Free Tech

I like to keep records of my classes.  My Co-op class is enrolled in several online academies and requires reporting at the end of the year.  I can send a spreadsheet of my grades, the blog posts of class, and my CV saved on Drive.  Here are some free tech sites.

  Google Classroom is a type of learning management system.  It is free with a gmail account.  You may open several classrooms.  Google Classroom allows you to enter grades, links, worksheets or documents, homework questions, etc.  The grades can be summarized and exported in a spreadsheet.  (There are many learning management systems used by public and private schools.)  Google apps such as Sheets and Docs, and Slides are free spreadsheet and document apps.  Yes, there are free templates, too.  Microsoft Office has free Excel, Word, Powerpoint, etc.

What are some other free tech?  Here is a free graphing calculator.  Here is a TI graphing calculator emulator.   Another top tech site is Prezi for presentations.  Have you heard of concept maps?  The Cmap program is free.   This site identifies 321 free tools for teachers.  Get on it!

Mad Science: Candy Science

Easter is next Sunday; some of you are still getting candy!  Here are some fun experiments: Candy Chemistry, Steve Spangler, and  Peeps Experiments.  Plan a Friday Fun Day!  Bookmark these ideas for the week after Halloween, too.

Remote Learning Resources

Clovid-19 and the quarantine are opening up many resources: Smithsonian Distance Learning Resources, Scholastic Learn at Home, Mystery Science, ChemMatters, NOVA, and PASCO—which requires equipment.  Once you finish class work for the day, sample,some,of these!

Mad Science: Discrepant Events

I posted a discrepant event for chemistry, mixing alcohol and water.  (Isopropyl or rubbing alcohol works, too.). What is a discrepant event?  In Science, we call them ‘hooks’ or ways to engage students.  Discrepant events are demos that make kids think.  Here and here are more examples.  Try this one, Turn the Arrow.  Watch.

Apologia Chemistry: Module 11 Solutions, Hand sanitizer, and a discrepant event.

Have you been making homemade hand sanitizer with isopropyl alcohol and aloe gel?  Before you mix up a batch of hand sanitizer, try this discrepant event.  Measure equal amounts of isopropyl or rubbing alcohol into separate containers.  Now combine the two and remeasure them together.  There is less total volume.  Now try In Between, a TOPS lab with salt and rice.  The molecules slip between each other and occupy less volume.  Cool right?

Apologia Chemistry: Module 10 Acids and Bases

I just recorded several brief videos for Module 10 about acids and bases.  There are more to come next week.  Our Co-op class learned how to name acids and bases when they learned nomenclature.  We use a song.  I am NOT going to record the song we use.  But here is a link about naming acids.

                                          This video introduces Module 10, Acids and Bases. 

                                         Here is an overview of Experiment 10.1.

                                          This is a review of binary and ternary acid nomenclature.

                                          This is a video explaining how to calculate pH.

                           Here is how to enter the pH formula into Casio and TI 30 calculators.

Marine Corp Museum Resources

The Marine Corps Museum is located off I95 near the Quantico Marine Base.  The museum offers programs regularly to home-school students and local schools.  Right now, the Distance Learning Program is available online.  Be sure to add your name to their newsletter if you live near the museum.  Their physics programs are fabulous!  We did the hydraulics day.  The program is free and kid get kits.  Check out this resource.

Young Explorers Zoology 1: Real Estate Ad

Paul, 9, is working on Zoology 1.  Yes, he reads, answers questions, does the crosswords, etc.  I love all the ideas.  I do adapt some ideas.  In Lesson Five, the instructions call for making an ad for nests and nesting materials.  Instead, Paul is doing an add for a birdhouse for sale.  He drew a birdhouse mansion which list for over $600, using an ad online.  Then he read the description on Zillow for $600,000 house.  I asked him to think about the amenities birds would appreciate in our yard or nearby: a pond, wooded lot nearby, bird feeder, etc. This is more of a creative activity than a lesson reinforcing nests and nest building materials. You can see he got creative.  You are in charge!  Make it fun!

Human Skeleton at Good Will

Are you starting a Biology course?  Good Will has a human skeleton listing.  This is a beautiful set with numbered bones.  However, plastic skeletons or Halloween skeletons are fine.  The first assignment is to identify whether or not the skeleton is accurate.  The second assignment is to label all of the bones.  Another choice is a free paper skeleton to label.  Get on it!

Labpaq at Good Will

It is getting more difficult to find deals on science equipment.  Good Will has a listing for a Labpaq box.  This has physical science materials: digital scale, pvc pipe, stopwatch, multimeter, leads, etc.  Be sure to check the cost of shipping!  This Good Will store has grossed up shipping which inflates the cost.  However, the price is fair if you need basic lab equipment for physical science.

I want to start Chemistry. What materials are available?

Now is a great time to start a new course.  My Co-op class buys Apologia Chemistry textbooks, which have experiments tailored for home-school students with household chemicals.   Our class draws from a huge variety of resources.  For example, many labs originate from Flinn Scientific such as this timely activity, Red Plague or Germ Transmission. (I call this activity Contagion.). Home Science Tools has kits designed for Apologia Chemistry.  They sell small quantities of chemicals and individual lab tools.  Their prices are consistently fair.  Two  supplements we use are POGIL (Key) and ChemMatters.  Right now, ACS (American Chemical Society) has unlocked these free resources.  Many of the K-8 activities use common household materials.  Lastly, Khan Academy has a complete Chemistry course.  Go for it!