Snack Cake 'Dissection': A Flipped Classroom Exercise to Engage Undergraduates With Basic Neuroanatomy

This report describes a brief classroom activity for introducing basic neuroanatomical terminology and concepts to undergraduates in a survey-level course. Prior to completing the activity, students watched a short online lecture discussing the relevant material. During class, students worked in groups to 'dissect' snack cakes using the information they learned in the video and then reported and shared their 'results' using anatomical terminology. Quantitative feedback suggests that students found that the exercise was useful practice, that it helped increase their confidence in their ability to learn neuroanatomy, and that it helped increase their interest in the material generally. Data from an online anatomy quiz further supports the exercise's efficacy. Overall, the data suggest that this exercise may be a worthwhile addition to courses that introduce neuroanatomy to undergraduates.