In Biochemistry through Anatomy, eighth grade science students in North Central High School’s Institute of Science and Technology middle school immersion program (M-IST) snapped their gloves on to prepare for their first animal dissection of the year.
“Today, with the crayfish, they just learned the language of anatomy,” explained Andy Munsey, who teaches science to both middle and high school students at NC. “They learned all their navigational words to describe how and where body parts exist in space, and then how to follow these procedures so they can look at more complex systems later.”
While there are some heightened reactions to searching for gills and removing appendages on the freshwater crustaceans, students engaged in the hands-on activity with thoughtful excitement and curiosity.
“These are my favorite days of the whole program,” Mr. Munsey said. “Whether the kids are having the best day of their life, whether they're a little bit grossed out, whether they're excited, whether they're scared, dissection days bring out emotion and interest and passion in kids. And that's what we want. We want kids to feel things and have experiences, and these are the experiences that they're going to remember.”
M-IST allows 6-8 grade students to attend school full time on North Central’s campus, engaging in accelerated English Language Arts, Math, and Social Studies courses, as well as advanced Science courses that utilize the school’s specialized science laboratories and equipment.
M-IST applications for the 2027-28 school year will open Jan. 1, 2027. Check out M-IST Immersion to learn more.