Polymers!

 Let’s plan robust lessons for fall.  Many families like to use a theme with experiments for the entire family.  Polymers has a wide assortment of labs, activities, and experiments.

Younger Kiddos 

1. One hit is Fizz Wizard and Jammin’ Jelly kit or Edible Chemistry.  

2.  Kiddos also love slime.  I like to have children compare commercial slime to DIY versions, such as Twenty Easy Ways to Make Slime.  See HST’s Polymer and Slime Experiments; their labs and lessons are always thoughtful.

3.  Another fun polymer for tinies is Growing Creatures.

4. Follow up Grow Creatures with Growing Cubes, Growing Spheres, Water Gel Spikes, or Water Gel Crystals.  One easy experiment is to put the cubes, crystals, etc in tap water, distilled water, and salt water.  How much water do they absorb?  We weigh the crystals before and after they soak in water.  (Yes, we use tons of yogurt cups for experiments!)

Older Kiddos: Many of the experiments with grow crystals resonate with children 6-8, too.

1. Bouncy Balls is basic flubber rolled into a ball.  

2. Hands-on Plastics (HOP)  has lessons based on this Kit, which has all different types of plastics cut into tiny pellets.  You may want to cut up your own plastic bits.  Here are the HOP YouTube videos.  Watch one to see what the bitty pellets look like.  The lessons are geared toward children ages 5-12.  What I like is that kiddos learn that the different types of plastics and learn about different plastics’ properties.  Note that the kit has a preform, soda bottles used as giant test tubes.  Plastic Density is a simpler activity, which uses just water.  Check out Materials Now—a unit study about plastics and their properties.

3.  Corn Plastic and Milk Plastic are lessons appropriate for children ages 10-12.  

Teens should understand that macromolecules are polymers.  The labs below are all germane to Biology, too.

1. Build Macromolecules.  We use Lab-Aids kits; any molecular model kit works.  You can also make Marshmallow Molecules.  Below is a glucose molecule made with gummy bears.

2. Test Macromolecules

3. DNA Extraction 

4.  Here is a Silky Putty lab on polymerization.  All of the scientific names and formulas are included in the lab.

Cardboard Engineering

Cardboard is a basic, maker supply.  Engineering is often a neglected area of science.  Let’s do a bit of cardboard engineering!  Cardboard 101 has tips for cutting and attaching pieces.  Tips and Tricks   has both inspiration and storage ideas.  This Educator’s Guide has loads of book titles.  The kiddos at Faith Camp made shields for an Armor of God lesson.  Colorful painter’s tape enhances a cardboard project.  Tape binds rough edges, too.  Yes, in addition to engineering projects, your kiddos are going to want to make shields and swords from cardboard.  I think once your kiddos make a few of the projects below the images, they’ll spend the afternoon playing with their creations..

First, get inspired by Cardboard Collaborative.  Wow!  So many things to build!  Keep scrolling to see plans, such as The Gravity Racer and most importantly, the Stomp Rocket.  

The Happy Hooligans have this neat Homemade Cardboard Construction Kit.  Ask an older child to make a few for your toddler.  Try to make the Cardboard Scissors Lift.

Air and Water Power is an introduction to hydraulics.  You’ll need plastic syringes and tubing. 

This guide, Cardboard Constructions, begins with a basic stool to explain the engineering process.  

Technovation has an excellent Cardboard Robotic Hydraulic Arm.  The instructions have templates, images, and a video.  Try this Hydraulic Lift.  

Make a Cardboard Rover move with pencils and rubber bands.  Here are more cardboard movers.  Now, save several boxes in the garage, do a scavenger hunt for rubber bands, pencils, etc, and head to the library for books.  Friday Fun Day is going to rock!  

Let’s talk about Chemistry!

 This fall, I’m teaching Chemistry again for Co-op.  Do I know what I’m doing?  A little bit.  While my undergrad degree was in Biology, I had a concentration in Chemistry.  By chance, I taught a great deal of Chemistry over the years.  I sought certification in Chem and eventually earned National Boards in Chem. I even taught Chem as an adjunct to teachers and non traditional students at a local college for several years. It’s my favorite subject to teach.

We use the second edition of Apologia’s Chemistry textbook.  (Early printings of the third edition of Chemistry, by Apologia are rife with error.  I don’t like the idea of families paying full price to ensure their children have textbooks free from error.)  Here are my lessons, which coincide with the modules. Along with the lessons are many notes, links to slide decks and labs.  Truthfully, I add loads of labs.  My goal is always to do 50.  We do some of the experiments from the textbook, such as the Common Household Chemical Examples of Acids and Bases, and the Width of a Molecule.  Others I tend to modify, change a bit, or just substitute.  This year I bought used MicroChem and Radmaste kits from Good Will and eBay.  The teens will use these and maintain their own kits.

