Free Lab Activities

 One of my favorite science resources, Flinn Scientific, just posted these Free Science Activities.  Take a look!  Some, like Glue Slime will be very familiar.  I find there is always a new idea to try.

Family Science: Marbling ideas!

 I was watching a craft competition.  Two contestants sprayed paint on the surface of a basin of water and dipped wood to make tie-dyed tree shapes.  Here are detailed instructions for marbling wood, glass, metal, and paper with spray paint on the surface of the water.  Here are instructions and background information to marble paper.  Here is an article with a bit of science background for marbling rocks with nail polish.  Here is the blog post about marbling paper and rock.  Here is an article from Scientific American which explains a bit more about marbling paper.  Hydrophilic means water loving.  Hydrophobic means water fearing.  Polar molecules attract other polar molecules and repel non polar molecules.  Water is very polar.  Spray paint and nail polish are nonpolar; they are also less dense and remain on the surface of a basin of water.  Feel free to skip the science lesson and have a blast with your kids marbling objects, such as glass jars.  We buy glassware from Good Will and make Christmas presents. (BTW, use large recycled containers for the water basin.)  Have fun!  Merry Christmas!

Metal Ornaments

 One of my favorite ornaments to make with Chemistry classes is Ornament Making from Flinn.  Here’s the rub; the lab calls for 6M hydrochloride acid.  When I do this lab I dip the metal ornaments in HCl myself.  (Below is a pix with instructions from a Facebook post.). Here is Foiled Again.  This lab uses aluminum foil.  The discussion thread mentions buying aluminum blanks, also pictured below.  The author suggests covering the aluminum blank with adhesive vinyl and carving out the design.  My teens cover the blanks with masking tape before carving the designs.  I’m going to keep my eye out for inexpensive aluminum blanks and try this with copper sulfate.  

Family Science: Stained Glass Ornament

 Steve Spangler posted a stained glass ornament craft which uses glue, food coloring, and dish soap. It’s a bit of science—just a bit!   The video is below.

Designer Baby Project

 One topic I use as a project is called Designer Babies.  Should couples design their own baby?  Our local  Co-op is Roman Catholic.  (We welcome every family; our perspective, though, is Roman Catholic.). What are the implications of designing your baby?  We look at IVF and embryo selection. But, we consult the Catholic Bishops for Church teachings.  One publication we use is Begotten, Not Made.  This publication explains Catholic teachings especially regarding IVF, which the Church opposes.  The kids will examine IVF, gene-based embryo selection, preimplantation genetic testing, polygenic risk scores,  CRISPR gene-editing, savior siblings, egg donation, and three parent techniques.  Every time we explore the topic of Designer Babies there are new developments with new ethical challenges, complete with sensational headlines.  My kids are going to work on the project over Christmas Break and discuss the topic with their families in light of the teachings of the Catholic Church.  I’ll post good samples.  BTW, I send out a letter to the families about the project in advance.  Let’s tackle thorny issues in science!

Genetic Traits Inventory

 The Co-op Biology class is collecting data for their families’ genetic traits using An Inventory of My Traits. (The activity loads easily on iPads or iPhones.  It was trickier to open with an android laptop.). The kids are collecting data from their respective families and creating spreadsheets.  My plan is to calculate the frequencies for each trait listed and compare them to the general population.  Below is a sample one student sent for her family.  I’ll post more samples after the kids compile their data.

Toys from Trash: Beginner’s Biology

 Are you familiar with Arvin’s Gupta’s website Toys from Trash?  He has toys to make under the heading, Beginner’s Biology.  Look at the DNA Helix made with colorful straw and tape.  This is much less expensive than even modest DNA models.  The Brain Cap is similar to this Brain Hat.  But, the brain hat should be printed in color on to card stock.  Instead, make a paper mache version and use the brain hat to label the cap.  The same is true for the paper skeleton.  This paper skeleton is easier to label when it’s printed on card stock.  Your child can benefit by drawing the skeleton herself.  I like options.  Gupta’s Toys from Trash has options for families on a tight budget; even printing can be expensive.  Often kids learn more by making their own models.

