain if the bone is from a large or small
animal, and a carnivore or herbivore.

Expectations: Identify overall or specific expectations from curriculum documents. These are guidelines
only and teachers can adapt expectations to their class.
By the end of this lesson, the grades 1-6 students should be able to:
● Grade 1: Unit E: Needs of Animals and Plants
o 1-1: Bring focus to investigative activities, based on their own questions
and those of others
o 1-4: Demonstrate positive attitudes for the study of science and for the
application of science in responsible ways.
o 1–11: Describe some common living things, and identify needs of those
living things. Demonstrate an understanding of the basic needs of animals
and plants (e.g., the need for food/energy, air, and water); Investigate the
characteristics and needs of animals and plants; and Demonstrate
awareness that animals and plants depend on their environment to meet

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Comparative Anatomy

their basic needs, and describe the requirements of good health for
humans.
● Grade 2: Unit E: Small Crawling and Flying Animals
o 2-1: Investigate, with guidance, the nature of things, demonstrating an
understanding of the procedures followed.
o 2–4: Demonstrate positive attitudes for the study of science and for the
application of science in responsible ways.
o Growth and Changes in Animals: Demonstrate an understanding of the
similarities and differences among various types of animals and the ways in
which animals adapt to different environmental conditions; Investigate
physical and behavioural characteristics and the process of growth of
different types of animals; and Identify ways in which humans can affect
local animals.
● Grade 3: Unit E: Animal Life Cycles
o 3–1 Investigate the nature of things, demonstrating purposeful action that
leads to observations and inferences.
o 3–2 Identify patterns and order in objects and events studied; and, with
guidance, record observations, using pictures, words and charts; and make
predictions and generalizations, based on observations.
o 3–4 Demonstrate positive attitudes for the study of science and for the
application of science in responsible ways.
● Grade 4: General Learner expectations
o 4–1 Investigate the nature of things, demonstrating purposeful action that
leads to inferences supported by observations.
o 4–2 Identify patterns and order in objects and events studied; and record
observations, using pictures, words and charts, with guidance in the
construction of charts; and make predictions and generalizations, based
on observations.
o 4–4 Demonstrate positive attitudes for the study of science and for the
application of science in responsible ways.
● Grade 5: General Learner Expectations
o 5–1 Design and carry out an investigation, using procedures that provide a
fair test of the question being investigated.
o 5–2 Recognize the importance of accuracy in observation and
measurement; and, with guidance, apply suitable methods to record,
compile, interpret and evaluate observations and measurements.
o 5–4 Demonstrate positive attitudes for the study of science and for the
application of science in responsible ways.
o Human Organ Systems: Demonstrate an understanding of the structure,
form and function of the respiratory, circulatory, digestive, excretory,
integument, and nervous systems, and the interactions of organs within
each system; Investigate the structure, form and function of the major

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Comparative Anatomy

organs of the respiratory, circulatory, digestive, excretory, integument, and

nervous systems; and Demonstrate understanding of factors that
contribute to good health and a healthy life style
● Grade 6: Diversity of Living Things
o 6–1 Design and carry out an investigation in which variables are identified
and controlled, and that provides a fair test of the question being
investigated.
o 6–2 Recognize the importance of accuracy in observation and
measurement; and apply suitable methods to record, compile, interpret
and evaluate observations and measurements.
o 6–4 Demonstrate positive attitudes for the study of science and for the
application of science in responsible ways.
o Diversity of Living Things: Investigate classification systems and some of
the processes of life common to all animals (e.g., growth, energy,
reproduction, movement, response, and adaptation)

(The NWT Grades K-6 Science and Technology Curriculum (2004))

By the end of this lesson, the grade 7-9 students should be able to:
● “Conduct investigations into the relationships between and among observations,
and gather and record qualitative and quantitative data.”
● “Analyze qualitative and quantitative data, and develop and assess possible
explanations.”
● “Work collaboratively on problems; and use appropriate language and formats to
communicate ideas, procedures and results.”
● Grade 7: Unit A: Interactions and Ecosystems: “analyze ecosystems to identify
producers, consumers and decomposers; and describe how energy is supplied to
and flows through a food web”

(Science Grades 7-8-9 Program of Studies 2003 (Updated 2009, 2014) by Alberta
Education)

By the end of this lesson, Grade 10-12 students will:

● “Conduct investigations into relationships between and among observable
variables and use a broad range of tools and techniques to gather and record data
and information”
● “Work collaboratively in addressing problems and apply the skills and
conventions of science in communicating information and ideas and in assessing
results”
● “Formulate questions about observed relationships and plan investigations of
questions, ideas, problems and issues”

(Biology 20-30 Program of Studies 2007 (updated 2014) by Alberta Education)

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Comparative Anatomy

Learning Goals: Describe what the students are expected to learn. Share goals with students.
Students will learn the basic function of bones, how scientists use bones to measure
health of wildlife, and how to identify a found bone. Students will learn about
homologous structures and similarities and differences in bones of different animals.

Success Criteria: Describe from a student’s perspective what attainment of a learning goal looks like.
● Able to identify if a bone is from a carnivore or herbivore, and a mammal or a bird.
● Able to define homologous structure.
● Able to name the different bones in the body.
● Able to describe the function of bones.
● Able to dissect an owl pellet, put together a skeleton, and explain what type of
animal the owl ate.

Pre-assessment: Describe links to prior knowledge

Previous personal experiences hunting. Tie in to the curriculum and body systems.

