Apologia Chemistry: Fall Preparations

Yes, summer is the time to prep!  My husband, Rob, is planning to teach a Physics and a Statisitics class this fall.  My plan is to offer Chemistry.  We are going to need calculators.  My husband needs to use graphing calculators for his Stats class.  I like to introduce graphing calculators to my Chemistry class, too.  I think exposure to graphing calculators is important before the kids go to college.  Rob is using an older edition of The Practice of Statisitcs for AP next year.  This series of  Stat books require the use of graphing calculators.  Rob loathes them.  He and I are working on problems sets to help him get more comfortable.  The first week of class next year, both the Stat and Chem kids are going to do a few labs to generate data and learn how to use the graphing calculators.  We are using the TI 83/84 calculators.  (The Chem kids use TI 30 calculators for pH, conversions, stoichiometry, etc.  I have nine or ten I bring to class.  Rob keeps a few on hand for Physics, too.). Yes,  I bought most of the calculators from Good Will.  I’m paying about $15 for a used TI 83 from www.shopgoodwill.com.  I bid on TI84 calculators often.  I refuse to spend more than $35 for a used calculator.  Consequently, I own one TI84.

The first week of Stats and Chemistry, we’re doing an accuracy and precision lab, a density lab, and a hearing curve lab.  This is a bit of a departure; typically, the first few classes include measures, equipment, and inquiry-based activities.  Instead, we’ll review safety briefly, use safe equipment (water, coins, electric burner, and thermometers) and teach about lab practices, graphing on paper, calculator graphing, percent error, significant figures, and basic stats, such as mean, median, and mode.  Happily, we know the kids; they usually do not horse around in class.

We’ll do all of the labs together because Stats requires the kids to collect and analyze data.  This way, I can teach the kids how to graph with the Stat function on the graphing calculators.  The first thing I’m doing is to analyze the precision lab data.  They will calculate the mean, median, and mode.  Rob will explain mean, median, and mode; I’ll show the kids how to enter and calculate the data with a TI83.  We’ll graph scatter plots for the density and heating curve labs.  Lastly, we’ll learn how to create linear regression models.  The kids are going to do some curve fitting, too.  Kids learn how to use the graphing calculators quickly.  I think a few lessons will be enough for the Stats kids.  I can help with calculator emergencies.  In the mean time, Rob and I are doing calculator problems together almost everyday.  Really.

Human Biology: Skeleton and Skin

Today is our second, two-hour class.  We started with a skeleton quiz and POGIL Activity The Skeletal System, drew sketches of microscope slides, and started the skin lab.  We ran out of time and will restart the skin and nerve lab next time.  I spent time asking the kids about an article I had posted on the Google Classroom web page for the Human Biology Class.  (BTW, the kids can post their paragraphs right on the web page.)  I spent time checking their work, too.  I had assigned way too much coloring in their anatomy coloring books.

We used a digital microscope that attaches by USB to the laptop.  We focus the slide and then take a picture.  The kids draw the image.  We drew cartilage, nerve cells, muscle, etc.  Sketching slides is a bit of discipline.  This is the Skin Touch Receptor Lab.  Here is the Sweat Gland Distribution Lab.  Here are a few of the pix.

Human Biology: Day One

Today was the first Human Biology class.  There are four students; Anna, a student from Biology and Chemistry requested the summer class.  The kids are coloring in The Anatomy Coloring Book.  They were supposed to color pp. 1-5 before class.  Next week, they're coloring 6-17, reading Chapters One-Three (Human Biology by Mader 14th Edition.) (Two did; two did not complete the coloring.)  Anna finished the skeleton.  The kids  are coloring. mounting the pieces on to card stock, and labelling the backs of  their skeletons and organs. (This is the one we used.)  In my experience, the more kids (or adults) manipulate an idea, the better they learn and remember.

So, what did we do in class?  First, we reviewed the skeleton and took a a skeleton quiz.  Next we did the cup stacking levels of organization.  (I wrote the levels of organization on plastic cups and mixed up the layers.  The kids worked in pairs to sort which layer goes where.)  Then we did POGIL Levels of Organization activity.  (The kids work in pairs to answer as much as possible.  Then we review all of the answers together.)  Next we discussed the major body cavities.  Lastly, the kids made bone models from polymer clay. The kids used both the textbook and iPad pix as models.   We covered a great deal of introductory material in two hours.  This class has more outside work because we're only meeting once a week.
Below are a few photos.  Fun, right?

