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Thoracic Anatomy | 4-Station Circuit
Human Anatomy • Lab Circuit

Thoracic Anatomy
4-Station Circuit • Structure Identification

Teams rotate through all 4 stations. At each station, every student takes a turn teaching, asking questions, and checking answers. Lab time is for practice, not reading and passive completion of worksheets. All structures must be studied before you arrive.

1
Everyone Teaches Each student takes a turn teaching structures at the station - on the model and cadaver. Not just one person. Every team member teaches at least one structure or subsection.
2
Everyone Gets Quizzed Roles rotate - one student points to a structure without naming it, another identifies it without labels. Switch so every student asks and every student answers.
3
Everyone Creates Questions Every student writes original questions and answers about the structures at this station. Host team checks and confirms the answers. Questions become shared review material.

Team Setup

Enter team names below - they will appear throughout the rotation schedule

A
Team A — Station 1: Thoracic Wall
B
Team B — Station 2: Airway Tree
C
Team C — Station 3: Vascular & Nerves
D
Team D — Station 4: Histology & Half Head
📅
3-Hour Lab Rotation Schedule
180 min • 20 min setup • 3 blocks • 3 breaks (10 min each) • 24 min debrief
▼
0:00 - 0:20  |  SETUP (20 min)  —  All 4 host teams set up their station simultaneously. Model in position, cadaver access confirmed, slides organized. Do not study during setup — preparation should already be done.
0:20 - 0:40 Block 1a — Stations 1 & 2 Active (20 min)
Station 1 — Thoracic Wall & Spaces
Host Team A
Visits Team C — all 5 rounds
Station 2 — Airway Tree
Host Team B
Visits Team D — all 5 rounds
0:40 - 0:43 — Team C and Team D swap stations (3 min)
0:43 - 1:03 Block 1b — Stations 1 & 2 Active (20 min)
Station 1
Host Team A
Visits Team D
Station 2
Host Team B
Visits Team C
☕ 1:03 - 1:13  |  BREAK 1 (10 min)
1:13 - 1:33 Block 2a — Stations 3 & 4 Active (20 min)
Station 3 — Vascular Circuit & Nerves
Host Team C
Visits Team A — all 5 rounds
Station 4 — Histology & Half Head
Host Team D
Visits Team B — all 5 rounds
1:33 - 1:36 — Team A and Team B swap stations (3 min)
1:36 - 1:56 Block 2b — Stations 3 & 4 Active (20 min)
Station 3
Host Team C
Visits Team B
Station 4
Host Team D
Visits Team A
☕ 1:56 - 2:06  |  BREAK 2 (10 min)
2:06 - 2:26 Block 3 — Gap Fill, All 4 Stations Active (20 min)
Each group visits the one station they have not yet seen. Each host teaches their station for the second time.
Station 1
Host Team A
Visits Team B
Station 2
Host Team B
Visits Team A
Station 3
Host Team C
Visits Team D
Station 4
Host Team D
Visits Team C
☕ 2:26 - 2:36  |  BREAK 3 (10 min)
2:36 - 3:00  |  DEBRIEF (24 min)  —  Collect Q&A cards. Discuss missed structures and slide IDs. Every group hosted once and visited all 3 other stations. Each host team taught twice.
📚
Pre-Work - Complete Before Class
This session is recall practice, not first exposure. All preparation happens before you arrive.
Required ▼
👤
All Students
Every student completes this before class
  • Read your assigned textbook chapter(s) on thoracic anatomy. Know the material before you walk in - lab time is for practice, not reading and passive completion of worksheets.
  • Review lecture notes and any assigned slides or pre-class videos on thoracic structures.
  • Go through this structure list in full. For every structure: say the name out loud, describe where it is, and state one key fact. If you have to look it up, you are not ready yet.
  • Study all 4 stations, not just your team's assigned station. At every station you will take a turn teaching, asking questions, and checking answers - you are responsible for all the material.
  • Review the memory tricks and clinical connections in each station - these help you reason through questions, not just recall names.
  • Bring any labeled structures or notes you have designed or collected. Your own annotated diagrams, drawings, and flash cards are your best tools at the station.
🏫
Host Team
Additional prep required for your assigned station
  • Complete all student pre-work first - you cannot teach what you do not know.
  • Know your station's structures well enough to teach them without notes - location, borders, landmarks, and at least one clinical or physiological connection per structure.
  • Practice locating every structure on the model and on anatomical diagrams before class. Do not rely on labels - be able to point without them.
  • Plan your teaching sequence as a team. Decide who teaches which structures. Practice your handoffs so the session flows without gaps or confusion.
  • Work through your station's ID Quiz tab (tab 3) together before class. During the session, you will rotate through checking and confirming everyone's answers - every student at your station will ask and be asked.
  • Prepare 1-2 questions you plan to pose to visiting teams beyond the quiz - think about comparisons, functional connections, or clinical scenarios.
  • You will have 20 minutes at the beginning of lab to set up your host station before visiting teams rotate in. Use this time to get the model in position, confirm cadaver access, organize your teaching sequence, and do a final run-through as a team. Do not use this time to study - that should already be done.
⚠ Instructor note: Every student rotates through all three roles at every station - teacher, quizzer, and answer-checker. No one sits back while one person teaches. Consider a brief pre-class readiness check (1-2 structure IDs at the door) to set the expectation that this is retrieval practice, not a passive review session.
0 of 0 structures identified
1
Thoracic Wall & Spaces
Cavities • Pleura • Intercostals • Diaphragm • Diaphragm Openings
14 structures ▼
📷
Cadaver
Thoracic cavity / pleural spaces
📷
Model
Cross-section thorax / intercostals

