Which microscope should I buy for Biology class?

 I know many of you are struggling to decide whether or not to invest in an expensive microscope.  Many families worry they are depriving their kiddos of a proper science education unless they invest in pricy equipment.  You aren’t!  The purpose in Biology is to learn the names of the microscope parts, how to focus a microscope, and how to sketch images you observe with a microscope.  

If you have a bare bones budget, buy a clip-on microscope for your cell phone.

We use USB microscopes with laptops or similar devices all the time.  The kiddos focus the microscope, snap a screenshot, and then sketch.

I bought one, nicer microscope from Amazon.  (Others I bought used or were donated.). The microscope’s resolution is fantastic.  We’ve used it for Biology and Advanced Biology, which has extensive Histology, requiring better microscopes.  If you want a splurge, this is a fine piece of equipment.

The first set of microscope slides is for younger kiddos.  Do you have limited funds?  Shop for a deal on this set, intended for elementary students.  Your teen will still have a microscope experience-which is the goal!

This set consists of plain glass slides, intended for DIY slides.  Truthfully, we only used prepared slides at Co-op

When I first taught Biology Co-op classes, I bought a set of 25 slides from Amscope.  There are cheaper sets; some of these sets turn out to have all botany slides or just histology slides.  It’s nice to have a mix of slides for General Biology.  

Compare these slides with the set recommended by Apologia.

Look at listings for larger microscope sets.  We used a set of 100 slides for Advanced Biology, which has a ton of Histology.  I didn’t buy the Apologia set because most of the slides were in the set of 100 I already had.  

Stop fretting!  Ask friends with kiddos in public or private schools.  How often do they use a microscope in their Biology classes?  You may be surprised.  Just remember your goal is to give your teen a microscope experience—not break your budget.

Science Courses: Teens

 Many families don’t start formal classes for their kiddos until Middle School. My suggestion is to follow this sequence beginning in sixth or seventh grade (11-12): General Science, Physical Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or Advanced Biology (Human Anatomy). Here is Apologia’s website. Marine Science  and Health and Nutrition are both good electives. 

If your child struggles with math, delay Chemistry, which requires Algebra.  Instead of the traditional sequence above do Biology, Nutrition or Marine Science before Chemistry.  Advanced Biology has a lot of details and little math.  Save it for last.   If your teen likes Biology, he or she will probably like Advanced Biology.  Physics is usually taken in the Junior or senior year and requires Algebra 2.  

If your child is bright and likes a challenge, skip General Science and begin with Physical Science.  Some eighth graders take Biology and do well.  I have had a few.  Ninth graders can take Chem and succeed if they have had Algebra I and are strong in math.  (I have had one or two precocious eighth graders take Chem and succeed.)  Our Co-op encourages families to enroll in Biology and Chemistry.  

What about your family?  So much depends on your child.  I work with families who have children with profound learning differences.  The traditional sequence doesn’t work.  Usually, I can make accommodations in Bio and Chem.  These students are exposed to both subjects, even if they aren’t absorbing all of the material.  (For example, you can forget protein synthesis, thermodynamics, or Stoichiometry.  Those and other topics, like Quantum or cellular respiration are not going to stick.) Look at the Young Explorers series.  We use the Chemistry and Physics course for sixth grade.  There is nothing wrong with using these courses for Middle School.  If your child has special needs, these may work for high school, too.

Every child and every family is unique.  We have a family where two of their daughters started taking college classes at sixteen—after having completed Algebra 2 and Physics with Co-op.  The girls’ brother has special needs.  He’s taking Chem and Physics this fall.  Most kids are somewhere in the middle.  Teens can usually handle Physical Science by eighth or ninth grade, which leaves plenty of time to take Bio, Chem, Physics or an elective.

Let’s compare commercial kits!

 I get it.  You don’t feel all that confident about Chemistry and have already decided to bite the bullet and buy a lab kit.  Let’s compare a few before you order the kit for your course.  I’m hoping you change your mind and just order what you need!

HST’s kit has a lot to offer.  It’s missing a scale.  I prefer a digital scale to a kitchen scale.  I think Sterno is safer than an alcohol burner. 

HST also sells Apologia Chemistry sets.  The first photo is from HST; the second is Apologia’s home site’s version.  Both are missing a test tube rack.  HST has a kitchen scale; Apologia’s set has a digital scale.  Both include safety goggles.  In my experience, kiddos are much more likely to keep safety glasses on their faces than goggles which fog up and are uncomfortable.

Other kits are specific to a program such as Master Books Chemistry Supply kit.  Instead of an alcohol burner, this set has a micro butane burner, spectroscope, multimeter, ring stand, and soil test kits.  This kit also has several chemicals.

Discovering Design with Chemistry and the companion household kit are specific to Dr. Wile’s Chemistey textbook.  Note that the basic lab kit does not have test tubes or a rack. (BTW Discovering Design with Chemistry is written by Dr. Wile.  We’re still using the second edition to Exploring Creation with Chemistey, also written by Dr. Wile.  I haven’t decided what I’ll do in the future.)

Berean Chemistry is missing a test tube rack; it does supply some miscellaneous items such as Alka-Seltzer tablets, copper sulfate, balloons, yeast, steel wool, thumb tacks, etc.

The Novare General Chemistry Lab kit has a ring stand, clamps, and tongs.  There is a pH meter, too.  Missing is a set of test tubes with a rack.

The DIVE Chemistry Lab kit is unusually complete and expensive.  The list of contents likely has any number of unfamiliar materials. The burette clamp fastens to a ring stand and is used for an acid-base titration. (We do a microscale version instead.)  Another item is the Boyle’s Law Apparatus. (We do this microscale application with a plastic pipette.) Below the Boyle’s Law apparatus is a crucible, lid, clay triangle, on an iron ring, all part of the kit, for a hydrate lab. There is a mortar and pestle and calipers.  The kit also has all the chemicals for the programs lab.  Please note that the chemical quantities are small.  Student might struggle to repeat an experiment.

BJU Chemistry Lab Kit is similar to the DIVE set.  Both have molecular models sets, burettes, mortars and pestles, etc.  BJU’s doesn’t include a ring stand, scale or test tube rack.  The chemicals differ.  This set includes a mineral collection and set of steel balls. 

HST has Science Unlocked Chemistry. The kit has all of the materials for the labs.  You’re buying an entire curriculum—not just materials.  

The Abeka Chemistry Lab kit has premium equipment, such as the micro butane burner.  At this price, it should!

What are the best used science kits?

 First, buy used kits!  Scour Good Will; although eBay is more likely to have used kits.  My favorite kits are from Quality Science Labs; these sets are jammed with materials.  My husband, Rob, still used the QSL Physics kit I found on Good Will years ago.  I still will look over used eScience Lab kits, Science Interactive lab kits, or any HST kit.

The Bio kit is NOT quite as good; the Bio kit’s lab manual outline indicates the experiments are mainly microbes, plants, and dissections.  The kit aligns quite well with Apologia’s lab equipment for labs and dissections.  

Some Bio kits come with specimens, such as a fetal pig, brain, eyeball, and heart, suitable for an anatomy class.

Other Bio kits are replete with basic lab equipment.

See if you can find used HST kits.  Sometimes families buy kits and never use them.  You can find d a bargain!