Apologia Chemistry: Graphing Calculators

Update: Amazon has used TI 83 graphing calculators for about $35–more than I like is a fair price for a used graphing calculators.  The TI 84 used calculators tend to cost more than $50.  Let’s hope for bargains prime day!  BTW www.shopgoodwill has both TI83 and TI84 on their site.  I can buy TI 83 for under $20.  I cannot buy a TI 84 for under $50–my absolute limit for a used graphing calculator.  Remember to check shipping on Good Will.  One more note—when I buy used on Amazon or eBay, I buy from top rated sellers.  I do not want to pay for returns.  Good Will is fantastic!  Recently, I ordered slacks which were mismarked on the tag.  (The pants were NWT.). I asked the Good Will store from the site for a modest credit to PayPal and donated the slacks to the local Good Will—with the correct inseam this time.  No problem!  The credit was posted the next day.  Take photos when there is a problem—it makes negotiations much easier.


Graphing Calculators are NOT essential to Chemistry.  I use them occasionally in class for exposure. I want my kids to have used a graphing calculator before they go to college.  I buy graphing calculators used from www.shopgoodwill.com or eBay.  Another choice is a graphing calculator emulator.  I have GraphNCalc83 on my iPad.  I use it in class all the time with TI 83 and 84s.  It will do stem plots, histograms, and regressions.  Next fall, my husband is teaching Statisitcs while I teach Chemistry.  I’m going to introduce graphing calculator exercises the first day of classes to both groups.  Chemistry doesn’t need it immediately; however, my husband’s Stats class does.  The first time kids use graphing calculators is painful.  I have more experience teaching kids how to use them. (I’ve made ALL of the same errors learning how to use the calculators.)  My husband loathes the calculators.  If I help get the kids started, a few of them either have had prior experience or are quick to learn.  My husband is counting on a few of his kids to help him with the calculators.  My husband, Rob, and I are working through Stats exercises on the graphing calculator now in anticipation of Fall. These lessons are also painful.  But, if Rob can get more comfortable on the calculator and the kids have a strong introduction, I think things will be fine.  Our Co-op has parents who stay.  I can start a lab, ask a mom to monitor the kids, and run help Rob when he has a calculator emergency.

Apologia Chemistry: More Summer Prep

Yes, I am a nerd.  I’m gearing up for fall already.  This summer I’m teaching Human Biology, prepping for Chemistry, and helping my husband plan for Statistics this fall.  Right now, I’m focusing  on graphing exercises.  Yes, before you ask, the kids should be able to graph on paper before using graphing calculators.  The issue at my house is the graphing calculator.  My husband loves Excel and loathes graphing calculators.  I browsed the statistics textbook he plans to use.  High School Statistics textbooks require graphing calculators.  This summer my husband and I are graphing—often.  I like to incorporate graphing in Chemistry and teach the kids how to use graphing calculators.  In public and private schools, the math teachers do use graphing calculators—largely for upper level math classes, especially Statistics.  I use them in Chemistry so that my Co-op kids have exposure to graphing calculators.  (My husband does Excel exercises in Physics for the same reason—exposure before the kids go to college.).

This temperature conversion exercise and teacher or lesson guide is a good place to begin.  Is this the first time you tried your graphing calculator?  This start-up guide is perfect.  We use both TI 83 and 84 graphing calculators.  (I do not like 85, 86, or 89.). The Ti 83 and 84 are widely used in high schools and colleges across the country.  I bought most of my collection from www.shopgoodwill.com.  Be sure to see check the description to see if the calculator operates.  If the image at Good Will has a smudge on the screen, it means the calculator is about to die.  I do not pay more than $15 for a used TI 83 because any used calculator is a gamble.  I’m going to watch Amazon on Prime Day this summer for any deals on TI 83 or 84.  I want a second TI 84; it connects directly to Vernier’s EZ Temp temperature probe,  converting the calculator into a digital thermometer.  This lab activity uses the EZ Temp probe.   My science classes use the calculator with the probe all the time in lab.  The EZ Temp probe is $38 on Vernier’s website.  Watch for probes on EBay for less.

