Human Biology: Digestion

We are continuing Human Biology through September.  Once the Co-op and lessons begin, all of us will be swamped.  (I have Chemistry class to teach and a home-schooler to teach all of her classes.). Today, we are working through Digestion, beginning with a quiz: list the major organs, their functions, and tracing food through the digestive system.  Literally, we go through the major topics in the chapter.  My husband had Post Infectious Irritiable Bowel Syndrome (PIIBS)  after he had the flu last March.  The gastrologist did some studies and recommended probiotics (Lactobacillus acidophilus LA5, Bifidobacterium, several strains).  I used my husband to explain resident colonies of bacteria in the large intestine.  BTW, the probiotics seem to work.

I assigned a load of anatomy coloring pages to work through in Respiration and Digestion.  The kids have two versions.  Arrrrgggh!  Every time I make an anatomy coloring assignment, I have to page through everyone's individual book to make the assignment.  Arrrrrgggghhhhh!

One of the kids presented his virus project.  Here is a photo of Wilkie's virus, Rotavirus.

Apologia Chemistry: Summer Prep

This past summer, I contacted all of my students and gave them a summer assignment: Periodic Table Cards.  I've been reminding and checking on the kids all summer.  It looks as though everyone has nearly completed their cards.  We'll see next week.

Human Biology

We met this morning and discussed infectious diseases, took an immunity quiz, and heard a presentation on Ebola.  I love infectious diseases.  We did a tour of Chapter 7 in the textbook.  Basically, I asked questions about the topics to see if they read.  Then we discuss interesting aspects of different diseases.  For example,  TB was called Consumption; one of our favorite saints, St. Therese de Liseaux, died from TB.  We talked about the bioethics of testing the Ebola and HIV vaccines in Africa.  The kids understand that large pharmaceutical companies test vaccines in Africa to avoid litigation.  I like to bring up a topic, such as Mad Cow Disease and have the kids think about how the prions were transmitted.  These informal discussions are fun to monitor.

We are continuing class through the end of September.  After September, the work load from Co-op and independent studies becomes substantial.  Next week, the kids are reading Chapter 9, Digestion.  There will be a quiz of digestive organs, their functions, and a question tracing a bolus through the digestive system out the rectum.  We spent a few minutes tracing the digestive system at the end of class.  The kids know quite a bit about digestion already.  I’m hunting for fun activities.

Apologia Young Explorers Human Anatomy: Skeleton

I was in Lowe’s and Michaels this week.  Both have skeletons available.  The prices range from $18-30.  Amazon has smaller skeletons from $12.99.  When I teach Human Anatomy or Human Biology, I have the kids memorize the names of the major bones.  I also ask them to determine if the Halloween skeleton is accurate.  While it’s absurd that Halloween supplies are available in August, home-schoolers can take advantage and buy an affordable skeleton model.

Apologia Chemistry: Fireworks and Elements

I’m taking a break from shoveling out the basement to get ready for Co-op Chemistry in a couple weeks.  The kids have a summer assignment to create a set of Periodic Table elements.  I’m determined to get more work out of the kids.  One assignment that dove-tails we’ll with the elements are Fireworks and Tattoos. The article is from ChemMatters, a magazine published for high school chemistry students by ACS, the major chemical society.  Sometimes, I assign the questions in the teacher’s guide; other times I incorporate risk assessment and writing.  For Tattoos, I have the kids make a list of pros and cons.  Then I ask them to write a paragraph: Should you get a tattoo?  Explain.  
Even the most reluctant student writes volumes on this topic.  This is a great opportunity to use Claim-Evidence-Reasoning or CER.  A kid might claim that a tattoo is safe, cite a passage in the article, and go on to support their reasoning.  So, this year, I’ll use Tattoos and Fireworks to introduce CER and get the kids to write.

Apologia Chemistry: Fall Prep Resources

Chemistry Co-op is meeting this fall at my house.  I’m going to miss the huge screen tied to the desktop computer in the Maker Space.  I’m going to figure out how to use a jump drive with my TV.  But most of the time I can pair by LCD projector with the laptop.  Our WiFi broadcasts down to the basement or outside to the garage.  Sometimes, I just want a static image—actually often, I use the huge TV like a poster.  So, I bought Old school overhead transparencies for Chemistry.  (Prentice Hall Transparencies are good, too. Transparency packages from General Chemistry textbooks designed for high school are best for Apologia. Don’t pay more than $10. ). I bought my overhead projector at www.shopgoodwill.com for less than $25.  It’s hard to find poster sets with electromagnetic waves, periodic tables, etc.  It used to be a nightmare to locate replacement bulbs for the projectors.  Amazon has loads.

This year, I’m going to be much more in tune with the struggles parents have to provide Chemistry at home.  Once I gut my basement, I’ll test the projector and post pix.

Apologia Chemistry: Fall Co-op Prep

My husband and I both teach Co-op classes.  Tuesday, we submitted room requests for fall to the library.  After three years using the Maker Space twice a week for Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, we are no longer permitted to teach Chemistry or Biology.  Such a shame.  The problem was the class meets two days a week for two hours-with prep and clean-up.  People complained the Maker Space wasn’t assessable.  People used the copier, visited the fish tank, browsed shelves, and asked about the class (during class) all the time.  But, the Space was not available for people to eat lunch or spread out their copies—not STEM.

So, we are going to teach at my house this fall.  Yes, we have explored a number of alternate sites.  We have a large basement with a utility sink, outlets, and all my shelves of equipment.  Fortunately, I have taught out of my house before.  Our former church allowed Biology (not dissections—held off site at a park) but not Chemistry.  One year, I taught Physical Science and Chemistry concurrently at my house: kitchen, dining room table, den, and garage.  We plan to teach in the basement and use the dining and breakfast tables for tests.

My husband and I are going to share the basement.  So, we bought four six foot folding tables and five folding chairs at Walmart.  We have some chairs on hand.  Two of the tables had scrapes on the surface.  The manager reduced the price on those two tables ten percent.  Chemistry gets the damaged  tables.  We are working on whiteboards, too.  Classroom white boards are usually porcelain and magnetic.  They’re designed for heavy use.  Melamine dry erase boards with an aluminum frame are much cheaper than porcelain.  Melamine white boards are harder to mount and can stain if not cleaned every single time.  I have used the melamine boards in my garage and for VBS.  I plan to buy a $50 board instead.  I’ll let you know how it works.  In the mean time, I need to reorganize the basement (shovel out), check the WiFi connection downstairs, look for a screen for the LCD projector, and jump for joy!  I won’t have to pack and haul lab equipment to the Maker Space!  I bought old fashioned Chemistry transparencies.  I hope the whiteboard or wall works as a screen.  My  computer might be large enough for eight kids.  

The Co-op setting probably better mirrors the classroom situation for many of you.  I’ll keep you posted as we adapt.