Lab to go with Miller/Levine Biology?

[ArizonaGirl]

I am looking for labs to go with my daughter's Biology book. What have you used, and how well did it work for you?

 

She really wants to avoid dissections--would probably fake a sick day if she were in public school--so I was considering eScience labs, http://www.esciencelabs.com/ but they are very pricey and I hesitate.

 

Also, we have the new 2010 Miller/Levine Biology book and the workbook A, and I am finding it difficult to cover everything--35 chapters means a chapter per week, and they are not short chapters. She is struggling with the vocabulary and reading comprehension, her strengths in other subjects.

 

What should I skip, and what should I emphasize as important? I get to do this again in future years with several younger children, but I am not a science major.

 

What are your suggestions? Thanks.

[AngieW in Texas]

I used that book with my oldest (an earlier edition since this was back in the 2007-2008 schoolyear). We found it really tough. The labs that were in the text seemed to be either craft projects (make models of cell mitosis with yarn, glue, and scissors) or were extremely involved to the point that they needed professional laboratories to work in.

 

We did the entire book, but it was extremely difficult and my dd really didn't get much of anything out of it.

 

I switched to Holt Biology for my middle dd and it was much better.

 

I am a science major, but Physics was my science, not Biology. I was looking for a regular biology program and Miller/Levine is used for Honors Biology in the schools where I live.

[JennW in SoCal]

I found lots of labs and projects on-line just by googling a topic. My favorite site, though, was The Biology Corner. There were on-line labs, worksheets and interesting projects.

 

I ordered 3 lab kits from Carolina Biologica Supply, but can't say it was really worth while. I'm not entirely certain what the point of labs in high school is -- is it just to gain a familiarity with lab protocal and equipment? Most of the concepts that the labs demonstrated can be found on-line.

 

I used one of the Campbell's texts and it was a lot to cover in a year. The environmental science seemed redundant to us as it had been covered in an earth sciences class my ds had had. That is a topic that could be skipped or saved and done very quickly at the end. The chemistry stuff IS challenging, especially if you haven't had chemistry before.

 

The Princeton biology coloring book is a great help for learning vocabulary, as are some worksheets from The Biology Corner site. There are even some clever videos made by students that you can find on YouTube.

 

Start googling!

[Joan in GE]

I'm not entirely certain what the point of labs in high school is -- is it just to gain a familiarity with lab protocal and equipment? Most of the concepts that the labs demonstrated can be found on-line.

 

I know this is mostly about biology, but since it seemed you were generalizing about labs in high school, I'll give my hypothesis...It is to familiarize students with lab safety and protocol so that they don't blow up the chem lab when they get to college... I was amazed when I heard how many labs get blown up. (Though it must not be the entire building, but enough to close the lab for awhile). :001_smile:

 

Joan

[Pam in MA]

You might want to check into LabPaq. I haven't used them but am ordering one to go with our Chemistry.

[melmichigan]

IAlso, we have the new 2010 Miller/Levine Biology book and the workbook A, and I am finding it difficult to cover everything--35 chapters means a chapter per week, and they are not short chapters. She is struggling with the vocabulary and reading comprehension, her strengths in other subjects.

 

What should I skip, and what should I emphasize as important? I get to do this again in future years with several younger children, but I am not a science major.

 

What are your suggestions? Thanks.

 

We are looking at this text for my DD, although we are considering the Foundations level because of her age (I see no reason not to knock off 250 pages, when I compared the two editions they cover the same base material). I was surprised in my searchings to see this used in some Junior High Programs all the way through some High School Honors programs.

 

It might help to search syllabi of teachers who are using this edition or the previous edition to see how they schedule and if they condense or skip sections. (I have noted a few in my favorites to refer to if we opt for this book.)

Edited September 10, 2010 by melmichigan

[Kalypso]

We are using the biology lab kit from here: http://www.qualitysciencelabs.com/

 

The lab kit comes with a schedule for doing the labs with the Prentice Hall Biology book.

 

We already had a microscope, and we will have to provide some household items not supplied in the kit. We have done the first 5 labs, and so far, it is going well.

 

I just reread your post. Somehow, I missed the part about dissections. This kit has dissections, so this kit may not be the one for you.

Edited September 10, 2010 by azmom

[ArizonaGirl]

Thanks you for all the wonderful suggestions. My sons are not squeamish about dissections, so all your suggestions are wonderful for future use, too. My daughter, of course, will still need chemistry and physics when we finish biology.

 

I am still searching, but leaning toward my original choice of escience labs for biology. I appreciate all the links. Some of them look fantastic.

 

Thanks again!

[Kareni]

Have you seen this recent thread? It also has some ideas that might prove helpful.

 

Regards,

Kareni