Biology on a Budget: Stream Study

 This Fall, I want to do a stream study with my Co-op class as part of the introductory activities.  I plan to use GLOBE protocols.  (Warning!  GLOBE can be overwhelming.). Look at the Freshwater Macroinvertebrates protocol, the data sheet, and this identification key.  Here is a poster with great pix!  Macroinvertebrates are insect larva in streams. Bring ice cube trays to sort the little critters,   They are good indicators of the overall water quality.  Test the water temperature and measure the pH of the water.  Use an armored thermometer.  Test the water’s pH.  Measure stream flow with a tennis ball, flags, timer, and measuring tape.  With a few tools you can do a robust stream study.

Apologia Biology on a Budget: Microscope Slides

 Don’t overspend on microscope slides.  I recommend buying this set of 25 slides for around $15.  If your kids use a digital microscope with a laptop, they can focus the slides, take pix, and make sketches.  BTW I bring out currency to examine with the microscope to teach how to focus.  You may want to gamble on a microscope with slides from Good Will .  Don’t pay more than $20, including shipping.  The set of 48 slides at the bottom is more of an elementary level than high school level.  I use these for kids who have trouble focusing the slides.  At the bottom is a set of slides with onion root tip for mitosis and daphnia, usually with other pond life.  These slides are useful if you follow the Apologia Biology textbook closely.

Apologia Biology on a Budget: Microscopes

 Yes!  One more post about microscopes and slides.  Many, many home-school families buy an expensive microscope for their teens when they reach high school.  I have less costly suggestions.  I do have several, traditional microscopes.  We tend to have larger Co-op classes.  I need several microscopes.  We use a bunch.  The kids try all of them and settle on their favorites.

One of the home-school families bought an auction lot of EduScience microscopes (shown below).  The quality was excellence!  Good Will online or eBay has similar microscopes.  Don’t spend more than $20 including shipping

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We also use digital microscopes.  I have three different brands. They should connect with any laptop; however they don’t.  The kids focus the slide, take pix, and sketch the image.  

I have bought a few microscopes from Good Will online.  This has proven the riskiest option.  There is no way to tell if the microscope will focus.  I seldom pay more than $20 total because this microscope is a gamble.  

Science Camp: Day Five

 The basement is a dumpster fire.  Today we tie up loose ends.  I have Rainbow Snow, Icy Orbs, Gel Beads, Water Beads (dyed with food coloring), Colorful Chemistry, Duct tape messenger bags, Will it Burn?, Alchemy, and two sets of animation activities.  We did Flame Tests, But Will It Burn? more Alchemy and tried to light a fire with a bow drill (unsuccessfully).  The girls made pinhole cameras and did loads of invisible ink with Chemistry for Spies, and Colorful Chemistry—with loads of help.  Pretty successful camp.

Chemistry: Ionic Compounds with Duplos

 Duplos!  Who knew they would be ideal for ionic compounds?  Here is a post with pix.  This worksheet has ions to label the Duplos.

Science Camp: Day Four

 We started by checking the radon detector.  Yikes!  We need to air the basement weekly!  One of the moms brought a color changing cup to demo.  The families plan to borrow the devices we tested from the library.

We’re building today!  My husband, Rob, is teaching all of the kids about the Engineering Design Challenge.  We’re showing the kids loads of different models.  We’re starting with this paper table and testing it with books.  We want to make cardboard chairs, tables, and stools.  Next, we’re using the same design process for torsion catapults. (I have a bag of corks to launch.) These two activities took all morning.

Science Camp: Day Three

Remember when you do experiments, they won’t always go to plan, take as long as desired, or be as fun as you thought.  Tasty snacks are an important element at my Science Camps.  They blunt less successful experiments.

We started by testing three devices from The Library of Things: radon, thermo tester, and the Kill A Watt electricity usage monitor.  The radon monitor need to run for 24 hours.  We set it up in the basement.  The thermo tester was too boring.  (The girls pretended to be cats and chased around with the IR thermometer I have.). The Kill A Watt electricity monitor was a hit.  We hypothesized (guessed) which appliance drew the most energy: vacuum, toaster, waffle maker, blender, crock pot, and mixer.  We cheered the toaster for winning!  Most of the kids guessed correctly that the toaster would draw the most electricity.  

The girls made kaleidoscopes.  This was a personal request.  They work!   Making successful kaleidoscopes at Science Camp has been on my bucket list for years.  

The boys did the Cyanotype and the Tin experiments.  (Two of the boys had missed the tin lab we did on Monday.

The girls experimented with magnet doughnuts and made the magnets float.  We all tried Glow Germs..  I put a little powder on the table and demonstrate how it glows with the UV or black light flashlight.  (Here are different training materials available.). The kids rub some Glow lotion on to their hands, wash their hands well, and recheck the results with the UV flashlight.  (Check the wrist area and nailbeds.). When their parents ask what we did, the kids will say they washed their hands at Camp.

While the girls did Detecting the Force of Magnetism,  the boys built an electromagnet and telegraph.  What we learned is that the boys loathed the FOSS kit.  We learned that my husband, Rob, liked the kit and plans to use it with Physics. His Physics class had been unsuccessful with several electricity labs.  Despite being elementary, the kit works.