Sensation and Perception McCarville

Vision Lesson Plan – Anatomy of the Eye

Topic: Investigate the structure and function of the human eye through a dissection
of a sheep’s eye and inquiry activity.

Objectives:

Students will be able to-

1. Identify parts of the eye and their functions.

2. Compare and contrast the levels of organization in body systems.
3. Apply new knowledge of how the eye processes images.
4. Connect the pathway of vision from image, to eye, to the brain, and body.

Materials:
• Preserved Sheet Eye
• Dissection tray, scalpel, scissors, aprons, gloves, goggles
• Student dissection instructions

Instruction:
1. Introduce Content: Lecture and discussion via PowerPoint on how the eye
and the nervous system work together to collect information. Discuss the
difference between sensory applications to vision and perceptual vision.
2. Questioning: Access prior knowledge and stimulate higher-order thinking
skills with questions related to the learning objectives; help students make
the connection between structure and function and tie it to their daily
lives.
3. Activity: “Finding Your Blind Spot” Insert student exploration of eye
function by having students use blind spot cards to investigate this
phenomenon of the eye. Do this mid-way through the lesson. Time—allow
@ 5 minutes.
4. Assess: Students demonstrate new learning by completion of worksheets
labeling parts of the eye, completing a drawing of how an image appears
on the retina, and reflecting on five questions.
5. Demo: Miss McCarville will complete a demonstration on how to safely
dissect the sheep eye.
Sensation and Perception McCarville
6. Lab: Students conduct sheep eye dissection following the demonstration.
Questions regarding anatomy and physiology of the eye must be asked of
the students throughout the dissection.
7. Assess: Miss McCarville will choose structures on the eye for students to
identify and describe. Students must also explain how these structures aid
in collecting visual data and implications of how sensation may be
hindered if the structure were destroyed.

Questions for teacher to ask students during lesson:

1) How would you classify the eye? Is it a cell, tissue, organ, or an organ system?
Organ
2) What is the purpose of the fat tissue that surrounds the eye?
Protection, support
3) Can you name all of the body systems that the eye is connected to?
Nervous, Skeletal/Muscular, Circulatory
4) What are the functions of the thick gel, the vitreous humor, in the eye?
Give the eyeball shape (keep it from collapsing), keep retina pushed back against
the eye wall.
5) Is the entire retina able to respond to light with its rods and cones?
No, there is a blind spot where optic nerve exits the eye.
6) What does the brain do with information that it gets from the eye?
Processes it, stores it as associated with memory, make decisions and sends
commands out to the body.
7) What is one of the tests that EMT’s do on the eye at an accident?
Shine a light to test pupillary reflex, a quick assessment of brain stem activity.
Connect this to pathway of vision on slide in slideshow.
8) What is the scientific term used for “bending light?” Can you think of an example
where you have seen this?
Refraction; Drinking straw in a glass of clear liquid, standing in a lake or
swimming pool.
Sensation and Perception McCarville
Name _________________________
Period ______
Date ___________________

 Label each of these parts of the eye by writing the

name on top of the correct blank line.

Word Bank

1) Central Nerve 8) Lens

2) Pupil 9) Retina
3) Tapetum 10) Sclera
4) Muscle 11) Optic Nerve
5) Vitreous Humor 12) Iris
6) Cornea 13) Eyelid
7) Blood Vessel 14) Aqueous Humor
Sensation and Perception McCarville
What does the image of the arrow look like on the retina of the eye?

1) Draw the arrow as it will appear on the retina in figures A and B.

2) Draw an extension of the lines from Point X, to where they meet the image of the
arrow that you drew on the retina.
Sensation and Perception McCarville
Name _________________________
Period ______
Date ___________________

Questions:

1) How do eyeglasses or contact lenses work to correct your vision?

__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________

2) What two structures of the eye bend (refract) light?

a) _________________________
b) _________________________

3) What three colors do the cones of the eye respond to?

a) _________________________
b) _________________________
c) _________________________

4) What structure in a plant leaf could be compared to the eye, because it is

stimulated by light and part of an important system which responds to its
environment?
____________________________________

5) The eye is a part of which three body systems?

a) _________________________________
b) _________________________________
c) _________________________________
Sensation and Perception McCarville
Teacher Key to Anatomy of the Eye

Teacher Key to Questions:

1) How do eyeglasses or contact lenses work to correct your vision?

Corrective lenses bend (refract) light to cause it to focus correctly on the retina
of the eye for clear vision.
2) What two structures of the eye bend (refract) light?
Cornea and Lens

3) What three colors do the cones of the eye respond to?

Red, Green, and Blue

4) What structure in a plant leaf could be compared to the eye, because it is

stimulated by light and part of an important system which responds to its
environment?
A chloroplast in a plant cell responds to light and is a key part of the
photosynthesis system in a plant. The eye also responds to light and provides the
brain with information to the environment.
5) The eye is a part of which three body systems?
Sensation and Perception McCarville
Nervous, Skeletal/Muscular, Circulatory
Sensation and Perception McCarville

Teacher Key: Image of Arrow on Retina

Sensation and Perception McCarville
Sensation and Perception McCarville