Commercial Home-school Science Resources

I am so excited!  Carolina Biological has home-school science materials.  Okay, their prices can be a tad high.  But, this means a greater variety of specialty science materials are now more available to home-school families and Co-ops.  Yeah!  You probably use Home Science Tools.  I do, too.  Educational Innovations is another commercial science source which is friendly to home-school families.  Some commercial science companies are starting to recognize home-school families, largely because of the Quarantine with many families learning remotely for the first time.  Who cares?  Browse the different suppliers.  Their catalogs, ‘at-home’ labs, and kits will give you ideas.

Flinn Scientific  has ‘at-home science education, such as these Live Labs.  Finally, Flinn allows home-school educators to register to access teacher materials.  Take a look.  Flinn has done its homework and developed labs with materials accessible to kids at home.  For example, the Fuel Lab uses a soda can calorimeter to measure heat value of butane  and charcoal, the fuel in ‘Energy Densities in Organic Fuels.’

Here are more commercial science sources with ‘at-home’ activities: Frey, Ward’s Science, Pitsco, Arbor Scientific, Vernier, PASCO, and ThermoFisher Scientific.  Finally!  Let’s hope these terrific suppliers continue to offer materials to home-school families and Co-ops.

Warning! Some of these posts are School, not Camp.

Sorry!  I am in the process of organizing for Fall Co-op.  Right now, there are so many new resources in light of Covid-19.  I want to compile resources.  As I write the blog posts, I copy links and activities into Google Classroom, and sort them into topics.  This saves so much time when I teach Co-op.  While I am at it, I copy the links into my blog.  So, if your mind is fixed on Camp, not School, I apologize.

Apologia Biology: Cell Processes

After Cells, we study cell processes.  I start with Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Cells (key). This is a POGIL activity—a little goes a long way. Now is also a good time to use Cell Comparisons.  Next, we tackle diffusion and osmosis.  My class does the labs before going reading the module: Diffusion and Osmosis labs.  (Here is an old post with a few pictures.  I substitute large yogurt cups for beakers for large groups.  We did Gummy Bear Osmosis instead of using potatoes.). Here and here are virtual labs.

Apologia Biology: Cells

Cells are one of the early lessons.  Start by using The Biology Coloring Book to color detailed plant, prokaryotic, and animal cells. I buy copies of the coloring book used. Biology Corner has many coloring pages.  Here are an animal cell coloring sheet,  a plant cell sheet, and prokaryote coloring sheet.  My kids make Cell Models as homework.  I ban food models; the jello never completely sets.  Here is a play-doh model.  Be sure to have the kids make a key.  Otherwise, how will you know the kidney bean is a mitochondrion?  Here is a good comparison of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.

Apologia Biology: Biological or Dichotomous Keys

The first two editions of Apologia Biology have dichotomous or biological keys in the first module; the third edition does not.  I like to introduce dichotomous keys.  In addition to the key in the textbook, we use Dichotomous Key Practice with buttons.  The kids build their own dichotomous key with buttons, too.  These buttons work well.  My classes do Alien Dichotomous keys (Answer Key). Identification handbooks use dichotomous keys.  Here is an example.  We do three or four keys, with the button diy key as homework.  Usually, this is plenty.

Apologia Biology: Safety

I love to teach Co-op classes.  Generally, my kids use common sense during lab.  But it’s always a good idea to review lab safety.  My classes read, review, and sign student lab safety contracts, which I keep on file.  This cartoon activity and this safety lesson can augment your safety lesson.  Include a brief overview of safe lab practices as you introduce labs.

Apologia Biology: Microscope Introduction

Apologia Biology just introduced the third edition.  The blog post headings are going to be topical instead of identifying the module.  The first topic is the microscope.  My kids use a digital microscope with a laptop most of the time.  I drag out conventional microscopes in order for them kids to learn the names of the parts and proper handling.  Here is the quiz I use.  (Here is another quiz with an answer key.). The Biology Coloring Book has a microscope activity, too.  Here is an introduction to equipment for Biology with a quiz at the end.  I like to bring our money for kids to examine under the microscope.  It sure beats the classic Letter e Lab.

Apologia Biology: Reintroduction

I am prepping materials for Fall.  I plan to teach Biology and Chemistry.  Apologia has issued the third edition of Exploring Creation with Biology.  I ordered a set to evaluate and probably use with my class.  My Biology Co-op classes may use any Apologia edition.  The first and second editions of Biology were pretty close.  I use content, exercises, labs, and activities from many sources; any of these textbooks give kids enough background. Buy the textbook your family can afford.   As I prep units for this Fall, I will use the titles for the Modules or the names of specific topics in blog headings.  

Am I even qualified to teach Biology?  My undergrad degree was in Biology.  I retained certification in both Biology and Chemistry.  I have taught several biology courses: Biology, Life Science, AP Biology, AP Environmental Science, and Human Biology.  I draw the line with Marine Biology.  In any case, I am comfortable teaching Apologia Biology.  Let’s get started.

eScience Lab at Good Will

Good Will has a new listing for an eScience lab kit.  The set has an electric bell and a microscope kit, too.  The eScience lab kit is the jewel.  It looks like a Biology Kit; the beads are the giveaway; the beads are used for DNA or genetics labs, like this one.  The lab kit is a good deal if you need basic equipment, such as beakers, a few test tubes, and a cylinder.  The microscope and bell kits are a bonus.  Take a look.

Mad Science Camp: Bubbles—with a twist!

I had an idea.  Alright, more of a brain fart.  Would pancake syrup work like corn syrup to make bubbles?  What about honey?  Just like you, I like to use materials on hand.  I bet you have syrup or honey, rather than corn syrup or glycerine.  Pancake syrup is largely corn syrup.  Honey is another viscose liquid.  Home Science Tools has a good explanation about the function of glycerine or acorn syrup in a dish soap, bubble solution.  The bubble membrane is stronger or holds together longer, allowing for larger bubbles.

We did an experiment to test the difference between corn syrup, pancake syrup, and honey.  I had my grandson, Paul, design the experiment.  If you have a bigger camp, ask the kids to figure out how they could test which makes better bubbles, corn syrup or honey?  What do you need to keep the same?  Why?  When I have 40 kids in camp, they work in teams of five or six on experiments.  Three or four to a team is better; our camps are always short on adult help and rely on teens, usually two teens to a team.

Here is the basic bubble recipe we used, but reduced the amounts.  Below are pix and videos.  Yes, it’s a bit of a mess.  BTW the pancake syrup works well—likely because it has corn syrup.  Here is Paul’s report, typos, and all.

Mad Science Camp: Optical Science and Animation Studio

Good Will has a new listing for Optical Science and Animation Studio.  These kits retail for about $15 each.  The contents are a bit scanty.  I am more interested in the experiments to see if there is anything new or different.  If you shop Good Will online, be sure to check the shipping.  Some of the network of stores inflate the weight.