Fall Planning for Chemistry or Biology

 How much time to you set aside for Biology or Chemistry?  Our Co-op meets 1 1/2 hours twice a week.  The teens are expected to read, complete labs, work on projects, problems, and even some tests at home.  Generally, we budget two more hours each week for outside assignments.  I have been reading on social media that many Co-ops meet for an hour each week to do Bio or Chem labs.  Huh.  You could complete the labs in the Apologia textbook with a lab schedule of one hour weekly.  From experience, you need three hours weekly face to face to teach either course—provided the kids work outside class!  Why?  I use labs to launch instruction.  For example, here is a post about Reaction in a Bag.  The kids do the lab and then discuss evidence for chemical change.Do the same thing with labs from the textbook!  Experiment 1 is Density of Liquids.  Do the lab and then explain density.  I am passionate about teaching science and want it to be fun—not a chore.  Talk among the parents in your home-school group.  Who wants to teach Chem or Bio?  Who has the background?  Who is willing to add a few fun labs?  Are the families willing to meet longer to do the class well?  Yes, you can meet with friends and do the labs from the book once a week for an hour.  But, see if there is a friend, retired teacher, or parent who would get excited to teach Chem or Bio.