The Purpose of this article is to research the actual condition of animal dissection in science lessons in elementary and junior high schools in Japan. The obtained results are as follows.

1) The execution rate of animal dissection in elementary schools has been about 10% for 10 years or more. As for junior high schools, it has been about 30% in the same time period.

2) Materials of dissection in elementary schools were almost only fish, but materials of dissection in junior high schools diversified, and the majority were frogs.

3) Almost all teachers regard “understanding the structure of an animal’s body” as the main purpose of animal dissection. However, about 25% of students stated it that “understanding the structure of an animal’s body” might not be possible in a dissection class.

4) Reactions of junior high students who dissected an animal were various. As for the distasteful nature of dissection of an animal, boys were stronger than girls.

本研究では，日本に多く生息している淡水魚3種類を用いて，解剖教材としての特性について考察した．古くから取り上げられているギンブナ，外来魚の代表種であるブルーギル，オオクチバスを採捕して解剖を行い，それぞれの特徴を明らかにした．いずれの魚も約1時間程度で解剖を実施でき，外部形態，消化器官，心臓の拍動，中枢神経系，生殖器官などさまざまな組織や器官の観察が可能であった．

これらの観察から，淡水魚を用いた解剖教材は，中・高等学校の様々な単元での利用が可能であり，また，材料入手が容易であること，魚類であるため解剖に対する抵抗も少ないなど教育的な配慮や効果が期待されるものであると判断できた．

さらに，これらの解剖について，教員を目指す大学生を対象に実施することで，教員の解剖に対する教育的効果，実験観察技能を高めることができ，学校現場での解剖教材の普及に貢献することができるものであると考える．

We considered one of the reasons for the rare chance to dissect animals in biology class in schools; it is the lack of experience of science teachers in dissecting animals. Therefore, we made graduate students dissect eleven kinds of animals, then analyzed the answers to the questionnaires which were given to the students and finally asked them to submit a lesson plan. The results of this study are as follows:

- The skills of students were improved. Their reluctance was reduced and their attitude was changed positively to perform animal dissection.

- Half of the students felt strange and had some fear to dissect animals. But they accepted the need for killing animals as a biology class activity.

- Concerning frogs, mice and hens, the results of dissection were understood well. These three kinds of animals and fishes were considered to be good teaching material for dissection in schools.

- The students thought that experience about animal dissection is necessary for science teachers.

- The idea of animal dissection focused on in this training was adopted into the students’ lesson plans. We thought that the training and students’ skills will allow them to feel comfortable in performing animal dissection in schools. Moreover, the students will be able to use their knowledge and skills of animal dissection into their class lessons in the future.