I post frequently about the Co-op classes and include links to labs.  Why?  I want to remain accountable.  Do we really do all of these labs?  Yes!  I have had push-back from some of the online schools about the caliber of instruction.  I explained to the online consultants that I’m an experienced, Chemistry teacher and sent my blog link and copies of my credentials.  (Yes, each time I was affronted.)  I also explained each time that the course was lab-based.  I mean it when I say we strive to do 50 labs.  We require four, formal, written lab reports, required by several online schools.  I try to set a high bar.  I want you to be able to help your teen master chemistry.  This year, more than ever, I’m going to do my best to support you with labs, lessons, videos, and activities.  Let’s have a great year!

Let’s talk about Physical Science!

There are so many questions surrounding Physical Science!  When is it taught?  Which edition?  What about labs? Do you test?  Is it graded?  Let me give you my recommendations.

1. When is Physical Science taught?  Typically, Physical Science is an eighth or ninth grade subject.  Private schools often offer it in eighth grade and public schools in ninth grade.  Can your teen do some Algebra?  BTW, some kiddos are ready in seventh grades, others not until tenth grade.  We use Apologia’s Physical Science textbooks.  However, older textbooks from Glencoe, Holt, McDougal-Littell; all have loads and loads of demos and mini-labs.  I use these activities to supplement Apologia’s textbook.  I bought used, teacher’s editions because these textbooks have tips.

2. The course is usually basic  Chemistry and Physics.  Apologia’s Physical Science textbooks are different.  Here are the tables of contents for the second edition, the  third edition, and the fourth edition.  Note there is quite a bit of Earth Science.  I tend to use older editions.  Why?  They’re cheaper.  

3. Do the labs in the textbook! Surprise!  Yes, I add quite a few.  My Co-op students are often enrolled in online high schools.  Many online schools require four, formal, lab reports.  Our classes follow that standard.  Some families insist on a lab report for every experiment.  Good for you!  Sometimes, we write a paragraph, make a model, or create a spreadsheet, rather than write a formal lab.  For example, the class might make Cartesian divers, demonstrate, and explain how they work in lieu of a lab report.

4. Families often have different approaches to testing.  One of my friends doesn’t test at all.  Another insists her children do every test verbatim from Apologia.  I test in Physical Science.  (I’m still deciding about General Science.) That doesn’t mean I use the tests from Apologia or even test everything in the module.  When I do use the tests, I might not use all of the questions.  Is the concept essential?  Can the student demonstrate understanding in another way?  Is the test question confusing?  My goal is eight to ten tests, including a Periodic Table test, which will likely include between 25-50 elements.

5.  What about grading?  My students repeat tests until they achieve a grade of at least 75%.  Students who complete all of the labs, projects, and activities usually earn an A.  However, the kiddos do a great deal of editing.  Rarely do I accept a lab report for credit the first time it’s submitted.  Just like you, I want good work.i want students to understand concepts.  I’m not concerned when a teen needs to repeat a test. They need to complete all of their work.  So grades are not as important as submitting quality work.

How are used Biology Kits?

Used Biology lab kits vary enormously.  Are you planning to dissect?   Will you use the microscope to view slides?  The prices for used, Bio kits are all over the map.  I advise against buying a used eScience kit.  You probably won’t use many of the supplies in the box.  The focus today is mainly dissection and slide materials.  You have to shop hard; there are good deals.

Here are two new science kits for Exploring Creation with Biology from Apologia. See?  The two kits are for dissection and slides to prepare or observe under the microscope. You can buy blank slides and methylene blue separately for the Cheek Cell Lab.

You can find deals for the slides.  Please note that any set of 25, basic slides from NASCO are fine.  Your goal is to learn how to focus the microscope and sketch slides.  Don’t get me started on microscopes!  Talk about varying quality and prices!  I bought the Amscope microscope below several years ago.  It’s terrific and comes with both blank and prepared a slides.

If you dissect, you could buy the specimens, alone.  You can dissect with a knife and styrofoam plate.  If your budget is tight, just order the frog.

What about used kits? The set below has both the slides and the dissection kit.  If you can locate a dissection kit with the slides, pay around $30 and you have a great deal.  The kits come with dissecting trays, which are nice.  The pad and tray come apart, making them easy to wash.  I prefer the trays with pads to waxed trays, which always seem grimy. Yuck.