Cavities & Membranes

Respiratory Muscles

💡
Memory Trick - Intercostals External = hands in pockets (fingers pointing down and forward). Internal = praying hands (fingers perpendicular, pressed together). External = INspiration; Internal = forced expIRation.

Diaphragm Openings (Three Structures That Pass Through)

📝 Exam Fill-In: Diaphragm Openings
T8
T10
T12
💡
Diaphragm Openings - "I Eat Apples" T8 = IVC (+ R. phrenic n.) • T10 = Esophagus (+ vagal trunks) • T12 = Aorta. Or count letters: IVC = 3 → T8; Esophagus = 9 → T10.
⚙Hiatal hernia = stomach herniates through the esophageal hiatus (T10). Pneumothorax = air in pleural space, collapses lung. The parietal pleura (pain-sensitive) explains why pleuritis causes sharp, localized chest pain.
📚 Before Class - Host Team Prep
🏫 In Class - Teaching Guide
Running Your Station - Everyone Participates Every student at your station takes a turn - no one watches while one person does all the teaching. Assign structures or subsections to each person before visiting teams arrive. During the ID quiz phase, rotate the pointer and the identifier so every student is both asking and answering. Host team confirms and corrects throughout.

Check off each structure as you teach it:

1
Identification Out Loud
~5 min

One person names all structures out loud for the group. Begin with the first set (blue chips), then add the second set on the next pass. Repeat, incorporating previously named structures each time, building toward all 12.

First pass — 8 structures

  • Thoracic cavity
  • Mediastinum
  • R. pleural cavity
  • L. pleural cavity
  • Parietal pleura
  • Visceral pleura
  • Diaphragm
  • External intercostals

Add in — build to 12

  • Internal intercostals
  • T8 — caval opening
  • T10 — esophageal hiatus
  • T12 — aortic hiatus
2
Random Identification
~5 min

One person reads a structure name from the list below. The student being tested points to that structure on the model or cadaver. Rotate reader and pointer so every student reads and is tested.

  • Thoracic cavity
  • Mediastinum
  • R. pleural cavity
  • L. pleural cavity
  • Parietal pleura
  • Visceral pleura
  • Diaphragm
  • External intercostals
  • Internal intercostals
  • T8 opening
  • T10 opening
  • T12 opening
3
Reverse Identification
~5 min

The tester points to a structure on the model or cadaver. The student names it out loud and spells it if spelling is a challenge. Rotate tester and student. Host team confirms or corrects.

Spelling counts — these are the exact terms that will appear on exams. If a student struggles with the spelling, pause and have the group spell it aloud together before moving on.
4
Full Recall
~5 min

Each person takes one turn pointing to structures on the model from memory — name every structure in the station without prompting. Aim for at least 2–3 structures per person. Host team confirms.

