BIO 004 · Human Anatomy · Week 2
Lab Sprint: Axial Skeleton: Spine and Thoracic Cage
Every lab structure for this unit, with the questions you could be asked. Preview, drill in Spiral Rounds, then build a study plan for the lab exam.
Section 1 · Week 2
Structures and questions
Every lab structure for this unit, taken from the master structure list. Open a category to see the structures to identify and the questions you could be asked. Drill them in Spiral Rounds below, then self-test with the pre-exam plan.
75 structures across 10 categories. Preview for recognition first; mastery comes through Spiral Rounds and repeated self-testing.
- Cervical spine (C1 to C7)
- Thoracic spine (T1 to T12)
- Lumbar spine (L1 to L5)
- Sacrum (S1 to S5 fused)
- Coccyx (Co1 to Co4 fused)
- Cervical curve
- Thoracic curve
- Lumbar curve
- Sacrococcygeal curve
- Abnormal curve: scoliosis
- Abnormal curve: lordosis
- Abnormal curve: kyphosis
Also be ready to answer
- Label each normal curve as primary or secondary.
- Know the developmental milestones that lead to the secondary curves (holding the head up and sitting, then walking).
- Know the primary curves, present at birth.
- Anterior tubercle
- Posterior tubercle
- Facet for the dens
- Anterior arch
- Posterior arch
- Superior articular facet and process
- Inferior articular facet and process
- Transverse process
- Transverse foramen
- Vertebral foramen
- Dens
- Superior articular facet and process
- Inferior articular facet and process
- Body
- Transverse process
- Transverse foramen
- Vertebral foramen
- Spinous process
- Vertebral arch
- Vertebral foramen
- Transverse process
- Transverse foramen
- Body
- Pedicle
- Lamina
- Spinous process
- Vertebral arch
- Superior articular facet and process
- Inferior articular facet and process
- Body
- Superior articular facet and process
- Inferior articular facet and process
- Costal facet (thoracic only)
- Transverse process
- Spinous process
- Lamina
- Pedicle
- Vertebral arch
- Vertebral foramen
Also be ready to answer
- Identify specific vertebrae on an articulated column (for example C7, T5, L1).
- From a vertebra's characteristics, determine which region of the column it belongs to: transverse foramen means cervical, costal facets mean thoracic, a bifid spinous process means cervical, a spinous process pointing straight out means lumbar.
- Head of the rib
- Neck of the rib
- Shaft of the rib
- Sacral promontory
- Superior articular process and facet
- Anterior sacral foramina
- Coccyx
- Posterior sacral foramina
- Sacral hiatus
- Median sacral crest
- Lateral sacral crest
- Articular surface
- Base of the sacrum
- Apex of the sacrum
- Sacral tuberosity
- Manubrium
- Sternal angle
- Body of the sternum
- Xiphoid process
- Jugular notch
- Clavicular notch
- Costal notch
- Annulus fibrosus
- Nucleus pulposus
Section 2
Spiral Rounds (study group method)
Spiral Rounds is your in-class and study-group method, organized by concept category. Each category has one or more sets of about 10 to 12 structures. Take each set through the five rounds below, escalating the challenge each round.
Group size: 3 to 5 students per Spiral Rounds set.
Pace: aim for 5 to 8 minutes per round per set. A set of 12 structures runs all five rounds in roughly 30 to 40 minutes.
Rule: every student participates. Active retrieval is the point. Mistakes are expected and useful. Do not opt out by watching.
This unit's 75 structures are organized into 10 concept categories below. Each category gets one or more sets of 10 to 12. Tick off rounds as your group completes them.
Section 3
Pre-exam study plan (with spaced repetition)
Tick the structures you know cold. The rest auto-distribute across the days you set below, with spaced repetition built in: each day reviews the previous days' structures. The day before the exam is a final review pass.
Your study plan
Workspace
Notes for this week
Free space for week-specific notes: questions to ask in lab, structures you keep mixing up, study strategies that worked.