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Get 'er done biology labs


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My rising 10th grader needs to do biology this fall, and I'm looking into lab options. She is not a lab kid, so I'm looking for get-er-done level of labs. (The reading material will be honors-level, because she is a fabulous reader and writer. But, labs are not her thing.)

 

Would you say:

  1. Dissections are mandatory, or are computer simulations or illustrations okay?
  2. Is using a microscope mandatory, or is looking at images online okay?
  3. If using a microscope is mandatory, is learning slide preparation skills mandatory, or are purchased slides okay?

 

I would like to do 6 to 10 labs over the course of the school year, with under 20 hours of total lab time (set up, do lab, clean up, but not including writing the lab report).

 

I love kits and/or tried-and-true lab manuals where you know things are pretty much guaranteed to work in advance (as long as procedures are followed, of course!). Does anybody know of a kit or manual like that, or do I have to roll my own?

 

Thanks,

--Janet

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I err on the side of caution, and yes, mine will do at least one dissection (a fetal pig), learn how to use a microscope, and do some slide preparation. I don't go overboard, but I think that learning some basic lab technique in high school is good. For the fetal pig, I use this Fred Bohensky's Photo Manual and Dissection Guide of the Fetal Pig.

 

Frankly you never know what someone will end up doing in life, and having a little experience before taking a college class is a big plus. I know several homeschooled kids who did "bio light" at home with not much depth, and no labs. And they frankly regretted it because they had to take biology in college and really struggled. One has all A's in every other subject and is on a full-ride scholarship for a double degree in global affairs and history, and she nearly failed biology because there was so much that was new and the labwork was overwhelming to her. She had to take it twice, and barely got a "C" the second time.

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We used Landry Academy. Got all the labs done in two 8 hour days. Loved it! The cost of the class is a little more than what I was looking to spend for a microscope. I don't like science so anything I can outsource I outsource. www.landryacademy.com

 

 

I'm outsourcing chemistry lab to Landry for that reason. I have an attitude towards chemistry lab, and I totalled up the stuff I would buy and it was over $200 even though I already have six drawers of science in a small cabinet.

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My son is attending the Landry Biology intensive this April in Phoenix. I'll try to remember to post about it afterwards. By registering very early, it was much less expensive. I seem to remember you could cancel up to 30 days before and get almost all your money back.

 

We are using the Apologia Biology book. He is doing some of the labs at home if they don't need extra equipment. I've also had him watch some videos online.

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Janet-What is the biology reading your dd will be doing?

 

 

Not sure yet. Looking at the usual (secular) suspects Campbell, Miller-Levine, etc.

Also Thinkwell. She did about a third or so of Thinkwell Biology in 7th, but couldn't keep up with the recommended pace in the lesson plans because, as she put it, "her brain got full."

 

--Janet

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My ds (9th grade) is using the Miller-Levine book this year. We are also using the biology kit from The Home Scientist and are picking and choosing labs from that. In addition, we have put together some labs on our own -- it was pretty easy to find lab templates and ideas online. For example, I don't have easy access to dissection specimens over here so I have looked for labs online that would use "fresh" specimens; this semester we did dissections of fish and squid. Also when studying genetics ds completed a couple of labs on cat coat color that we found online that included examining pictures (and some actual cats). Point being, if you set out some topics I think you can find a lot online to use.

 

Also, we are using the syllabus from Kolbe Academy and they offer a lab cd for labs.. I have not bought or used that, but maybe someone else here has and can give you a review.

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We are also using the biology kit from The Home Scientist and are picking and choosing labs from that. In addition, we have put together some labs on our own -- it was pretty easy to find lab templates and ideas online.

 

I agree that there is a lot of stuff online, and you can pick and choose. But, back to my original post: If what you want to do is cover the basics, what exactly *are* the basics? What lab skills are the essentials? What topics really need to be experienced in the lab to be understood?

 

I know I'm going to pick and choose, but I'm not sure what my priorities should be.

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I agree that there is a lot of stuff online, and you can pick and choose. But, back to my original post: If what you want to do is cover the basics, what exactly *are* the basics? What lab skills are the essentials? What topics really need to be experienced in the lab to be understood?

 

I know I'm going to pick and choose, but I'm not sure what my priorities should be.

On the Home Scientist website posted above he he has a book called The Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments: All Lab, No Lecture. It begins with simple labs on how to use a microscope, mounting specimens, etc. and continues with many other basic labs (ones I remember from high school and college). I haven't used it, but I have it bookmarked for when my children get a little older.

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On the Home Scientist website posted above he he has a book called The Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments: All Lab, No Lecture. It begins with simple labs on how to use a microscope, mounting specimens, etc. and continues with many other basic labs (ones I remember from high school and college). I haven't used it, but I have it bookmarked for when my children get a little older.

 

 

I know, he'll let you download the whole thing, even though he sells it on amazon. I had totally forgotten about it until this thread. Haven't gotten serious about our science for next year, just surviving this year, haha. His series of Illustrated Home Guides... had actually been my plan. I have the chem book, just to look ahead at it. It's just sometimes hard to gauge when you haven't actually done something. But in our case we're leaning more toward his approach anyway (do the lab and let the reading fill in the cracks). The chem labs look like they would take a while. They're definitely beyond basic.