If time is short, cap at 2 structures per person and continue any missed structures in Round 5.
5
Contextual Learning
~5 min

Point to a structure, name it, then add one piece of relevant information — function, composition, clinical connection, or why it matters physiologically. Integrate what you have learned in lecture with what you see here.

  • →Point to the parietal pleura — why does pleuritis cause sharp localized pain but visceral pleura injury does not?
  • →Point to the diaphragm — describe what happens to it mechanically during forced expiration vs. quiet breathing.
  • →Point to the external intercostals — name the muscle group that does the opposite action and demonstrate the fiber direction difference.
  • →Point to the T10 opening — name the clinical condition caused by stomach herniation through this opening and explain why it causes GERD.
  • →Point to the mediastinum — name three structures that live inside it. Explain why the two pleural cavities are kept separate rather than joined.

Team Q&A Builder - Write original questions about Station 1 structures. These become class review material. Aim for questions that require reasoning, not just recall.

Question 1
QuestionAnswer
Question 2
QuestionAnswer
2
The Airway Tree
Glottis • Trachea • Bronchi • Lungs • Hilum Contents
24 structures ▼
📷
Cadaver
Trachea / carina / bronchi
📷
Model
Lung lobes + bronchial tree

Upper Airway Entry

Trachea

Bronchial Tree (Conducting Zone)

Respiratory Zone

The Lungs

    • Hilum - The Root of the Lung

    Structures at the Hilum (ID on both sides)

    💡
    Hilum Contents - Superior to Inferior on the Right "Arteries Above, Bronchus Below, Veins in the Middle" (RPAL arrangement on right: Pulmonary Artery superior, Bronchus posterior/inferior, Pulmonary Veins anterior). The left hilum is similar but the artery arches higher because it passes under the aortic arch.
    ⚙Hilar lymphadenopathy (enlarged hilar lymph nodes) on chest X-ray is a key finding in sarcoidosis, primary TB, and lung cancer. The pulmonary nerve plexus explains why inhaled bronchodilators (beta-2 agonists) work - they stimulate the sympathetic receptors at the hilum to relax smooth muscle in the bronchial tree.
💡
Right vs. Left Bronchi"Right is Reckless" - wider, shorter, more vertical. Aspirated objects (peanuts, teeth) favor the right lower lobe. The left bronchus passes under the aortic arch.
⚙The bronchopulmonary segment (supplied by a tertiary bronchus) is the smallest independent unit that can be surgically resected. COPD destroys alveolar walls (emphysema) and traps air. Surfactant deficiency (premature infants) = infant respiratory distress syndrome (RDS).
📚 Before Class - Host Team Prep
🏫 In Class - Teaching Guide
Running Your Station - Everyone ParticipatesAssign structures to each team member before visiting teams arrive - one person on trachea, one on bronchial tree, one on lung lobes, one on hilum contents works well. During the quiz phase, rotate who points and who answers so every student at the station is both quizzer and respondent. Host team confirms and corrects throughout.

Check off each structure as you teach it:

1
Identification Out Loud
~5 min

One person names structures out loud. Start with the airway (first set), then add lungs and hilum. Build to all 22+ structures across passes.

First pass — Airway (8 structures)

  • Glottis
  • Trachea
  • C-rings
  • Trachealis muscle
  • Carina
  • R. primary bronchus
  • L. primary bronchus
  • Secondary bronchi

Add in — Lung lobes + alveoli

  • Tertiary bronchi
  • Alveolar duct
  • Alveoli
  • R. lung: S/M/I lobes
  • L. lung: S/I lobes
  • R. hilum
  • L. hilum

Add in — Hilum contents

  • Pulmonary artery at hilum
  • Superior pulmonary vein
  • Inferior pulmonary vein
  • Primary bronchus at hilum
  • Bronchial vessels
  • Hilar lymph nodes
  • Pulmonary nerve plexus
2
Random Identification
~5 min

Caller reads a name from the list, student points to it on model or cadaver. Focus on the hilum contents — these are small and require precision. Rotate caller and pointer.

