Making the Content Relate During Week Eight

 

It's hard to believe that student teaching is already halfway through! I have really enjoyed working with these fantastic students here in Gettysburg and am learning something new each day from my cooperating teachers! Week 8 brought many exciting opportunities to provide hands-on learning experiences, but also opportunities for growth as a teacher! 

On Monday, we hit the ground running and connected the concepts and functions of the muscular and
circulatory system through the dissection of pig's hearts. My students were able to identify the physical differences between the left and right sides of the heart through their knowledge of how the heart functions. As we are learning about the various systems in livestock animal anatomy, we were able to make a connection about how each system is dependent on every other system to ensure complete animal health. 

Another exciting lab that Gettysburg students were able to engage in connected all of the principles from
our soil science unit in our horticulture class through real-life application. Whether completing a ribbon test, utilizing a shaker or even exploring with an official lab, we discovered various ways to determine the texture of our soil samples from around the Gettysburg area. The students were challenged to evaluate the value of knowing the soil texture and how that impacts the way in which plants will grow. These students did a fantastic job at determining how to assess a soil's health and management strategies to improve soil health to increase plant production. 

                          

There were countless lessons that I was able to learn last week. I have certainly learned the value of an effective question. I have been challenged to encourage more critical thinking in my students through "how and why" questions. I want to continue to tweak the questions before each class to grow as a more effective teacher. I also want to continue to bring variety into my lesson. Each week I strive to try something new, whether it be in a classroom management strategy or activity. 

Week 8 brought many great memories both in and outside of the classroom! I am looking forward to applying what I learned last week to continue to grow as an educator!