Tween Time: Squid Dissection

Learn about this sea creature, inside and out, and make some art from it's ink.

This program is presented by environmental science educator Julie Ainsworth of Madison Public Schools. The dissection is part of a lesson designed to interest children in science. Julie stresses the importance of treating the squid with respect, as we are learning about their amazing adaptations. Under Julie's direction, students complete a careful guided exploration of the squid's external and internal anatomy. The "art" portion will be writing and drawing with squid ink, as people did years ago with sepia ink from cuttlefish and other cephalopods.  After the lesson, the squid will be returned to the sea so they can be food for other animals. For students curious about science, a hands-on animal experience like this may inspire a career in medicine or zoology, as well as a greater appreciation for the natural environment.

For rising 5th-8th graders.