  • Carina
  • Trachealis muscle
  • R. primary bronchus
  • L. primary bronchus
  • Alveoli
  • R. superior lobe
  • R. middle lobe
  • R. inferior lobe
  • L. superior lobe
  • L. inferior lobe
  • Pulmonary artery at hilum
  • Superior pulmonary vein
  • Inferior pulmonary vein
  • Primary bronchus at hilum
  • Hilar lymph nodes
3
Reverse Identification
~5 min

Tester points to a structure. Student names it and spells it. Pay particular attention to: carina, trachealis, alveolar, lobar, segmental. Rotate tester and student.

Challenge: can the student also name what is directly superior and inferior to the structure being pointed at?
4
Full Recall
~5 min

Each person points to structures from memory — 3 structures per person minimum, including at least one hilum content structure. No prompting. Host team confirms.

If a student cannot locate the hilum contents, pause and the host re-teaches those specific structures before continuing.
5
Contextual Learning
~5 min

Point to a structure, name it, add one functional or clinical fact. Integrate lecture with lab.

  • →Point to the carina — what is its role in the cough reflex? What does a widened carina angle on CXR suggest?
  • →Point to the right primary bronchus — explain why aspirated objects preferentially travel here and identify which lobe they most commonly lodge in.
  • →Point to the alveoli — name the two types of pneumocytes, their locations, and their functions. What happens in infant RDS?
  • →Point to the hilum — name all structures entering or exiting. Describe the superior-to-inferior arrangement of the pulmonary artery, veins, and bronchus.
  • →Point to the hilar lymph nodes — name two diseases that cause hilar lymphadenopathy visible on chest X-ray and explain why the nodes enlarge.

Team Q&A Builder - Write original questions about Station 2 structures.

Question 1
QuestionAnswer
Question 2
QuestionAnswer
3
The Vascular Circuit
Pulmonary Vessels • Great Vessels • SVC • Aortic Arch
22 structures ▼
📷
Cadaver
Great vessels / superior mediastinum
📷
Model
Heart + great vessel model

Pulmonary Vasculature (Gas Exchange Circuit)

Aortic Arch and Branches (Arterial Outflow)

Superior Vena Cava and Tributaries (Venous Return)

💡
Aortic Arch Branches - Left to Right"Big Cats Love Sushi" - Brachiocephalic trunk, (L.) Common carotid, (L.) Subclavian. The brachiocephalic trunk is RIGHT SIDE ONLY - the left common carotid and left subclavian each arise directly from the arch.
💡
Pulmonary Rule BreakerPulmonary ARTERIES carry deoxygenated blood; pulmonary VEINS carry oxygenated blood. The ONLY place in the body where artery/vein names are reversed from oxygenation status.
⚙SVC syndrome: SVC compression by tumor or thrombus causes facial and arm edema and dilated neck veins - blood cannot drain from the upper body into the right atrium.

Thoracic Nerves & Mediastinal Structures

📷
Cadaver
Phrenic nerve / vagus nerve
📷
Model
Sympathetic chain / esophagus
💡
"C3, 4, 5 Keeps the Diaphragm Alive"Phrenic nerve is the ONLY motor supply to the diaphragm. Injury above C3 = complete respiratory paralysis. Referred shoulder pain from diaphragm irritation uses the same C4 dermatome — classic for subphrenic abscess or ruptured ectopic.
⚙The vagus nerve travels with the esophagus as anterior and posterior vagal trunks through the T10 hiatus into the abdomen. The sympathetic chain sits on the heads of the ribs and contrasts with the vagus: sympathetic = bronchodilation, tachycardia; parasympathetic (vagal) = bronchoconstriction, bradycardia.
📚 Before Class - Host Team Prep
🏫 In Class - Teaching Guide
Running Your Station - Everyone ParticipatesSplit the circuit into segments - pulmonary loop, aortic arch branches, venous return - and assign one per person so everyone teaches. During quiz phase, rotate the pointer and the identifier. Every student at your station should trace at least one vessel from origin to destination and be asked to ID at least two vessels without labels.

Check off each structure as you teach it:

🏫 Thoracic Nerves
1
Identification Out Loud
~5 min

One person names all vessels out loud. Start with the pulmonary circuit, then add the aortic arch branches, then the venous return. Build across passes to all 16.

