Lab: Investigation of a Chicken Wing

Purpose:

To observe the interaction of muscle, bones and joints using a chicken wing as a model for the human
arm.

Materials:

Raw chicken wing, Dissection Scissors, Dissection Pan, Probe, Gloves

Pre-Lab Questions

Use your notes or the student workbook to answer these questions.

1. What are the three basic types of muscle? Which type of muscle will be observed in the chicken wing?

2. What is the difference between ligaments and tendons? Where will you find ligaments in the chicken
wing? Where will you find tendons in the chicken wing?

3. What is cartilage? Where will you find cartilage in the chicken wing?

4. List three safety precautions for this lab.

RECORDING INFORMATION DURING THE INVESTIGATION.

Choose one person who will be the recorder/photographer for the group. This person will not touch the
chicken or any tools, in order to have clean hands to write notes and take pictures.

The recorder will answer the investigation questions during the lab. Please take the following pictures
during the investigation: (you can take more if you want)
1. Chicken wing, before it is cut.
2. Chicken wing with skin removed.
3. Chicken wing with muscles and tendons removed
4. Cut bone showing inner bone marrow (extra credit/if you have time)

Email the pictures to all group members. Or, share them with group members in another way (Edmodo,
etc.)

OBSERVATIONS:

Sketch the chicken wing with skin ON Sketch the chicken wing with skin REMOVED
Label: upper arm, elbow, lower arm, hand (wing tip) Label: bone, muscle, joint, tendon, ligament, cartilage

**Remember to take a picture of this!** **Remember to take a picture of this!++

Tissue Description (color, texture, etc.) Function

1. Skin

2. Muscle

3. Ligament

4. Tendon

5. Cartilage

6. Bone
Marrow
Part A – Remove Skin

(Before you remove the skin, take a picture of your chicken wing!)

1. Put on disposable gloves and goggles. CAUTION: Even though the chicken wings have been treated with
bleach, uncooked chicken can still carry bacteria. Rinse your chicken wing and dry it well with a paper
towel. Place the chicken wing on the dissecting tray.

2. Examine your chicken wing. Carefully extend the wing (stretch it out) to find out how many major
parts it has. Identify the upper arm elbow, lower arm, and hand (wing tip).

3. Using dissecting scissors, carefully remove as much skin as you can without damaging any underlying
structures. Use caution when handling sharp instruments. CAUTION: Cut in a direction away from your
hands and body.

Part B - Muscles

1. Examine the muscles, which are the bundles of soft, pink tissue around the bones. Use your probe to
separate them and count the different muscles.

QUESTION: How many muscles can you identify in the chicken wing?

2. Find the tendons, which are shiny white connective tissues at the ends of the muscle. Show them to
the teacher

3. Find the two groups of muscles in the upper arm. Hold the arm down at the shoulder, and alternately
pull or squeeze on each muscle group. Observe what happens. Now hold the arm at the elbow, and
alternately pull or squeeze on each muscle group. Observe what happens. Determine which muscle flexes
or bends the arm up, and which muscle extends or straightens the arm.

QUESTION: How does squeezing different muscles affect the chicken wing?
 (Take a picture of your chicken wing with the skin off!!)
Part C - The Bones and Joints
Remove all the muscle from the upper limb, forelimb and wing tip by gathering an entire bundle of
muscle and cutting the tendons at both ends of the muscle. Cut as close as possible to the bone. Repeat
this procedure until you are only left with the skeleton of the wing.

1. Examine the skeleton and locate the joints that hold the bones together.

QUESTION: How many joints do you find on the chicken wing?

QUESTION: What type of joint is found in the elbow?

2. Locate the ligaments, which are whitish ribbon-shaped connective tissue that connects bone to
bone. Show them to the teacher

3. Bend and straighten the joint and observe how the bones fit together. The shiny white covering of
the joint surfaces is made of cartilage. Show them to the teacher

QUESTION: What is the role of cartilage in the joint?

(Take a picture of your chicken wing skeleton with the muscles removed!)

IF YOU HAVE TIME

1. Ask your teacher to cut a bone in half. Observe the marrow inside the bone.

QUESTION: Is bone marrow present? Describe the interior and texture of this substance. How
does it differ from the outer bone surface?
 (Take a picture of your chicken wing with the marrow showing!)
CONCLUSION

What have you learned about how body systems work together in a chicken wing?

How would the chicken wing be affected if one of the systems was removed? Pick a system and explain
the effect.