Student Resource 2.1
Chart: Body Planes, Directions and Cavities
Directions: Use this chart to help you memorize the terms in the first column. This chart will also serve as
a reference when you do assignments and when you need to describe the location of something in the
body.
Planes of the Body
Plane
Sagittal
Drawing
Definition
Example
Divides body into right and left
portions
The heart surgeon
made a sagittal incision
to open the patient’s
chest.
Copyright © 2013‒2014 National Academy Foundation. All rights reserved.
AOHS Foundations of Anatomy and Physiology I
Lesson 2 Surfaces, Planes, and Directions
Plane
Frontal
Transverse
Drawing
Definition
Example
Divides body into front and back
portions
The radiologist took a
frontal X-ray of the
patient’s injured hip.
Armand got a
Divides body into top and bottom transverse break in his
portions
thighbone when he fell
in a skiing accident.
Copyright © 2013‒2014 National Academy Foundation. All rights reserved.
AOHS Foundations of Anatomy and Physiology I
Lesson 2 Surfaces, Planes, and Directions
Directions of the Body
Direction
Drawing
Definition
Example
In front of, toward
the front of the
body
The breastbone
is anterior to the
spine.
Behind, or toward
the back of the
body
The heart is
posterior to the
breastbone.
Superior
Above, or toward
the head or upper
part of the body
The forehead is
superior to the
nose.
Inferior
Below, or toward The hips are
the lower part of a inferior to the
structure or of the ribs.
body, below
Medial
Toward or at the
The heart is
midline of the
medial to the
body, on the inner arm.
side of
Anterior
(ventral)
Posterior
(dorsal)
Copyright © 2013‒2014 National Academy Foundation. All rights reserved.
AOHS Foundations of Anatomy and Physiology I
Lesson 2 Surfaces, Planes, and Directions
Direction
Drawing
Definition
Example
Lateral
Away from the
The arms are
midline of the
lateral to the
body, on the outer chest.
side of
Proximal
Close to, or
toward the point of
attachment to the
trunk of the body
The elbow is
proximal to the
wrist (it is closer
to where the arm
connects to the
trunk).
Distal
Farther from, or
away from the
point of
attachment to the
trunk of the body
The knee is
distal to the
thigh.
Superficial
Toward the body
surface
The skin is
superficial to the
skeleton.
Deep
Away from the
body surface,
more internal
The lungs are
deep to the rib
cage.
Copyright © 2013‒2014 National Academy Foundation. All rights reserved.
AOHS Foundations of Anatomy and Physiology I
Lesson 2 Surfaces, Planes, and Directions
Body Cavities
Cavity
Drawing
Contains
Cranial
Brain
Spinal
Spinal cord
Thoracic
Lungs, heart
Abdominal
Stomach, kidneys,
intestines, other organs
Pelvic
Bladder, reproductive
organs, rectum, lower
parts of intestines
Dorsal
The larger cavity that
contains the cranial
and spinal cavities.
Ventral
The larger cavity that
contains the thoracic,
abdominal, and pelvic
cavities.
Copyright © 2013‒2014 National Academy Foundation. All rights reserved.
AOHS Foundations of Anatomy and Physiology I
Lesson 2 Surfaces, Planes, and Directions
Student Resource 2.2
Labeling: Body Planes, Directions, and Cavities
Student Name(s):_____________________________________________________ Date:___________
Directions: On your own or with a partner, use the appropriate term to label each plane shown in the
diagram below. Then follow the directions provided for labeling each of the diagrams that follow.
Copyright © 2013‒2014 National Academy Foundation. All rights reserved.
AOHS Foundations of Anatomy and Physiology I
Lesson 2 Surfaces, Planes, and Directions
Body Directions
Directions: Label each of the arrows with the directional term it indicates.
Copyright © 2013‒2014 National Academy Foundation. All rights reserved.
AOHS Foundations of Anatomy and Physiology I
Lesson 2 Surfaces, Planes, and Directions
Body Cavities
Directions: On the diagram on the left, label the two major body cavity regions and the five cavities within
them. Also label the three cavities that are shown again in the frontal view at the right.
Copyright © 2013‒2014 National Academy Foundation. All rights reserved.
AOHS Foundations of Anatomy and Physiology I
Lesson 2 Surfaces, Planes, and Directions
Student Resource 2.3
Lab: Pickle Dissection
Student Names:_______________________________________________________ Date:___________
Follow the directions below to fill in each section as you complete your dissection.
PART 1.
Examine the outside of your pickle “patient” for any irregularities, scars, bumps, and so on. Draw both a
ventral and a dorsal view of your pickle, noting any unique features. You can also make notes below.
Dorsal view
Ventral view
Notes_______________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
PART 2.
Using the dissecting knife, open the ventral cavity by making a deep, Y-shaped incision. The arms of the
Y should start just anterior to the shoulders, and should join at a point just inferior to the breastbone.
Continue in a single cut extending inferiorly through the abdominal and pelvic cavities.
Draw your patient, showing the incisions, and include the following labels:
a. Anterior surface of shoulders
b. Inferior point of breastbone
c. Abdominal cavity
d. Pelvic cavity
Copyright © 2013‒2014 National Academy Foundation. All rights reserved.
AOHS Foundations of Anatomy and Physiology I
Lesson 2 Surfaces, Planes, and Directions
e. As your incision passes through the abdominal and pelvic cavities, what plane does it follow?
f. What are some organs you can see inside these cavities in a human being?
PART 3.
Close the ventral region of the body and turn the patient over so the dorsal side is facing up. Make two
lateral cuts, each beginning just inferior to the armpits and ending just superior to the legs. Make an
incision that connects the two inferior points of the armpits and another that connects the two superior
points of the legs. Make an incision in the frontal plan using the previous cuts as borders. Remove the
rectangle of tissue you have just incised.
Copyright © 2013‒2014 National Academy Foundation. All rights reserved.
AOHS Foundations of Anatomy and Physiology I
Lesson 2 Surfaces, Planes, and Directions
Draw the patient and add the following labels:
a. Inferior points of armpits
b. Superior points of legs
c. Spinal cavity
d. Lateral cuts
Draw the tissue you removed and label these parts of the tissue:
e. Deep tissue
f. Superficial tissue
PART 4.
Clean up your station:
Dispose of your pickle as your teacher instructs.
Return your goggles and gloves.
Clean your dissecting tray and any tools you used, and return them as your teacher instructs.
Copyright © 2013‒2014 National Academy Foundation. All rights reserved.