First pass — Pulmonary circuit (4 vessels)

  • R. pulmonary artery
  • L. pulmonary artery
  • R. pulmonary veins
  • L. pulmonary veins

Add in — Aortic arch + branches (6)

  • Aortic arch
  • Brachiocephalic trunk
  • R. subclavian a.
  • L. subclavian a.
  • R. common carotid a.
  • L. common carotid a.

Add in — Venous return (6)

  • SVC
  • R. brachiocephalic v.
  • L. brachiocephalic v.
  • R. subclavian v.
  • L. subclavian v.
  • R/L internal jugular v.

Add in — Thoracic nerves & mediastinal (6)

  • R. phrenic nerve
  • L. phrenic nerve
  • R. vagus nerve
  • L. vagus nerve
  • Sympathetic chain
  • Esophagus
2
Random Identification
~5 min

Caller reads a vessel name. Student points to it on model or cadaver. Emphasize the arch branches and the distinction between brachiocephalic trunk (artery) and brachiocephalic veins. Rotate caller and pointer.

  • R. pulmonary artery
  • L. pulmonary artery
  • Pulmonary veins
  • Aortic arch
  • Brachiocephalic trunk
  • R. common carotid a.
  • L. subclavian a.
  • SVC
  • R. brachiocephalic v.
  • L. brachiocephalic v.
  • Internal jugular veins
  • R. phrenic nerve
  • L. phrenic nerve
  • Vagus nerve (R+L)
  • Sympathetic chain
  • Esophagus
3
Reverse Identification
~5 min

Tester points to a vessel. Student names it, spells it, and states whether it carries oxygenated or deoxygenated blood. Rotate tester and student.

Tricky pair: brachiocephalic trunk (artery, R side only) vs. brachiocephalic veins (both sides). If a student confuses these, pause and have the host team walk through the asymmetry.
4
Full Recall
~5 min

Each person traces one complete pathway from memory on the model — either the pulmonary circuit or the venous return to the SVC. Name every vessel in the pathway as you go. Host team confirms.

Tracing a pathway (rather than pointing to individual structures) builds the functional understanding that exam questions require.
5
Contextual Learning
~5 min

Point to a vessel, name it, add one functional or clinical fact. Connect the anatomy to physiology.

  • →Point to the pulmonary arteries — explain the "rule breaker" concept and why this is the only place in the body where artery and vein names are reversed relative to oxygenation.
  • →Point to the brachiocephalic trunk — explain why there is no left brachiocephalic trunk and name what fills that role on the left side.
  • →Point to the SVC — describe SVC syndrome: cause, signs, and why this vessel has no valves to prevent backflow.
  • →Point to the left brachiocephalic vein — explain why it is longer than the right and what structure it crosses behind on its way to the SVC.
  • →Trace the complete pulmonary circuit out loud — right ventricle to left atrium, naming every vessel. Then trace venous return from the head and neck back to the right atrium.
  • →Point to the phrenic nerve — state the spinal levels, name its sole motor target, and explain referred shoulder pain from diaphragm irritation.
  • →Point to the sympathetic chain — contrast it with the vagus nerve: origin, target organs in the thorax, and functional effect on bronchioles and heart rate.

Team Q&A Builder - Write original questions about Station 3 structures.

Question 1
QuestionAnswer
Question 2
QuestionAnswer
4
Histology & Half Head Model
Half Head Model • Trachea & Lung Histology Slides • Hosted Rotation Station
31 structures ▼
🔬This is a fully hosted station. The host team leads Round Table rounds on the half head model, then transitions to microscope slides. Host team: know every structure on both before class — this station requires double preparation.

Half Head Model — Upper Airway

📷
Half Head
Lateral view / nasal cavity
📷
Half Head
Larynx / vocal folds

Waldeyer's Tonsillar Ring

💡
Waldeyer's Ring "The ring guards the gateway" — palatine tonsils (sides), nasopharyngeal tonsil (roof/adenoids), lingual tonsil (floor/base of tongue), and tubal tonsils (around Eustachian tube openings). Together they form a complete ring of lymphoid tissue at the entrance to the aerodigestive tract.

