Students at a high school in Alaska received a somewhat unusual lesson in anatomy and cultural traditions, when their teacher offered them up a moose carcass to dissect.
As per Anchorage Daily News, whose original report came out on December 15, 30 students at Chugiak High School students de-boned, separated, ground and packaged the moose during a World Discovery Seminar class.
Teacher Brian Mason had hunted the moose himself, having acquired a Cultural Educational Harvest Permit from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Such a permit allows game animals to be hunted for educational purposes.
Mason thereafter led an interactive lesson on moose anatomy, one that left a number of his students squeamish.
All in all, they processed around 200 pounds of moose meat. The plan was to cook and eat some of the meat for dinner, with the rest of it being given away to charity.
As a condition of obtaining his permit, Mason had to submit a report describing the animal he shot. He was not allowed to shoot a moose without antlers, nor was he permitted to shoot a calf or a cow with a calf.
“They’re all being super safe and responsible and frankly they’re really engaged,” Mason explained.
“I wasn’t sure how some students would really deal with the process of getting their hands on a dead animal, that can be an off-putting experience for some students, but I’ve been really impressed with them.”
Well, that’s certainly an interesting way to teach such a class!
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