Apologia Chemistry and Physical Science Labpaqs

One issue Homeschool co-ops and families encounter is access to chemicals.  Home Science Tools is an excellent resource for small quantities of chemicals.  I order materials from Amazon or buy household chemicals at Walmart.  When I worked at a small, private school, there was little in the way of materials.  I learned that the local pharmacy or grocery store had many common chemicals at vastly reduced prices.  I have used household chemicals in labs ever since.  So, how does one determine their formulas?  Some household chemicals, such as Epsom salts, have the formula on the package.  The Illustrated Guide to Household Chemistry has a table of easy to assess chemicals along with fairly complex labs, which have been professionally reviewed.

I accidentally ran across Labpaqs on Shop Good Will, under the heading of small scale labs or lab kits.  I did some research and several colleges and programs use custom kits for distant learning.  The Labpaq kits have goggles and a surprising number of sophisticated materials.  This type of convenience comes at a price; I got a set on Ebay for much less than retail.

In any case, all of the materials our classes have used, with the exception of some vials and test tubes which were donated, originate from Home Science Tools, Amazon, Walmart, or a Labpaq.  We set up lab stations in the garage where the ventilation is good-but, the lighting could use a boost.  I want to encourage the use of small scale labs whenever possible.  Collect cassette cases to hold test-tubes and purchase reaction plates, which only hold small volumes.  We use craft sticks, toothpicks and disposable pipers and toss them to reduce cross contamination.  Small scale labs allow the kids to repeat experiments several times without extra costs or hazards, too.