Assessment

Okay, I assess all of the time.  Sometimes, I test, too.  There is a difference.  I read a post on Social Media asking whether tests and quizzes are necessary for Apologia Biology.  Could the student just read and take notes?  You already know where I stand on experiments and hands-on activities.  But, I am a huge proponent of assessment.  When the kids make models, I check to see of the model has all of the components. Lab reports are corrected and revised until the student has completed the report.  Many assignments and activities are graded on completion.  However, frequently, I want to know if the kids understand the topic and can demonstrate their understanding.  For example, today’s quiz requires kids to show they can transcribe and translate DNA into amino acids.  The test Thursday requires them to explain replication, transcription, and translation in short essays.  The kids need to show me they can name the parts of a microscope or bones of a skeleton.  I use a huge variety of assessments: questions, oral answers, data analysis, lab reports, and test and quizzes.  I think reading and notes are important; assessment is a tool to determine whether a teen understands the material.

Genetics Activities

Let me share several activities I do with my Co-op Biology class.   Here is a Heredity Simulation with craft sticks.  Another fun activity is Baby Lab or Create a Baby Lab. You know I love to use candy in Biology.  I’m doing Stats and Probability with M&Ms. I’ll post images when the kids do the activities.

Genetics Introduction

 This week, we are starting the genetics unit.  (We’ll incorporate mitosis and meiosis with genetics.). One comprehensive website for genetics is here.  My teens start with A Genetics Traits Inventory.  We include the PTC test.  (HST sells the PTC paper.). The kids will graph the class data for homework in a spreadsheet.  I’m hoping the data mirrors these general population reference numbers.  I’ll have the kids do the inventory with their families, too.  

Next are Punnett Squares and Practice.  I’m using this slideshow about Gregor Mendel.  I spend more time on human traits than pea plant traits.  Invest time practicing Punnett Squares and emphasize the meaning of terms: alleles, dominance, recessive, etc.  Remember this is fun!

Poinsettia Acid Base Indicators

 Colorful plant leaves have anthocyanins in addition to chlorophyll.  Anthocyanins, such as red cabbage,, can be used to make acid base indicators.  Here is a pH color chart for several foods with anthocyanins: beets, apple skin, grape juice, etc.  Some kids find pH indicators enthralling.  Here is a post about using household chemicals for acid base tests once you make your own pH indicators.  If you use red cabbage leaves, beets, or pointsettias, boil the leaves for at least ten minutes.  You may soak leaves in alcohol instead.  Try it!

More Christmas Experiments and Fun!

I bet you are planning family activities as we ger closer to Christmas.  Here is a Light Bulb Chromatography lab, which calls for water soluble markers.  Be sure to include a black marker.  Have you seen Scientist Snowflakes?  It’s literally scientists as snowflakes. Here are Holiday Series and Parallel Lights for Physical Science people.  Here are cute science gift tags for Hot Chocolate.  HST offers a discount on a Biology Christmas Bundle.  I know families give more expensive science kits as Christmas presents.  Microwave marshmallow snowmen, just as you would microwave peeps or microwave Ivory soap.  Gather pine ones and make Colored Flame Pune Cones to burn in the fire place or fire pit.  Alum, borax, calcium chloride (Driveway Heat) and Epsom salts produce colorful flames.  Copper sulfate produces teal flames.  Yes, you could just toss some of these salts right in the flames instead.  Here is another article with more suggested salts for colorful flames safely.  See?  Your kids won’t get bored at all!

DNA Quiz and Test

Apologia has sets of tests for students.  I modify everything.  Next week  the kids are taking a DNA quiz .test image is below.  The kids are going to identify terms and write or illustrate DNA replication, transcription, and translation.  My goal is an understanding of the processes.  I’ll post good examples next week.

