leeannpal Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 Hi, My daughter is currently in 7th grade at a private school. For several reasons, we have decided to homeschool for 8th grade and high school. She is very interested in science and wants to have a career in a scientific field someday (medical, engineering or meteorology). What would suggest that we buy to have at home for science labs. We plan on getting a good microscope and beakers/test tubes, but I really don't know what else we need. Any suggestion are very welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 I would suggest that you choose some labs first, and then get the equipment to go with them. Better yet, read a lot of labs and look for commonly cited equipment. Off the top of my head, we have put the following to good use: microscope, a digital balance that measures to .01 grams, a selection of measuring equipment (graduated cylinders, beakers, and the like), pipettes, stirring rods, thermometers, and something to heat with. For heating, we have been happy with our electric hotplate with a magnetic stirrer. Alcohol burners are another option. I have also bought a bunch of stuff that did not get much use. :glare: 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 Don't even try to buy all the lab supplies you will need for high school at once. Take it one year at a time. Pick a curriculum or textbook, then decide what labs you are going to do with it. Then buy the supplies. Buying reusable supplies like glass beakers, test tubes, pipettes. etc, will save money in the long run as they can be used in biology, chemistry and who knows what else. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 This company has lots of kits. I guess they do customized kits too as well as kits that go along with specific programs. http://www.qualitysciencelabs.com/index.php?p=home?st-t=adwords&vt-k=%2Bhome%20%2Bschool%20%2Bscience%20%2Bkits&vt-mt=b&vt-ap=1t1&gclid=CNrol4S_ucsCFZQjgQodp3YF4A 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 I just buy as I see things I want on sale. Like I have lots more test tubes than I need because the box of 100 we bought was on sale at a very low price. I am buying ready made kits for bio and chem though because it is easier for me than buying the items individually and probably never get round to doing the labs. Also it is harder to buy chemicals and things like ph paper in small amounts so I would end up with lots of leftover chemicals and stuff. For physics, it is easier to gets things locally from hardware stores and electronics stores as needed, then online for any item that is harder to find locally. So I won't need to order a kit for physics. This company has lots of kits. I guess they do customized kits too as well as kits that go along with specific programs. http://www.qualitysciencelabs.com/index.php?p=home?st-t=adwords&vt-k=%2Bhome%20%2Bschool%20%2Bscience%20%2Bkits&vt-mt=b&vt-ap=1t1&gclid=CNrol4S_ucsCFZQjgQodp3YF4A We'll probably get a bio kit and a chem kit for my youngest from there just for cabin fever during our blazing hot summer. If oldest want to tag along, I could just buy a refill kit. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 I just buy as I see things I want on sale. Like I have lots more test tubes than I need because the box of 100 we bought was on sale at a very low price. I am buying ready made kits for bio and chem though because it is easier for me than buying the items individually and probably never get round to doing the labs. Also it is harder to buy chemicals and things like ph paper in small amounts so I would end up with lots of leftover chemicals and stuff. For physics, it is easier to gets things locally from hardware stores and electronics stores as needed, then online for any item that is harder to find locally. So I won't need to order a kit for physics. We'll probably get a bio kit and a chem kit for my youngest from there just for cabin fever during our blazing hot summer. If oldest want to tag along, I could just buy a refill kit. I guess I should have mentioned I never used that company, but seems nice to have it all together. I just don't know if it is worth the price, but my sanity is worth the price so probably for me (I've been traumatized by science supply lists in the past...LOL). But anyhow, you know what they no longer have around here? Electronics stores. No more Radio Shack either. Although Radio Shack was kinda expensive. Nice for getting something right away though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Targhee Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 choose your science program or labs first, then you will have all you need and only what you need. Many have specific kits you can get. Having said that, I don't think you can go wrong with a good hand lens (or stereo microscope), some wide mouth jars (old pickle or canning ones), local field guides (flowering plants/trees, insects, night sky, geology, etc), a compound microscope with minimum 400x, and a scale or balance. Other things, like glassware, can be so specific and expensive I would just wait. Here are some sources for equipment when you're ready to buy. Amazon Flinn Scientific Home Training Tools Carolina Biological 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Targhee Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 I guess I should have mentioned I never used that company, but seems nice to have it all together. I just don't know if it is worth the price, but my sanity is worth the price so probably for me (I've been traumatized by science supply lists in the past...LOL). But anyhow, you know what they no longer have around here? Electronics stores. No more Radio Shack either. Although Radio Shack was kinda expensive. Nice for getting something right away though. There are many large Maker communities out there now, connected online and selling electronics components you wouldn't even have been able to find at radio shack. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 There are many large Maker communities out there now, connected online and selling electronics components you wouldn't even have been able to find at radio shack. It is the almost instant gratification compared to online. Besides I do still have many electronics stores and hobby stores available locally other than the still surviving RadioShack stores. But anyhow, you know what they no longer have around here? Electronics stores. No more Radio Shack either. Although Radio Shack was kinda expensive. Nice for getting something right away though. Raspberry Pi 3 is out, but out of stock right now. In case either of your kids like robotics and/or programming on Linux. We bought the Make Electronics kits 1 & 2 on sale from a closing down RadioShack store just to save ourselves multiple trips to buy parts to do the projects in the Make Electronics book. Not sure if we would order the science lab kits from QSL, HST or others but we are definitely getting kits for the convenience. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 It is the almost instant gratification compared to online. Besides I do still have many electronics stores and hobby stores available locally other than the still surviving RadioShack stores. Raspberry Pi 3 is out, but out of stock right now. In case either of your kids like robotics and/or programming on Linux. We bought the Make Electronics kits 1 & 2 on sale from a closing down RadioShack store just to save ourselves multiple trips to buy parts to do the projects in the Make Electronics book. Not sure if we would order the science lab kits from QSL, HST or others but we are definitely getting kits for the convenience. My husband is waiting for his Pi 3. Should be here Tuesday. I'm not sure where he ordered it from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daijobu Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 I would suggest that you choose some labs first, and then get the equipment to go with them. This this this. Every time I've purchased or taken something from another homeschooling family, I've regretted it. Save yourself the headache and plan your labs first, only a year at a time at most, and buy stuff as you need it. I took a bunch of glass test tubes from another family. After years of sitting on my shelf, I never used them and gave them away. Then I needed test tubes, so I bought them all over again. Ugh. I also took another family's used Thames and Something chemistry kit. Never used it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 . Then I needed test tubes, so I bought them all over again. Ugh.If there is a next time drive down and pick some up :)My kids broke a few and we also used some for bamboo shoot vases. My kids just gets creative with whatever science materials we buy on sale before we need them for actual labs. We always run out of vinegar and alcohol when we want to use it for science, and we end up walking to Safeway. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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