You can find trays and dissection tools used, too.  The last kit in this section has test tubes and a rack.  Great deal!

Below are new trays and tools from HST to compare prices.

August Countdown to Fall Classes

 Now is the time to get ready for fall courses.  This fall I’m teaching Chem and Physics for the Middle School and Chemistry for the High School.  Here are a few tips.  

What do you already have?  Apparently, I no longer have a poly density bottle.  I ordered another one.  Guess what?  I found the safe spot where I had secured my density bottle.  Now I have two. After I use the original as an intro, I might pull the new one and show kiddos the contents and make another.   I already ordered the UV beads for the kiddos to make their own density bottles.  Yeah!  I found a bag of recycled, plastic bottles I had put in a safe spot.  We tried making density bottles at science camp in June.  One worked.  The others didn’t.  Now I’m determined. I’m buying different salts and concentrations of rubbing alcohol to try, try again.  Here  and here are density bead lab versions with additional tips.  I ordered more marbles for Determining Density. 

Look at the first month’s experiments and labs.  Here   are the Chem lab supplies needed; the list is located in the appendix of the textbook.  What do you have?  Is there enough?  I’m going to need more alcohol and plain salt for the density labs.  Make a list! Do you have all the equipment?  Make a list of recycled materials you’ll need, such as bottles, aluminum cans, yogurt cups, or bottle caps.  I keep boxes of craft sticks handy.  We use them as stir sticks or to mark compounds in Chem. 

 (We also build catapults with craft sticks.  Years ago all of us decided catapults were a better idea than sling shots for David and Goliath.  Kids try to hit Goliath’s forehead.  In addition to VBS, our church has a two-week Faith Camp for kiddos behind in the Sacraments.  Yes, the teens sketch Goliath.)

Get ahead and make copies.  Our library offers free copies.  I print a pile of periodic tables to keep on hand.  (Do you think my kids are organized?  Ha!)  I keep master copies of my favorite labs to copy, too.  I have a giant folder marked Day One.

Pull out everything you need for Day One.  Day One in Chemistry is about lab equipment and safety.  I pull examples of all of the lab equipment and distribute copies of Common Lab Equipment and Flinn Safety Contracts.  Yesterday,  I pulled the lab equipment.  I couldn’t find a watch glass and ordered a few more.  I had to dig to locate my lab safety DVD.  

The more you can do ahead, the less stress you’ll experience.  Speaking of stress, I keep a list of consequences for misbehavior in class or lab.  Misbehavior makes me cross.  I find cleaning toilets, mopping floors, sharpening pencils, etc, deter misbehavior and reduce stress.  This is all part of planning for Co-op.

When I taught professionally, I hired teens to help set up.  I led VBS and Science Camp.  Immediately after those two weeks, I hired two teens from my church to help clean, set up desks, and unpack the classroom.  I used the copier in peace; there are few teachers two weeks early to school.  I pulled sample equipment for Day One.  I had surveys, puzzles, and activities for home-room, which ran for hours and hours Week One.  Back to school was not stressful.  I apply those same habits to Co-op.  I check on supplies, make copies, and go on a scavenger hunt in the basement.   Now is the time to get ready!

Are you planning to buy a Chemistry kit? Consider buying a used kit.

Yes, I am a bit obsessed with Chemistry lab equipment.  I want you to get the best value. The basic equipment for Chemistry is shown below.  It’s not a bad deal.  I just think you can do better.  I shopped for used kits which are good values and contain many of the basic pieces of lab equipment.

As you browse you’ll notice the balance scale varies from one kit to another.  Some have kitchen scales and others have digital scales.  We use mini digital scales.  eBay has several used kits which contain many of the basic pieces of lab equipment.

You can piece out the equipment at Amazon and Home Science Tools.  

ACS Middle School Chemistry

One year I taught Chemistry remotely.  The experience made me consider carefully safe practices.  Why?  Many families who home-school do not have much background in chemistry.  I used  the Apologia textbook’s experiments and the ACS Middle School Chemistry lessons, with labs, videos, and teacher’s guides.  The content can be used with high school level Chemistry, especially Chapter 6, Chemical Change.  Look at pH and Color Change.  Each lessons has detailed information for the instructor, demos, videos, and labs.  This unit was developed for middle school classrooms.  Typically, a middle school teacher doesn’t have much chemistry background; not does she have access to a well-stocked lab.  The experiments are safe! The chemicals are easy to find, such as sodium carbonate, universal indicator, and citric acid.  If you want to supplement the labs in your Physical Science or Chemistry classes, start with this ACS series.  It’s excellent.