DNA Extraction

 Module 7, Experiment 7.1 is the DNA extraction.  (It’s Experiment 6.1 in the third edition of Apologia Biology.). We are using dry, split peas with one twist.  The kids will experiment with different concentrations of isopropyl alcohol, different detergents or soaps, and different salts: iodized salt, Kosher salt, and sea salt, which has no iodine. Each group will select a different factor and compare results with their class mates.   This allows kids to write a hypothesis to predict whether, the percent alcohol, type of salt, or type of detergent impacts the amount of DNA extracted.  The kids will write a formal lab report for the DNA extraction, too.  I’ll post pix tomorrow and follow up with sample reports as they roll in, albeit slowly.  The white strands are DNA.

Mitosis and Meiosis

 The kids are creating models for the stages of Mitosis and Meiosis.  The kids use the diagrams from their Apologia Biology textbooks, yarn, tape, and construction paper to make simple models.  Take a look.  Why?  Models help kids focus on the details of each step.  Trust the process!

DNA Slideshows

 I want to share the slideshows I’m using for class: DNA Replication and Transcription and Translation.  Here is the link for the Central Dogma lesson at Khan Academy.  My Bio kids do a huge series of activities and models before I use these slideshows to review the concepts and fill in a few details.   At this point the kids have built DNA and RNA models, replicated, translated, and coded into amino acid chains.  I know it sounds backwards.  I find that after teens make several models, they are now ready to understand how the models represent the events.

Family Science: Christmas Ideas

 Now is the time to plan family science experiments for Christmas Break.  First is Benzoic Acid Blizzard in a Bottle or snow globe.  HST has benzoic acid.  Make Fake Snow with baking soda and shaving cream. (Dollar Tree sometimes has Instant Snow, too.  Walmart and Target sell Instant Snow, too.  Here is an easy experiment for the instant snow.  How about Borax Crystal Ornaments with pipe cleaners?  Have you baked Christmas Candy Ornaments?  Here are three more candy cane experiments.  Experiments you can eat are sweet!  Take a look at Milk Plastic Ornaments.  These ornaments require silicone molds, the type used for baking or ice cubes.  Have you tried Plastic Cup Shrinky Dink Ornaments?  The ornaments would make great gifts, too.

DNA Sentences

 My Co-op Biology class is learning the Central Dogma: DNA transcription, translation, and protein synthesis.  Take a look at this diagram.  I’m using DNA sentence activities as How to Understand DNA without really trying,  Synthesis Worksheet (Key), and Say it with DNA (Key). The kids are doing these in the three activities in this order, too.  Two groups are already completing all three activities.  The other thirteen kids haven’t started.  All typical.  I just need to find meaningful work for the four kids who are mikes ahead of the others without punishing them for working efficiently.  Keep in mind, the purpose is to help kids see how DNA codes for proteins.

On a Quest….More Models!

 My social media feed just displayed Origami Organelles.  The website has Ionic Bonding, DNA Replication, the Calvin Cycle, and the Citric Acid Cycle.  The models are more useful for Co-op instructors planning to teach Biology or Chemistry fairly frequently.  

On a Quest!

 The Bio class is tackling DNA replication, transcription, and translation, Module 7 in Apologia Biology.  DNA codes for proteins.  The processes of replication, transcription, and translation or protein synthesis are very confusing.  So, I’m on a quest for models.  The kids are completing DNA models, paper models, and DNA templates.  You can make models with pipe cleaners: Make a DNA Model, Bio Bracelets, and How to Make a Model of DNA…, How about DNA Replication with Paper Clips?  I’ve used this activity with four colors of paper clips; the kids were confused.  Teens find the bead models less confusing.  Here is a top for hands-on models.  Ask the kids to explain the model.  What does the red bead represent?  Which nucleotide is A?  Differentiate between nucleic acids and nucleotides.  Explain in words how DNA replicates or copies itself.  How are DNA and RNA different?  Remember, the model is teaching a process.

