Can I run something by you smart homeschooling mamas???

[mlktwins]

My twins are in 7th grade.  We are finishing Chemistry up in the next 4 weeks and I will be picking our next science topic.  My boys love reading about science (including during their spare time), we watch videos, they do some writing, and we've done some lapbooks.  We have done science demonstrations and experiments over the years (more when they were younger), but not as much lately.  They know what the scientific method is and have written up some lab reports.  This gets me to my question :-) ...

 

I have a chance of putting them in an 8 week class on dissection that will include 4 dissections, writing in a lab book, drawing cells, etc., making slides, and working with a microscope.  The 3 of us are all squeamish about these things and have had trouble watching dissections on video.  I think this would be such a great opportunity for them though and learning from someone else is always good (they are so good for their outside teachers -- just not me -- LOL).  They will likely need to do a dissection in high school so this would give them a leg up.  Would you have them do it?

 

Also, this will decide what we are doing for science this spring because there is a scientific method class on botany I'm having them take later this school year.  I have Ellen McHenry's cells and protozoa, Elemental Science for the Logic Stage Biology, and a bunch of books (Blood and Guts, Usborne books on microscopes and a biology dictionary) and this book www.amazon.com/100-Biology-Joan-Distasio/dp/156822186X (I picked up 2 at a used curriculum fair for $1 each and they have no writing in them).  What would you do during those 8 weeks to go along with this class?

 

I'm good with anything related to botany and if we take this class, I will probably just finish Biology during the summer and start with Physics next year.  

 

If anyone has done Ellen McHenry's cells, how long do you think it would take without doing any experiments?

 

Thanks so much!

 

Edited to add:  I also have Tiner's History of Medicine and World of Biology.  One of things I'm trying to do is get them out of their comfort zone a bit.  I was squeamish when I dissected a frog in high school, but my lab partner wasn't going to do it so I got through it.  Did fine, but would be just as fine not doing another one -- LOL.

Edited November 26, 2017 by mlktwins

[HomeAgain]

I would totally have them do the class.  To go with it I might purchase one of the paper model packs by Mel and Gerdy to reinforce the material if they wouldn't get enough out of the class.  Otherwise I would do a general life science curriculum for the whole year.

[regentrude]

 

 

They will likely need to do a dissection in high school

Why? 

I see no need to do actual dissections in school and would only sign them up for the class if they want to do it. 

Unless somebody wants to become a surgeon, they don't need dissection skills. A virtual dissection can teach them just fine about the organisms; killing animals so highschoolers can play with a scalpel is unnecessary.

Edited November 26, 2017 by regentrude

[mlktwins]

Why? 

I see no need to do actual dissections in school and would only sign them up for the class if they want to do it. 

Unless somebody wants to become a surgeon, they don't need dissection skills. A virtual dissection can teach them just fine about the organisms; killing animals so highschoolers can play with a scalpel is unnecessary.

 

Neither one will definitely be surgeons -- LOL.  We all hate blood and guts.  As for high school, I'm not sure where they will be for high school.  If home, we can get by with a virtual dissection.  If they go to the private school I've picked in case, I'm not sure about dissections.  If they go to public school, they may have to do one.  

 

I do have the frog dissection kit from Mel and Gerdy for this reason.  This opportunity just became available and it has me rethinking.  

 

I was just talking to DH (an attorney) and he said what did dissecting a frog in high school teach me that I couldn't learn in a book -- LOL.  He has a pretty strong stomach and we both just got a bit yuck looking at pictures of a cow's eyeball dissection.  

[luuknam]

I don't know. My list of potential reasons would be for "history of science" (since things were discovered using actual dissections, not virtual dissections, and doing a real one can make it much more clear how these things are not obvious and clear-cut at first glance - that it's pretty amazing that people over the centuries figured out the purpose of the mess under animals' skins), and for learning to overcome squeamishness. "They might have to do one in high school" would not be on my list of reasons to make them do one or more in 8th grade - they're unlikely to be the only kids who've never done one before, nor to be the only squeamish kids. Plus, they might not even have to do one in high school - some schools allow kids with ethical objections or excessive squeamishness to do something else, or might not do a real life dissection at all.

Edited November 26, 2017 by luuknam

[SevenDaisies]

I have a degree in Bio and l was able to avoid dissection. I studied micro and molecular and wanted nothing to do with Animal Bio or A&P for that reason.I recall there being dissections in HS and college general Bio, but I observed from a distance. So, I don’t think it’s necessary unless you want to do it.

[Alice]

I teach A&P at our co-op and we do three dissections. I was a Bio major and did a bunch in high school and college.  I think they have value. But..I also think it’s fine to opt out. I think most public and private high schools have opt-out options these days. At least the ones around here do. So I don’t know that I would make 7th graders do dissections that they aren’t that interested in just for the potential of doing them one day in high school. It’s also fine to do them for the first time in high school. 

 

If they were interested in the class I’d say go for it. But I don’t it’s necessary to prep for high school bio.