Action protocol for semi-thin brain slices inclusion in polyester resin: a low cost approach in macroscopic anatomy teaching for elementary and high school education

Abstract

In the teaching of biology and science the understanding of macroscopic morphology prioritizes the two-dimensional view, much more for logistic than pedagogical factors. Such a view, offered by textbooks, is the most important limiting factor for mastering these skills. Good quality three-dimensional models are costly. Biological materials of known origin and ethics are also infrequent, their preparation and preservation require skilled labor, constant curation and even require chemicals in their preparation that are irritating, toxic or with potential for abuse, e.g. formaldehyde, alcohol, chloroform. The need to bring the student closer to the content taught in the classroom enriching the didactics and improving the teaching-learning process leads to a search for new ways and materials that help the teacher in this development. The action protocol for the production of didactic material for the teaching of anatomy, using semifin slices of vertebrate brain, fixed and later included in polyester acrylic resin facilitates the real contact of the student with the theoretically exposed, disconnecting from the need for a science and biology lab, since resin is a lightweight, non-toxic, long-lasting material that can be taken into the classroom. The choice of neuroanatomy (brain) pieces is interesting because of their structural and nomenclature complexity that, when viewed and handled, facilitates the student's theoretical-practical correlation.