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More questions on this topic:

 

There seem to be a lot of "dry" labs out there -- working with taxonomy tables, or using beads to simulate genes or dna sequences, or working with something that is an analog to a cell but not really (for example, using plastic bags to calculate surface area versus volume.

 

How many of those would you count as a lab? (I'm thinking that I should avoid these kinds of things, since our total number of labs are going to be smaller, but did you find them to be good learning experiences?)

 

Also, has anybody used the book 25 Low-cost Biology Investigations by Walch Publishing. I'd like to hear reviews!

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  • 5 weeks later...

My ds (9th grade) is using the Miller-Levine book this year. We are also using the biology kit from The Home Scientist and are picking and choosing labs from that. In addition, we have put together some labs on our own -- it was pretty easy to find lab templates and ideas online. For example, I don't have easy access to dissection specimens over here so I have looked for labs online that would use "fresh" specimens; this semester we did dissections of fish and squid. Also when studying genetics ds completed a couple of labs on cat coat color that we found online that included examining pictures (and some actual cats). Point being, if you set out some topics I think you can find a lot online to use.

 

Also, we are using the syllabus from Kolbe Academy and they offer a lab cd for labs.. I have not bought or used that, but maybe someone else here has and can give you a review.

 

We are also using the Miller Levine Biology book this year, although we are using the 2010 edition. It was worth the $230 to have the Biology LabPaq arrive on my doorstep with a complete lab manual and answer key. The lab manual is extensive for the 26 experiments that DD will complete (we do labs the last semester of the year to reinforce what has been learned). I am trying to decide if I need to print the over 450 pages in the lab book and the extensive additional resources for lab reports. I have no worries that DD will miss out on a necessary skill.

 

LabPaq has a few choices depending on how many labs you want to do. You just email them and they send you the passwords to access and order from the site. Once you have ordered you just email them and request the answer keys, they have you sign a homeschool agreement and email you the files.

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More questions on this topic:

 

There seem to be a lot of "dry" labs out there -- working with taxonomy tables, or using beads to simulate genes or dna sequences, or working with something that is an analog to a cell but not really (for example, using plastic bags to calculate surface area versus volume.

 

How many of those would you count as a lab? (I'm thinking that I should avoid these kinds of things, since our total number of labs are going to be smaller, but did you find them to be good learning experiences?)

 

I would count them as labs, but if you can't do too many labs, I would prioritize. Choose the labs you most want to see done and use some of these that seem like they could be good illustrations only to fill in whatever space you have left.

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Oddly I would skip dissection simply because we did it in HS and I seriously never used the skill again or remembered a single thing about it. Even if I had to do it in college I never would have remembered because I was too grossed out to even gain anything from it. If your kids wants to then I would.

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  • 2 months later...

Anybody want to give me feedback on this plan?

 

I picked up a Microscope cheaply from a homeschooler who was done with hers. I'm thinking of getting the "Microscopic Life Kit" from Home Training Tools to put it to use.

 

http://www.hometrainingtools.com/microscopic-life-kit/p/KT-MICLIFE/

 

Has anyone bought their "Biology Microscope Slide Set?" What did you think?

 

http://www.hometrainingtools.com/biology-microscope-slide-set/p/MS-SETBIO/

 

Adding to this set I would do several "dry" labs that I found (for example, using pop beads to simulate meiosis, charts to practice classification, etc.)

 

I also want to get an ipad dissection app. My kiddo would be really squeamish about a real dissection anyway, and there are several to choose from in the app store that I can research more in depth over the summer.

 

It looks like I can cover animals, plants, and cells this way.

 

--Janet

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To your above list I would add 2 topics:

Genetics - do an analysis of your family tree for a couple of traits going as far back as possible

Ecology - how plants and animals interact in an environment - This can be an observation lab where you record what you see and analyze it at home. I am thinking you would need 2 lab sessions for this one. What you do depends on the environments around you.

 

As for dissection - I get my kids to do fish, because there will be some time in their life where they will either gut a fish or watch one done, so a bit more practical.

 

Ruth in NZ

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To your above list I would add 2 topics:

Ecology - how plants and animals interact in an environment - This can be an observation lab where you record what you see and analyze it at home.

 

Could you elaborate more on a good ecology lab? I have to admit, in my early homeschooling years, I was pretty gung ho about going to the hiking trails with field guides and such, but the kids just wanted to hang out under the trees and play, not identify stuff! And, I've kind of neglected it ever since!

 

I can think of few possible ideas:

 

1. Take pictures or draw a bunch of things, identify species later and research what they eat/need

 

2. Visit two different types of places (say, a pond and a drier area, or a more natural space versus a more suburban space closer to housing). Identify and compare what you saw.

 

3. Visit the same place on two different days/times (morning, dusk maybe?) compare the differences.

 

What is the goal of the experience? What would be required for a good grade?

 

Thanks,

--Janet

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I just googled high school ecology lab and found this very excellent site. http://www.biologycorner.com/lesson-plans/ecology/

 

The labs look doable and concrete, and focus on quite a few skills like graphing, sampling, interpreting. There are also quite a few simulations. I think that random sampling of dandilions looks fun and easy! But there a quite a few options to choose from.

 

Ruth in NZ

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