Yes, I am still on a mission to find low-cost lab equipment. I want more families to do experiments in their science classes! I started using Temu for yarn and felt bins. So far so good. (I do use PayPal as insurance; when I’ve had a problem with an order, such as on eBay, PayPal intervened.). The prices for basic lab materials are astounding. I did some comparison shopping with Amazon. The screenshots are below for basic labware.
I love the Create A Baby Lab. You need coins, pencils, and sketch paper. The kids flip coins to determine a baby’s traits. They draw the results. Each baby created is a unique mosaic of traits inherited from mom and dad. The activity drives home basic concepts: allele, genotype, phenotype, dominant, recessive, etc. Trust me, this is fun!
Over Christmas break, my husband and I visited the US Naval Academy, located in downtown Annapolis. We took photos from a display about STEM. The display had examples of activities: drops I had never heard about Flinkers, objects which neither sink nor float. Scroll down these STEM activities for Flinker. The lab requires a foam packing peanut. The second activity, Drops on a Penny Deux, is pictured below. Here is the standard Drops on a Penny lab. The USNA is different. The lab also drops water on to Teflon discs. Read about all of the properties involved in this simple exercise. Have your kids look up the terms, such as wetability. There’s a lot of engineering and material science. Try dropping water on to wax paper and compare results. Simple experiments can have great science!
Update: My Biology class focused more on Bioethics than Designer babies. Look for the Bioethics post for excerpts.
When I teach Biology, I include a unit on Bioethics. Recently, the Wall Street Journal posted an article, More than a Million Embryos are in Frozen —hard to imagine. One good resource is The National Catholic Bioethics Center. One topic is 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, cloning, 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 in January 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!
Ordinarily, I shop with major retail sites for science goods. Right now, it’s hard to find inexpensive labware even at Goodwill. I’ve been testing the waters with Temu, buying yarn and felt bins. So far, so good. I researched the site’s safety and reliability before placing a small order. They sell science goods shipped from China at rock bottom prices. Plan on waiting two or three weeks for your order. But prices are low. Take a look!
My husband, Rob, teaches Physics. I help him with lab ideas. When I teach Physical Science the kids do this Horsepower Lab, which outlines the steps to take for calculations well. The lab is free and helps kids understand key energy concepts. It’s a lot of fun watching kids thunder up and down stairs. You can make the lab more inquiry based by comparing a student’s horsepower on concrete, wood, laminate, and carpeted steps. Do extra trials; there is considerable variability inherent to human experiments. Rob has the kids report the data in a spreadsheet and write a formal lab report. Have a blast!
Happy New Year! Let’s start with some science experiments! I like color change labs and demos. Science Bob’s Rapid Color Changing Chemistry! uses iodine, Vitamine C tablets, liquid starch, and hydrogen peroxide, household chemicals you may have on hand. (This Unknown Lab uses loads of household chemicals, such as iodine, to test for unknowns. Do the Elephant’s Toothpaste lab to use up the hydrogen peroxide.). Are your kiddos still small? Try Walking Rainbow with Mouse Paint or Rainbow Fish. STREAM adds reading and art to science experiments. Try making Marbled Cards or the Red Cabbage Acid-Base labs. I buy powdered red cabbage for pH labs; but it’s pricey. Try blending the red cabbage leaves in water or rubbing alcohol. The pigment should be used immediately.
Let the older kids plan an afternoon of color changing science for their younger siblings. Borrow several rainbow-themed books from the library to read aloud. The kids might want to set up a skit to introduce the experiments! Now you are doing STEM Theatre. Cap the afternoon by painting together with homemade watercolor paint. Look at you doing STREAM education!
