A lot of classrooms have mascots but the fifth graders at a charter school between Duluth and Two Harbors have two.

Dave Anderson tells us about the lessons those mascots teach in this month's Golden Apple story.

Angela Wood shepherds the fifth grade at North Shore Community School.

In a way, she's also a deer-herder because her class has a faux deer mascot named Pinky Dinky Doe.

"We voted on the names and Lexie came up with the name. She named it after her fish."

The deer effigy is more than a decoration.

Mrs. Wood uses it in her environmental lessons on Minnesota's white tail deer herd.

That creative approach to education inspired one of Angela's assistants to nominate her for the Golden Apple.

"She's probably one of the best teachers I've ever worked with. She gets the kids motivated to do things they normally wouldn't do."

One of those things is the dissection of deer hearts as part of the white tail curriculum.

"I get queasy but it's not as disgusting as it sounds. It's really cool and I didn't freak out. I was the one who handled it the most."

Getting a lot of handling right now is Mrs. Wood's one month old daughter, Taylor Anne.

The little one may supplant the deer as number one class mascot and is already starting her education under mom's direction.

"Absolutely she is. We've already been reading books and she's getting ready for school!"

At North Shore Community School, Dave Anderson, the Northland's News Center.

Mrs. Wood's Golden Apple prize package included a trophy and gifts from Duluth Teacher's Credit Union and Slyvan Learning Center.

To find out more about nominating a teacher for the Golden Apple, log onto northland's newscenter.com.