Wait, only one more week in Wellsboro?

No way. That can't be right... I was supposed to be here for 7 weeks! That means that it's almost the half-way mark of my final semester as a Penn State student...?
Whoa.
So here I sit, on this last Sunday in Wellsboro, reflecting on yet another crazy and blessed week of student teaching. But rather than talk too much about what I did, let me show you!

My Animal Science 4 girls got to go to the barn 3 times this week to see and evaluate the school nurse's horses for: body condition scoring, weight, and proper handling/haltering

Super cool guest to NRM class: Sheri Baity, a professional coyote caller (and maker!) see her website. She had the students make their own game calls out of pen tubes and reeds, then gave them (and me!) hand-made maple crow calls!

See/hear Sheri in action as she "makes a movie" for the coyotes to call them in :) Probably the most amusing and unique guest speaker I've ever seen (or had in to a class)

Stationed by the owl... I got to be the adviser for our chapter meeting this week! Reppin the #PSUaged14 @TeachAgPSU swag!

Students in my NRM class presented on wildlife species for their unit assessment! This student was able to get a hold of a young (stuffed) raccoon from the DCNR office where he works!

Moving though the digestion unit, we did some fingerpainting of the monogastric system in Animal Science class

A pretty exciting opportunity to see experiential learning - for the culinary students! Friday teacher pasta buffet luncheon!

So it was a pretty eventful week, even if it did go by super fast! I learned more and more this week as we moved through more of our nutrition/digestion unit in Animal Science 1/2, ecology and wildlife interactions in NRM, public speaking prep and "dos and don't dos" of presentations in FFA/Leadership, and food safety and processing in Ag Sci 1 (super cool!) - not to mention more equine science with the Animal Science 3/4 girls (barn included).

What did I learn? You mean more than the fact that I love these kids and am going to miss them dearly when I leave this week? Well, I learned that PREP is super important. I found myself up a bit too late several nights this week, preparing lessons for the next day, when they should have been planned and organized the week before. This was especially noted when I didn't adequately prepare for and practice a lab for the An Sci kids on digestion and absorption. When we practiced the lab the morning I planned to do it - it didn't work. Whoa, time for a back-up lesson! But really, I need to learn how to plan for labs better. Duly noted!

I also learned a lot from the wisdom of other local teachers when I met some cohort members and fellow northern tier teachers at a "New and Beginning Teacher" meeting/dinner on Tuesday night. It was cool to talk like one of the teachers, yet still gain a lot of wisdom and perspective from them, now that I am in their shoes!

Wednesday brought the monthly FFA meeting, where I got to (FINALLY) respond to the question, "why by the owl?" - oh, how I had been dreaming for the day. But I also noted that member participation was a little low, as discussed with my cooperating teacher, and the officer team was truly leading the meeting/discussion. Something I know to be a common theme in many FFA chapters, yet a difficult one to bring up and create solutions for.

Wednesday evening almost brought a break down, due to some stressful planning and some unsuccessful lessons from that day - but my beloved room mate made me dinner (and packed me lunch for the next day!) and I was able to re-focus on my contentness (Philippians 4:11) for a good day on Thursday. It ended in a department meeting with all 6 members of the science department. I got to witness, first hand, the value that the school and the science department places on agriscience... I'm learning more and more about the struggles that ag programs have to endure!

This coming week, my LAST WEEK, I am excited to continue with some units and start some new ones! Here's a preview into what we will be doing this week!
Animal Science 1/2: digestive systems, continued! Ruminant, avian, and the dissection of a monogastric system (and perhaps the use of some enzymes from that system for the previously unsuccessful digestion lab!)
Natural Resources: closing up some student wildlife presentations and entering a fisheries and aquatics unit!
Ag Science 1: closing up a food safety/processing unit ("Edible Agriculture") and exploring a mini-unit in plant science!
FFA/Leadership: STUDENT SPEECH TIME!! WOHOOOO I AM SO EXCITED TO HEAR THEIR SPEECHES!!! (we only have this class 2 times this week)
Animal Science 3/4: some more about horses! Hooves, teeth, cleaning, tack, riding types with an additional barn visit!

Wow. I cannot believe that, exactly 1 week from this moment, I will be landing in Costa Rica for another 8 weeks of amazing experiences... I can seriously say that I will miss this place, however, and all of the people and experiences that the Lord has blessed me with for the short time I've been in Wellsboro.
Stay tuned for more awesomeness in agriscience education!