LabPaq - What do you get

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I've followed a couple of the LabPaq links in older threads and it looks like the website may have changed a bit. I'm not finding any kind of list of what might be included in the labs for any given course. In fact, it almost looks like they are moving to mostly customized orders or something similar.

 

Can someone give me some detail about what you got from LabPaq?

 

Was it a schedule of labs, instructions, materials, answer key? The FAQ is pretty obtuse.

[Melissa B]

I had to request a link on here as well. Here is the link given to me for Biology sets. The link to the comparison chart works, as do the links to what is in each biology set, but the links to other sciences do not.

[EKS]

You get a book with detailed instructions for all of the labs and materials (excluding certain commonly available items, like water). You can also email them (at least you could a few years ago) and get an answer key by telling them that you are a homeschool teacher.

 

Let me know if I can answer any other questions. I've used a chemistry kit and a biology kit from them.

[regentrude]

We used labpaq for chemistry.

http://lab.labpaq.com/product-overview/chemistry-overview-page

 

We have used a kit with 21 experiments which I can not seem to find, but for a general idea, click here:

http://lab.labpaq.com/kd-ChemKit-101.htm

You get all supplies and chemicals (except fro general household items such as vinegar, distilled water, tooth picks...), plus a CD with a detailed lab manual. The kit is easy to use, the instructions are clear. All supplies are packaged per single experiment.

[SkateLeft]

We used the Labpaq BK-1 kit for biology, because it had all the experiments that I wanted and lined up well with our textbook choice (Miller-Levine.)

 

Our kit was just under $200, and included dissection samples (spider, crayfish, grasshopper), dissection tools (scalpel, probes, etc.), a hand held microscope, chemicals, and just loads of other items. It even included plastic gloves and a lab apron. The kit came with almost everything my daughter needed, with the exception of distilled water. I think that's the only additional thing I had to buy.

 

The lab manual was on CD. It included sections on keeping a lab notebook, writing a lab report, material safety data sheets, and the experiment instructions. It was over 300 pages, as I recall. I had it printed and bound at the local copy shop.

 

We were VERY pleased with the Labpaq, and it prepared my daughter very well for the college lab classes that she's taken this year.

 

As much as we loved it, I'm *really* irritated at their website changes. It appears to me that they're trying to avoid individual purchasers, in which case, I'd be inclined to buy lab materials from another source. I won't be buying from them again until they clear things up.

Edited April 16, 2012 by sailmom

[Heather in AL]

We used the Labpaq BK-1 kit for biology, because it had all the experiments that I wanted and lined up well with our textbook choice (Miller-Levine.)

 

Our kit was just under $200, and included dissection samples (spider, crayfish, grasshopper), dissection tools (scalpel, probes, etc.), a hand held microscope, chemicals, and just loads of other items. It even included plastic gloves and a lab apron. The kit came with almost everything my daughter needed, with the exception of distilled water. I think that's the only additional thing I had to buy.

 

The lab manual was on CD. It included sections on keeping a lab notebook, writing a lab report, material safety data sheets, and the experiment instructions. It was over 300 pages, as I recall. I had it printed and bound at the local copy shop.

 

We were VERY pleased with the Labpaq, and it prepared my daughter very well for the college lab classes that she's taken this year.

 

As much as we loved it, I'm *really* irritated at their website changes. It appears to me that they're trying to avoid individual purchasers, in which case, I'd be inclined to buy lab materials from another source. I won't be buying from them again until they clear things up.

 

Actually, the part I bolded is exactly why I haven't purchased materials from them. Their website (at the last time I looked in Aug) was beyond confusing and I found no pricing for individuals--- everything was packaged in groups for entire classes. I gave up and went elsewhere for what I needed.

 

I have checked with them for three years now for various classes, and for three years I have gone elsewhere for my materials. I won't even bother to check their site again, as it's just a time killer for me and I would rather spend my time on a site where everything is laid out clearly for me.

[Melissa B]

Actually, the part I bolded is exactly why I haven't purchased materials from them. Their website (at the last time I looked in Aug) was beyond confusing and I found no pricing for individuals--- everything was packaged in groups for entire classes. I gave up and went elsewhere for what I needed.

 

I have checked with them for three years now for various classes, and for three years I have gone elsewhere for my materials. I won't even bother to check their site again, as it's just a time killer for me and I would rather spend my time on a site where everything is laid out clearly for me.

 

Any site you can recommend? I haven't seen anything that matches their quality and ease-of-use (at a reasonable price) for a non-sciency mother that has no desire to pull together a lab credit on her own. :o I am most in need of a lab component to AP Environmental Science.

 

Thanks!

[kangato3]

 

As much as we loved it, I'm *really* irritated at their website changes. It appears to me that they're trying to avoid individual purchasers, in which case, I'd be inclined to buy lab materials from another source. I won't be buying from them again until they clear things up.

 

I called them recently because I couldn't access pages that I easily used to peruse. They happily gave me a homeschool log-in code and assured me they would be happy to answer any questions. I didn't ask why they changed the website, but I was pleased to regain access.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I called them recently because I couldn't access pages that I easily used to peruse. They happily gave me a homeschool log-in code and assured me they would be happy to answer any questions. I didn't ask why they changed the website, but I was pleased to regain access.

 

So I did submit a request for lab info (which was on the website and where they were directing everyone, not just individuals).

 

I got a nice, apologetic email back with the homeschool login. She indicated that they were in the process of updating the website to install a new online ordering system.

 

It took about a full work day to get a response.

 

So one thought is for anyone who is interested to contact them about individual ordering. That may be the encouragement they need to keep individual sales available and well supported.

[EKS]

As much as we loved it, I'm *really* irritated at their website changes. It appears to me that they're trying to avoid individual purchasers, in which case, I'd be inclined to buy lab materials from another source. I won't be buying from them again until they clear things up.

 

Wow, yes. I bought from them last summer before the website changed. How sad! I've been recommending them for years but I won't be anymore.

[SkateLeft]

I got a nice, apologetic email back with the homeschool login. She indicated that they were in the process of updating the website to install a new online ordering system.

 

I'm glad that they were willing to work with you, but they've been "updating" their site now for months.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I'm glad that they were willing to work with you, but they've been "updating" their site now for months.

 

OK, but once an instructor has ordered material for the year, is there much of a surge until summertime?

 

It is a lot better than companies who are totally unwilling to sell to homeschoolers, or who are inconsistent or non-responsive. (Thinking of a couple of textbook companies with bad reps for not selling teacher keys to homeschoolers or for making online access to material a hassle.)

 

And it appeared that it was no easier for a classroom teacher to find the options either.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

In case anyone else requests info and gets confused by the response. I was sent a link to the website and a login. The email made it sound like this was just to order, but logging in actually took me to a website with links to the different package options.

 

However, it seems like these labs don't include dissection, unless I'm totally misreading the lab titles. I'm going to have to think about how much I want them to dissect and how much I want to focus on the process of doing a lab (keeping track of things and writing it up).

 

Hmm.

Edited April 17, 2012 by Sebastian (a lady)
New info

[EKS]

However, it seems like these labs don't include dissection, unless I'm totally misreading the lab titles. I'm going to have to think about how much I want them to dissect and how much I want to focus on the process of doing a lab (keeping track of things and writing it up).

 

 

Dissection isn't emphasized in a modern biology course.