Apologia Bio and Chem: Labpaq

eBay has a Bio and Chem Labpaqs for sale—now at $40.  The chemicals includes are fine; these have dissection tools, a mortar and pestle, a molecular model kit, a reaction plate, anatomy slides, etc.  I look for used Labpaqs on Good Will to cannibalize all the time.  These kits have plastic lab equipment, too.  If you are trying to set up material for your high schooler consider this or similar kits.

I went back to check other Labpaq offerings on eBay.  This one and this set  are about $30 each.  Not bad deals.  The second set has a digital scale, a reaction plate, and thermometers which would cost more if ordered separately.  This set, at $35, has a simple microscope and digital scale with some basic lab equipment.  Look for eScience lab kits, too.  Note these were intended to be online college level lab courses.  I find the Biology and Chemistry kits to be the best values for equipment.  The Microbiology and Physics kits are usually not good deals.

Mad Science Camp: e-sewing

I was trolling for science ideas and ran across Sew Smart.  The idea is to sew electric circuits—here are detailed instructions and background information.  The Tinkering Lab (Exploratorium) has more instructions to sew plush toys which light.  We have had mixed luck at our house with circuits.  We tried Paper Circuits, Squishy Circuits, Makey Makey, and conductive ink pens.  If you want to do something poorly, go all in!  For the record, Makey Makey and Squishy Circuits are easy and work.  Snap Circuits are essential to introduce simple circuits.   

Here’s the deal.  My husband, Rob, is super smart; he understands math and physics intuitively.  But, for some reason, he is defeated by electricity.  (We both volunteer to do taxes with AARP.  Rob has trouble with ‘qualifying child’, too.). I taught Physical Science many times and can handle simple circuits.  I like the idea of sewing circuits.  If we decide to try we’ll go with this kit.  The activity requires magnetic snaps, conductive thread, sewable coin battery holders, and led light holders.  We might as well buy a kit.  I do know that manipulating circuits is the way to teach electricity.  I like Tops Science Electricity.  I provide the materials and the kids work through the core activities.

Apologia Chemistry: Calorimetry

Our Co-op class postponed Calorimetry and Thermodynamics until spring, just before we study Gas Laws.  eBay has a calorimetry set for $17.99. Look at the materials carefully.  The kit has styrofoam cups and three metals for Specific Heat labs. (Here are more detailed instructions.). When I do specific heat labs, I use density cubes, copper shot, iron nails, and lead fishing lures.  You can heat the beakers of water on an electric burner or stove top—flame isn’t necessary. It helps to have at least two thermometers, one for hot water and one for the calorimeter.

You may want to try a soda can calorimeter with dry food such as chips or crackers.  I like to do both types of calorimetry if time permits.  So the original calorimetry set on eBay is a good price; I generally just put styrofoam cups with lids into glass beakers with good results.  You may want to test paper cups with styrofoam cups.  Which has a higher percent error?

I am always tempted by scientific equipment.  I had calorimetry sets when I taught in private and public schools.  I do not believe they are worth the investment or I would buy that set!  Instead, I put my money into extra thermometers and glass beakers with more general applications.

Apologia: Organic Chemistry Modeling Kits

I love Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry.  I try to fit in an Organic unit in my chemistry classes.  I include a bit of biochemistry in Biology and Human Biology.  I have several kits.  Frequently  Good Will has molecular kits.  (This listing is for molecular geometry or VESPR.  Models like this one are often listed on Good Will, eBay, and Amazon.  Models are about $20 per set.). Most of these sets serve one student.  I use Lab-aids Molecules of Life in my biology classes to introduce macromolecules, such as carbohydrates, fats, and amino acids, and proteins.  These kits are pricey at $125-$140.  I made the investment because I use the kits every year with Co-op classes.

This kit, at $6.99, is a good choice for one student.  Note that hydrogen atoms are usually white, not orange.  It helps the kid to build molecules as they learn how to write name organic molecules.  If you would like to make  your own kit, use clay and this guide.  Carbon atoms in modeling kits is usually black with four holes to make four bonds.  Each toothpick represents one pair of electrons.  Clay and toothpicks allow student to make single, double, or triple bonds.  Here  is a good introductory lesson with clay and toothpick models.  Carbon is usually black, oxygen blue, and hydrogen white.  Have fun!

Apologia Science: Ringstand

This ring stand has a clamp and ring for $13.10.  It is similar to this one on Amazon for $22.42.  Naturally, it ships from China.  But, if you aren’t in a hurry, it’s a good deal. A ring stand with a few clamps is useful for science classes.   My husband teaches Physics and uses it frequently for labs and demos—more often than I do for Chemistry.  I have two ring stands; the price for another is so good I might splurge and buy one.

Apologia Chemistry: Mole and Reaction Demos

Years ago, I had a demo which used steel and glass marbles to introduce empirical formulas.  I did not find that demo, but did find paper clip Chemistry. The Nuts and Bolts of Chemical Formulas, and M & M lab.  If we struggle with empirical formulas after Christmas, I’ll buy M&M candies and try that lab.