DNA Models

 The kids used Lab-aids DNA kits to build DNA models and demonstrate DNA replication or transcription.  HST has these bead models.  Here are instructions to make models with pony beads and pipe-cleaners.  Take a look at our pix.

DNA Coloring

 My Bio Co-op class uses the Biology Coloring Book.  (I bought used copies for about $5 each.  Most had few to no markings.)  Module 7 in Apologia Biology includes the DNA structure, Replication, Transcription, and Translation.  My kids are building a series of models this week.  They are coloring and reading over Thanksgiving Break.    Here is a DNA coloring page.  Here is a DNA replication coloring sheet.  Here is a transcription coloring page with the nucleotides labeled.  Here is a Transcription/Translation coloring sheet.  Coloring is like modeling.  It forces the kids to look more closely at the molecule.  I want to reinforce the composition of DNA, RNA, and the processes of replication, transcription, and translation.

Paper Dissections

Is your teen too squeamish to dissect?  Did she claim that dissections violate her personal ethics?  I get it.  My husband and Paul are too squeamish.  We used synthetic kits instead.  Is your budget already stretched to the max?  Don’t apologize.  Use a paper dissection. Here and here are frog dissections to color, cut, and glue.  I love Getting Nerdy’s paper dissections.  They are pricey!  Here is a free paper clam dissection.  TPT has inexpensive paper dissections: perch ($1.50), rat ($2.50), and Earthworm ($2.50).  You can use coloring pages, such as this clam anatomy sheet and construction paper to make paper dissection models. Make a paper grasshopper and use a dissection worksheet to add details and label the parts.  If your kids invest the time to closely examine the parts of the animal, they will learn as much as if they did the dissection—maybe more.

Simulated Dissections

 Are you and/or your teen too squeamish to dissect?  I get it.  My husband and Paul cannot bear the thought of dissecting an animal.  (Here is our post about the frog.). The Dissect-it! Frog and Dissect-it! Piranha are affordable alternatives at $15 each.  (Below is a screenshot of all of the choices for kits.). Other synthetic kits, such as this kit or this kit are much more expensive.  

Dissection Specimens

 My Bio Co-op class won’t dissect until Spring.  But, I’m on the hunt for deals on specimens.  I ordered several sets of 7 Large Animal Specimens.  I just bought an eScience Anatomy and Physiology kit from Good Will.  It has an eyeball, brain, and fetal pig.  (Pix of the kit are below.). eBay sometimes has dissection specimen or kits:  Apologia kits and Bob Jones.  I have had the most luck with Anatomy eScience kits from Good Will or specimen sets from Home Science Tools.

DNA Activities

 This post has more DNA activities.  Once the kids make the Twizzler DNA models and complete the DNA Lab-aids models, they are doing RNA Transcription with these templates from Nancy Clark’s DNA Collection of activities.  I’ll post pix next week.  Keep in mind the kids are doing DNA and RNA transcription several ways, including DNA Sentences.  DNA replication, transcription, and protein synthesis are tough topics.  Start with models-lots of them!

DNA

The kids are building Biomolecules.  They just built  Edible DNA molecules.  Before the kids completed their Biomolecules, they used the Lab-aid kits to build Nucleotides.  The kids are still checking their molecules and answering a host of questions.  Next time, the kids will build DNA molecules with the DNA Lab-aid kit.  One group has built a DNA molecule; forward to DNA replication.

Edible DNA

 The kids are making molecular models.  I thought they would enjoy Edible DNA.  (Have Your DNA and Eat It, Too has clear instructions.).  Most of the time, the kids like to see a photo and go from there.  Here is the post with Paul last year.  He’s doing the lab again this Thursday.  The models really help the kids understand the components of molecules.  Here are some pix.  Walmart of out of colorful, mini-marshmallows.  We cut up large ones.