Apologia Chemistry: Summer Prep

My Biology class is over.  This summer I’m teaching a Human Biology class to a few kids.  Right now, I’m organizing my Chemistry material for the fall class.  Chemistry is one class I’ve taught over 25 years.  It’s harder to engage kids in Chemistry than in Biology.  One excellent resource is ChemMatters from the American Chemical Society, ACS.  I add articles, such as ‘The Capivating Chemistry of Coins’ along with an introduction to elements and the Periodic Table. (The Periodic Table is 150 years old in 2019!). ACS has teacher guides with questions and puzzles to accompany the articles.  Many articles are free.  If you are teaching a Co-op group, these articles and questions are terrific to keep on hand for kids who finish assignments or activities more quickly than their peers.  It helps to have a choice: Tattoos, The Protein Myth, or The Flint Water Crisis.  


Another resource is POGIL.  A little POGIL goes a long way.  This one, Isotopes, (Answer Key) is intended to be a group activity as an introduction.  All of the background information is provided.  POGIL is entirely guided instruction.  So, I’m busy compiling and organizing these materials into Google Classroom, which I like to use both to organize resource materials and to keep track of grades.  This is a superior classroom management tool and free!


The other resource to scan before classes resume is Flinn Scientific, beginning with this safety test, safety contract, and free lab ideas, like Red Plague.    Over the summer, my students are making Periodic Table Cards of Elements.   Element Trading Cards are useful, too.  I have my kids put the element’s name on the back of the index cards; the cards can be used to learn the names and symbols of key elements.  In any case, I’m getting ready!  So exciting!

Apologia Biology: Home Stretch

Update: Things went week.  I completed frog and fish and launched Human Anatomy.  We had one of the best discussions of the year.   Yeah!

We’re comparing major animal phyla and weaving in taxonomy.  This poster is my ideal comparison.  A few weeks ago the kids created comparison charts similar to this one.  I used several sources for notes: animal images, this slideshow, and notes similar to this outline.  We ran through Phylum Porifera, Cnidaria, Playhelminthes, Annelida, Mollysca, and Arthropoda.  The kids are completing their comparison sheets and classification (Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species) for the earthworm, clam, grasshopper, crayfish, sea star, perch, and frog, the specimens they dissected.  On Thursday, i’m Doing another crash course introducing Human Anatomy, in lieu of Phylum Chordata with these resources: The Basics of Physiology, Human Organs and Systems, and Organ Systems of the Human Body.  I think the kids are more interested in human organs than perch or frog parts.  We’ll see how it goes.  If nothing else, two of the kids are taking the Human Biology class this summer; this will be a nice introduction.

Human Biology Summer Course Resources

Update: Look at this idea for organs and torso in paper.


I’m completing the Apologia Biology class and sorting materials fo the Human Biology class.  This Human Anatomy Big Book is useful for its posters.  The book is often available on wwwshopgoodwill.com,  Amazon, and eBay for less than $20–much cheaper than a set of posters.  I bought six mini-skeletons on eBay for about $10.  They are quite accurate.  I use Halloween skeletons and have the kids determine if the toy is accurate or not.  I located stethoscopes and blood pressure cuffs in the basement to teach the kids how to take blood pressures as a lab.  We are deciding if we want to dissect a fetal pig.  Maybe.   We are definitely using anatomy microscope slides in class.  Home Science Tools has great sets. I have this Amscope Set.  I have clay for models, like this human heart to make, this clay long bone model, the brain, even muscle systems!  I’m excited to get started!  Anatomy in Clay has free lessons, such as this one about joints and arthritis; more free lessons are here.  We’re starting with Feet’s of Clay.   I’m going to need more clay.

Apologia Biology: Dissections Complete

Quick update.  Goodwill has a frog dissection kit.  For those of you too squeamish to dissect a real frog, this is for you!  Discovery Kids Dissect a Frog Kit  Is available from a few web sites.  Don’t pay more than $20-$25.