Learning Environment: Describe the setting including groupings and management

strategies
Environment: Classroom or lab with a sink, computer, projector for PowerPoint.
Whiteboard and dry erase markers.
Equipment and Materials are available and prepared:
● Day 1: Bones from local museum, dump, or scavenged from the ground around
town: Especially caribou, muskox, seal, or fox foot/limbs; various skulls of local
animals, “bag ‘o bones” variety of bones.
Day 2: Owl pellets, identification sheet, tweezers, probes, Personal Protective
Equipment (goggles, gloves, lab coats), cardstock, glue

Management considerations:
Safety: Wear personal protective equipment (PPE) for all lab activities. Wash hands with
soap at the end of each lab session.
Accommodations: Students will be reminded that they need to work well with the
individual they choose and if their grouping is not working out, they will have to work
independently (for students who would prefer to work independently, additional
worksheets and clipboards will be on hand). Teacher will circulate and monitor students
to ensure understanding.
o For students with processing issues and or ESL/ELL students, considering
making pairs that will provide these students with a lab partner that will help
them to be successful.
o For students with high levels of anxiety, particularly OCD, consider providing
a copy of the lab for students to look over prior to the lesson or discuss with

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Comparative Anatomy

the student which questions will be asked so that the student can prepare for
discussions involving bacteria growth and cleanliness
- For students with ADHD, ADD or other focus issues, consider “chunking” the
lessons and spreading them out so that one part occurs before a recess/ break
and the second part occurs after recess/ break, with a brief recap to reinforce
ideas from the first part of the lesson
● This lesson is designed for grades 7-12. The lesson can be adapted for grades 1-6 by
using simpler language to explain bone functions and focussing on observation
skills and comparing to their own bodies. Owl pellet dissection should be limited
to grades 5 and up due to the dexterity required to dissect small objects.

Instruction
Day 1
Time Follow the PowerPoint
“Minds on”: What do bones do?
5 minutes
5 minutes Research connection: How can bones tell us about how healthy an animal is?
10 minutes “Minds on”:
What is inside your hand? Compare a human hand and a caribou limb.
What is similar, what is different? Do the same for hind limbs. If available,
pass around parts of a caribou foot.

Discuss and define Homologous Structures.

15 minutes “Action Piece”: Activity 1: Whose skull?

Community Connection: Elders, hunters, wildlife officer, or museum
curators can help identify bones or tell stories about the bones
Follow the powerpoint and pass around various skulls that match the
powerpoint slides.
● Ask students what they can learn by looking at the teeth (what do
they eat? Tooth formulas, what teeth are present/missing?), by
looking at the eye sockets (forward or sideways facing, why might
this be?), size (big or small, robust or delicate), distinct features
(sagittal crest [explain the muscles for biting down in carnivores]),
antlers, horns, special teeth (hares have second row of incisors,
rodents have large cutting incisors that keep growing).
● Look at the special adaptations of birds. What does the beak tell you
about diet? What do the feet tell you about diet and lifestyle? What
does the direction of eyes tell you? What are special shapes in bird
bones that mammals don’t have?
● Ask students to name the different bones of a caribou.

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Comparative Anatomy

15 minutes “Action Piece”: Activity 2: Bag o’ Bones

Pass random bits of bone around the class. Ask students to compare to
their own skeleton and the caribou skeleton to identify what bone it might
be and what animal it came from.
5 minutes “Consolidate” and EXIT TICKET: What can we learn from bones?

Day 2
Time Follow the PowerPoint
“Minds on”: Recap: Name the caribou bones
5 minutes
45 minutes “Action Piece”: Activity 3: Owl Pellets
Prepare for lab (wash hands, put on PPE) What are owl pellets? What might
be inside? Pass around the owl pellets and make observations before
dissecting. Carefully dissect the pellets. Pull out the bones and sort them by
bone type and try to make complete skeletons. Glue the bones to paper.
Community Connection: Elders, hunters, wildlife officer, or museum
curators can help identify bones or tell stories about the bones and owls.

5 minutes “Consolidate” and EXIT TICKET: What did your owl eat? How do you
know?

Assessment (data collection)/Evaluation (interpretation of data)

This is an introductory module and students are encouraged to participate in all
activities.

Additional Resources:
● https://www.ucalgary.ca/caribou/index.html

https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/5582883/ryan-brook1-susan-kutz2-peter-
flood3-christoph-muelling2-
● https://www.scienceworld.ca/resource/owl-pellet-dissection/
● http://people.ucalgary.ca/~kutzrg/index.html
● https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2N3OPRodRvk

i Some resources may not be authorized but are provided to identify potentially useful
ideas for teaching and learning. The responsibility to evaluate these resources rests with
the user.

ii All website addresses listed were confirmed as accurate at the time of publication but
are subject to change.

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Comparative Anatomy

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Activity 3: Dissecting Owl Pellets

Materials (per student group of 10-20 students):
● Owl Pellets (sterilized before handing out)
● PPE (gloves, goggles, lab coats)
● Tweezers
● Probe
● Dissecting Tray
● Bone Chart
● Cardstock paper
● Glue
● Bleach
● Large container to decontaminate
Instructions:
● Wash hands, put on PPE.
● Carefully pull the bones out of the compacted fur.
● Sort the bones by type (skulls, ribs, vertebrae, leg bones)
● Try to sort the bones into a skeleton.
● Glue the bones to a card and label the bones
● What did your owl eat? What did you learn about your owl?
● Place all organic material into a bleach bath to kill any potential pathogens.
● Clean up, wash hands.

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Resources: https://www.carolina.com/pdf/activities-articles/owl-pellet-bone-grid.pdf,
https://www.scienceworld.ca/resource/owl-pellet-dissection/

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