Paranasal Sinuses

💡
Sinuses - Drainage Routes Middle meatus receives drainage from: frontal, maxillary, and anterior ethmoid sinuses (the three that most commonly get infected). Superior meatus: posterior ethmoid. Sphenoethmoidal recess: sphenoid. Remember: the maxillary sinus drain opens near the roof — terrible drainage position, explains why it gets blocked.
⚙Sphenoid sinus proximity to the pituitary makes it the surgical access route for transsphenoidal hypophysectomy. Maxillary sinusitis can mimic upper molar toothache because the roots are close to the sinus floor.

Histology Slides — Trachea

🔬
Slide
Trachea wall cross-section
🔬
Slide
PCCE epithelium (high power)
🔬
Slide
Hyaline cartilage (C-ring)

Histology Slides — Lung & Alveoli

🔬
Slide
Lung parenchyma (low power)
🔬
Slide
Alveoli (high power)
🔬
Slide
Type I & II pneumocytes
⚙Esophageal histology (stratified squamous epithelium, muscularis layers, Auerbach's plexus) is covered in the GI unit. Surfactant deficiency (Type II pneumocyte immaturity) in premature infants = neonatal RDS.
📚 Before Class — All Students
🏫 In Class - Host Team Guide
Running Station 4 — Half Head + Histology Start with the half head model. Use Round 1-3 on all half head structures, then transition to microscope slides for Round 3-5. Split your team: one person leads the model, one manages the microscope. Every visiting student must point to at least one structure on each.
1
Identification Out Loud — Half Head Model
~5 min

One person names all half head structures out loud. Begin with the nasal cavity and pharyngeal divisions, then add laryngeal structures.

First pass (8 structures)

  • Nasal cavity
  • Nasal septum
  • Superior concha
  • Middle concha
  • Inferior concha
  • Nasopharynx
  • Oropharynx
  • Laryngopharynx

Add in — Larynx structures

  • Epiglottis
  • Thyroid cartilage
  • Cricoid cartilage
  • True vocal folds
  • False vocal folds
  • Rima glottidis
  • Soft palate / uvula
2
Random ID — Half Head + Slides
~5 min

Caller names a structure on the half head model or names a histological feature on a slide. Student points to it. Rotate caller and pointer. Switch between model and microscope.

  • Inferior concha
  • Epiglottis
  • True vs. false vocal folds
  • Cricoid cartilage
  • PCCE on trachea slide
  • Hyaline cartilage on slide
  • Stratified squamous (esophagus)
  • Alveoli
  • Type II pneumocyte
  • Alveolar macrophage
3
Reverse ID — Slides Focus
~5 min

Tester points to a cell type, tissue layer, or structure on a slide or on the half head model. Student names it and spells it. For slides: also state the organ the slide is from. Rotate tester and student.

Classic exam question: tester shows a slide — is this trachea or esophagus? Student must name the identifying feature (cartilage vs. stratified squamous epithelium) before naming the organ.
4
Full Recall
~5 min

Each person takes a turn: (a) points to 3 structures on the half head model from memory, OR (b) looks at a slide and names every identifiable structure without prompting. No help from the group during your turn.

5
Contextual Learning
~5 min

Point to a structure, name it, add one clinical or functional fact. Connect what you see to what it does or what goes wrong.

  • →Point to the epiglottis on the half head model — explain the swallowing reflex sequence. What happens to it? What happens to the larynx? Why can you not breathe and swallow simultaneously?
  • →Point to the cricoid cartilage — explain why this is the landmark for emergency cricothyrotomy and why the space between thyroid and cricoid cartilages is used.
  • →On the trachea slide, point to the PCCE — explain the mucociliary escalator. What happens to this system in a smoker? Connect to chronic bronchitis.
  • →On the lung slide, point to Type II pneumocytes — explain surfactant, why surface tension matters in alveoli (Law of Laplace), and what happens in neonatal RDS when Type II cells are immature.
  • →On the trachea slide — have each person locate and name the PCCE, the hyaline cartilage C-rings, and the trachealis smooth muscle. Can everyone identify all three without guidance?

Team Q&A Builder - Write original questions about Station 5 structures. Focus on slide ID, clinical application, and structure-function connections.

Question 1
QuestionAnswer
Question 2
QuestionAnswer
Station

🎉 Session Complete

All 5 rounds finished. Collect Q&A cards and move to debrief.
5:00

✓ Round complete — tap Next Round when ready