Yesterday, the weather cooperated and our class finished the dissection series with the frog.  The frog dissection is last for a reason.  It's the best.  Kids can identify the organs.  I have a frog model from the this kit, the Smithsonian Frog Lab.  (A few years ago, the biology class was in a facility banning all labs.  I ordered this from either Good Will or Ebay.  The kit is fine---nothing replaces dissections.  We went to a park that year to do the dissections with real specimens.)  I kept the plastic dissected frog model.  It is great to pick up a part from a model to show kids where the gall bladder lies.  We used dissection guides from Home Science Tools for both the perch and frog.  These guides are in color and useful.  When you dissect the frog, first cut the jaw hinges to have a good look at the tongue, vomerine teeth, and nares.  I instructed the kids to open up the skin with scissors before exploring organs.  It's important to use a probe to carefully tease apart membranes.  I quizzed the kids on major parts and organs: nares, tympanum, nictitating membrane over the eyes, heart, lungs, gall bladder, liver, fat bodies, stomach, intestines, etc.  We are finished!  Next up is a crash course in Zoology!  Here are a few pix.

Apologia Biology: Grasshopper, Crayfish, and Perch Dissections

We are finishing our dissection series this week—weather permitting.  We plan to dissect the frog Thursday. We used dissections guides for the perch from Home Science Tools.  I have the frog guides to use, too.  These are excellent.  They have color diagrams and detailed instructions.  We’re outside dissecting.  Whew!   Yes, this is a pain.  I have the dissection trays, Tools, guides, and specimens staged in the garage.  We load the table, table cover roll, specimens, etc the night before into the trunk.  As soon as we get home I wash the trays and tools.  Trash pick up is on Tuesdays and Fridays. It’s a race to get the trash at the curb before pick-up.  The trays, tools and specimens stay in the garage between classes.  I spritz the trunk with Windex to neutralize odors.  Yes, I’ll be happy to finish dissections.  Once completed, we’re doing an intense week of animal notes.

I’ve been quizzing the kids on various parts of these animal specimens.  I plan to quiz them extensively on the frog.  Truthfully, it’s hard to identify many of the interior organs.  The point is to understand how to dissect.

Human Biology: Mader Summer Project

The Human Biology Class group is still organizing.  We agreed to meet at my house once a week for two hours beginning in late May.  We are using Mader's Human Biology textbook.  The 14th or 15th edition are fine.  Biology textbooks are obsolete before they're published.  (Who knew measles can cause immunity amnesia?)  We're using this Anatomy Coloring book, too.  The kids must memorize the major bones and work through the first several sections in the coloring book about position, direction, planes, cavities, and systems before we start.  I bought Halloween skeletons ($12-$15).  The first task is to determine if the plastic skeleton is accurate.  (Sometimes, the sacrum or coccyx is off or missing.)  The kids are going to cut out and label paper skeletons.  Plan on reviewing the names of bones frequently.  I bought an eScience Anatomy kit from www.shopgoodwill.com, which has a skeleton, brain, and eyeball.  (Don't pay $100.)

Here is a photo of the skeleton from the eScience kit.  It comes on a stand.  I ordered the kit to cannibalize the beakers, pipets, disposable gloves, test tubes, etc.  The skeleton, brain, and eye ball were a terrific bonus.  (Photo is taken in my basement storage.)

Apologia Biology: Modules 11-13 Dissections

We are in the middle of dissections.  We're meeting outside of the library.  Dr. Wile has excellent dissection guides in the textbook.  I find it cumbersome to use textbooks during dissections.  I have old Zoology lab books and a photo atlas of dissections I leave out.  Our location outside the library has access to wifi; the kids can use cell phones to look at dissection images.  (BTW I bought old ipods for that purpose on www.shopgoodwill.com.)  We are dissecting seven specimens: worms, clams, star fish (sea star), grasshopper, crayfish, perch, and frog, in that order.  I use the dissection guide from Carolina Biological General Zoology Survey Set.  The last time I taught Biology to home-schoolers a few years ago I had three girls and needed one set of specimens.  Carolina ships to schools.  Usually, they will ship to a church office, too, if you call Customer Service and explain the Co-op meets independently.   I ordered my specimens from Home Science Tools.  They offer dissection guides and have free resources on their web site. The kids are coloring from this Zoology Coloring Book, too.  It forces them to take a closer look at the animal.

Since we are outside, the dissections are weather-dependent.  The kids have finished the earth worm, clam, and star fish.  Tuesday's weather forecast is sunny.  I hope to finish the grasshopper, crayfish, and perch on Tuesday.  (The worm took the entire class period the first dissection.)  When it rains, I'm doing a crash overview on animals, beginning with a review of Classification or Taxonomy.  The kids are also classifying representative species from the nine phyla and creating comparison charts.  I'll post updates.  Below are a few photos.