Apologia Biology: Modules 1, 2, and 3

Yes, I'm using the book.  Well, a little.  The kids are going to work with microscopes this week and finish Experiment 1.2.  Modules 2 and 3 have experiments collecting and culturing pond samples.  One problem I've had with these samples is locating and identifying the critters on a slide.  You can order protozoa, which is expensive.  They move so quickly they're hard to identify.  The solution is a drop or two of quieting solution.  This is adding up.  So, my solution is to have the kids look at prepared slides of protozoans first and live pond samples last.  I use pond life identification sheets.  Tomorrow, the kids are going to do their first POGIL activity: Prokaryotes vs Eukaryotes (and the  answer key).  POGIL activities are thoughtfully constructed to have kids think their way through a lesson.  Ordinarily, you might just have the kids differentiate between prokaryotes and eukaryotes.  These exercises require more processing.  The activities are intended for small groups of students.   I'll let you know how things turn out.  If there's enough time, the kids are going to design a lesson to teach kids about microbes.