Apologia Chemistry: Coins and Percent Composition

Percent Composition with Coins lab helps kids understand three different aspects of an empirical formula.  The demo uses three quarters, three dimes, and three nickels.  Each coin is 1/3 of the total coins.  The kids can determine the percent each coin represents of the total money.  Lastly, the kids can determine the percent by mass of the coins of the total coins by weighing them.  After Christmas, I'm going to do this demo/activity with the kids to remind them about moles, percent composition, and mole ratios of elements in compounds.  I made up cups with the coins.  I think this activity will drive home empirical formulas.  We'll see. (The baby bottle has loose change.)

Apologia Chemistry: Moles and Percent Composition Calculations

Today we went over the calculations for the mole lab and percent composition lab we did Tuesday.
The kids converted grams of iron nails, table salt, baking soda, mossy zinc, aluminum foil, and copper shot into moles.  The calculation is to divide the mass of the item by its molar mass.  For example, calcium has a molar mass of 40 g/mol.  If the student measured 5g, she divides 5g/40g/mol, or 0.125 mol. (moles)  Here is the data chart.
Mole Lab
Item       Formula         Mass        Molar Mass        Moles

The percent composition lab requires the kids to determine the molar mass of each hydrate and  the percent of water in the hydrate.  Next the student determines the amount of water removed from heating.  Finally, the teens calculate the percent error.  Here is the data chart.
Percent Composition Lab
Chemical      Formula     Molar Mass      Mass Before     Mass After     Percent Water   Percent error

Below is my attempt to take photos of all of the steps to teach this process.  The teens must write the formulas correctly, calculate the molar mass, determine the percent of water and finally compare the experimental results with the theoretical results.  Yes, this took all of the class period.

Apologia Chemistry: Micro Lab and MEL

Good Will  has a Microchemistry Set .  It looks like new.  Check the shipping first!  There are Mel Chemistry kits available, too.  MEL Chemistry kits are subscription kits which retail for $35 each.  MEL kits on eBay are $15-20 each.

Apologia Chemistry: Moles and Percent Composition

I started class by defining a mole.  The analogy I used was train cars.  A train car of marshmallows has the same volume as a train car of nails or bricks. Another analogy for moles is a dozen.  I explain that two train cars may have the same number of nails marshmallows in each.  The two train cars have the same volume and the same number: however, their masses are different.  That is the concept of a mole.  I explained that Fe, iron has an atomic weight of 55.8.  One mole of iron has 55.8 grams.  I held up a box of nails and asked if there might be one mole of iron in the box.  There may be depending on the number of nails in the box.  I have 30 g samples of cupric chloride bottles.  There is not a mole in the bottle.  This is my basic introductions.  On Thursday, we will use their masses (5-10 g) and calculate the number of moles.


Today and Thursday we are doing labs.  First, the kids weighed moles: iron nails, copper shot, aluminum foil, mossy zinc, baking soda, and salt.  They created simple data tables: name, formula, mass, and molar mass.  It helps students to understand what a mole is when they weigh moles.  We are doing the calculations on Thursday.  I plan to both calculate the theoretical and expermental  percent of water in each of the four hydrates.

Next, the kids collected the data for Percent Composition Quick Lab.  The hydrates we used are copper II chloride dihydrate, copper II sulfate, iron III chloride hexahydrate, and zinc sulfate monohydrate.  It’s important to weigh the test tube before heating.  Sometimes the chemical cannot be removed after it’s heated.  We used sterno instead of tea candles to heat the hydrates.  Last week we heated copper II sulfate pentahydrate hydrate to demonstrate decomposition chemical reactions with tea candles I successfully.  Sterno worked well; it’s much more stable than an alcohol burner.  Remind the kids that hot glass looks the same as cold glass.   Remind the kids to angle the test tube away from people as they gently heat the hydrates.   Allow the test tube to cool in the test tube rack.  The hot test tube can melt the plastic digital scale.  Remind the kids to use weigh paper or a weigh boat: chemicals should not be weighed directly on a scale.  Remember the kids are teens; these instruction may not be obvious to kids.

Hydrates  have water loosely bound ionic compounds.  Hydrates can act as dessicants.  The salt, say copper II chloride is anhydrous.  The hydrate in this example is copper II chloride dihydrate.  The anhydrous salt can absorb water from its surroundings.

The kids are learning about percent composition of formulas by heating and removing water from several hydrates.    We do the math together. BTW, the topic of hydrates are not included in Apologia Chemistry textbooks.  I think hydrates are useful to understand percent composition.

Apologia Chemistry: Luminescence

I was planning events for Mad Science Camp with objects which fluoresce.  I’ve never down a chemistry lab with chemiluminescence, thermochromic pigments, or photochromic pigments.  I have UV or solar-active beads.  I would like to make slime polymers and add pigments to test.  It would be fun to test glow sticks to introduce reaction rates. I could bring in substances which fluoresce under a UV flashlight, such as tonic water.  These activities coincide with Light Energy.  When I teach electron configurations, I review the electromagnetic spectrum and a brief history of the development of Quantum Theory.  Chemiluminescence dovetails well.

A student added photochromic pigment to sunscreen.  The sunscreen changes color when it’s time to reapply.  Look at this ChemMatters article about sun glasses.  Here is an article explaining thermochromic paper or heat-sensitive paper.  I need to read this article about special-effect pigments carefully before I organize the lab.