When Pigs Fly Part Two
Okay, pigs weren’t flying but the usual suspects were present: scalpels, protective goggles and piglets. Spring is usually the time of year when baby pigs are born. Unfortunately, there are always some stillborn piglets. Where do they go you might ask? Well no other place then to Mrs. Snyder’s 8th grade AG class. As the last rotation class before the eighth graders enter high school, they were busy learning the digestive system of the pigs. As their “reward” they got to dissect a piglet. There were lots of, “That’s gross!” and “I won’t touch that!” as the sweet, pungent aroma of formaldehyde permeated the room. However, after all of the grumbling and incredulous looks, they jumped right in. Ironically, the ones who complained the most were the first ones to dig in and take charge. It was very educational and prepared them for future AG and anatomy classes in high school. It also prepared them for their visit to Nebraska Technical College of Agriculture (NTCA) in Curtis, where they “hands-in” researched the contents of a cow’s stomach. So the next time you see an 8th grader in the halls, stop and quiz him on the digestive system of the pig or ask (to the melody of “What does a Fox Say?”) what does a cow eat?