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OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Students at an Omaha high school have been observing a decomposing fetal pig in a forensic science class.
Westside High School science teacher Brenda Zabel currently is teaching a unit that focuses on death. Her class has been learning about decomposition patterns, chemical changes such as rigor mortis and other physical changes, all of which are observed by scientists and law enforcement officials who investigate crimes.
The decomposing pig offers students the chance to witness those things firsthand, Zabel told the Omaha World-Herald (http://bit.ly/1idz4Ko ).
"At first some of them think 'Ewww,' but when push comes to shove, they can't wait to get back out here," said Zabel, who also is the chairwoman of Westside High's science department.
The students in Zabel's class head outside three times a week to check on the dead animal, as well as observe weather and monitor what insects are on the carcass. They jot down notes in a special journal and inspect the sign for common signs of decomposition, including bloating, odor and maggots.
"Look at the eyes and around the snout," Zabel instructed her students. "See those little fuzzy, cream-colored specks? Those are all fly eggs."
She hopes the fetal pig experiment will demystify death for her students and show them that post-mortem changes are normal sequences in the life cycle.
"The point is not to gross them out; it's to observe firsthand how this process plays out," Zabel said.
Erika Codina, who also teaches forensic science at Westside High, said she's introduced the decomposing pig activity to her students about 30 times, and the results have been different every time.
"It's a fun learning experience, and it's something the kids tend to talk about all year," she said.
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Information from: Omaha World-Herald, http://www.omaha.com
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