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Angie Mc
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| Posted: Sept 08 2011 at 5:56pm | IP Logged
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My dh, who was a bio major, is putting together a Biology course to do with my ds. (We aren't interested in a co-op.) I searched online and didn't find anything that stood out. I searched here quickly and will need to read more later. We're hoping to find 20 biology labs that are great! What's great? Can you all help us to decide?!
We'll need to set a reasonable budget and look for ways to stretch our money. We are willing to invest in equipment and search our community for renting options.
We'll need to do some basic labs that look traditional on a transcript.
My ds is curious by nature and a hard worker but science is at the bottom of his interests. Less is more and any cool factor is appreciated.
I'd like for him to do some online labs as well, just to gain that experience.
Thanks for any help and I'll be back to tell you what we find.
Love,
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Angie Mc
Maimeo to Henry! Dave's wife, mom to Mrs. Devin+Michael Pope, Aiden 20,Ian 17,John Paul 11,Catherine (heaven 6/07)
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Mackfam
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| Posted: Sept 08 2011 at 6:51pm | IP Logged
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Angie,
I don't have time to link to each choice individually, but I did some compiling of these resources for my dd, who is also studying Biology this year, on a blog (which is used more as a collection/communication device for the two of us for this course). You'll find all of them collected and linked at: Biology: Panorama of Life. I found a number of interesting (free/online) resources; these are all linked directly from the sidebar. Many of the resources fit your request.
We're also completing a few labs based on some ideas found in Amateur Naturalist by Lee and Gerald Durell since that is my dd's personal interest.
Finally, we'll choose a couple of basic labs from Castle Heights Press' Experiences In Biology lab manual. If you're looking for something straightforward, doable, and that looks, walks and quacks like a typical high school Biology lab experience, the Castle Heights Press lab manual is probably a good bet. It is not loaded with complicated, out of the way, needed materials. It assumes a home school setting and a primarily student-driven experience. And for the most part, explanations and instruction is clear and workable.
Good luck deciding and compiling workable tools. 
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19 , ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
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Angie Mc
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| Posted: Sept 08 2011 at 10:47pm | IP Logged
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Jen, you spoil me again with your blog sharing combined with your love for science! While I tool around I'm going to consolidate options here so Dave can check them out 
1. How to extract DNA at home, pencil drawings are engaging, directions are streamlined. Needed: glass, water, table salt, dish soap, alcohol, magnifying glass.
Love,
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Angie Mc
Maimeo to Henry! Dave's wife, mom to Mrs. Devin+Michael Pope, Aiden 20,Ian 17,John Paul 11,Catherine (heaven 6/07)
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MichelleW
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| Posted: Sept 09 2011 at 12:51am | IP Logged
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Angie,
I have been working on a HS level biology course for my kids this past month. So far my two favorite resources for labs have been the Castle Heights book mentioned above and Biology Inquiries. This second book I requested through Interlibrary Loan because I figured it would be written for classrooms and would therefor be of limited value. I am very much enjoying it, but glad I didn't buy it.
I have arranged our course as an inquiry by life process, so it is a bit out of order of most traditional courses. So far, these are the labs we are doing:
1. The traditional microscopy training (using the letter 'e' and a dollar bill) with the field microscope (dissecting microscope).
2. Comparing animal cells to plant cells (cheek, onion membrane)
3. Several photosynthesis labs from Castle Heights that test for the presence of glucose in mashed leaves. We test leaves that have received various amounts of light and see how much glucose has been produced.
4. Lab that tests the effect of amylase (enzyme in spit that breaks down starch) on digestion (cooked rice). This one was something I found online somewhere and then rewrote.
5. Microscope observation: protista feeding.
6. Lab that tests some factors that influence enzyme function using catalase and hydrogen peroxide.
7. A Castle Heights lab that measures the amount of carbon dioxide expelled at different levels of exercise by measuring carbonic acid.
8. Inquiry lab where student exposes onion cells to various salt solutions until they find one that represents osmotic equilibrium.
That is all I have at this point in terms of labs. We are covering biology in this order:
nutrition
respiration
excretion
transport
regulation
synthesis
growth
reproduction
For each life process we study that process in all organisms. So, when we do nutrition we study the way certain representative animals acquire nutrients, then plants, then fungi, protista, etc. Then we look at the way a cell acquires nutrients. Then we do the same thing for each subsequent life process. That way we are constantly comparing the same function across organisms.
I have set up a blog, but don't want to post the link on this public forum. If you would like to see it, let me know and I can send you the link.
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Michelle
Mom to 3 (dd 14, ds 15, and ds 16)
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MaryM
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| Posted: Sept 09 2011 at 3:55am | IP Logged
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Oh this is great thread Angie - very timely. I know I can help with some ideas to share, too, but generally at this point I'm just very thankful for it's timeliness.
Angie Mc wrote:
My dh, who was a bio major, is putting together a Biology course to do with my ds. (We aren't interested in a co-op.)
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I was a bio major also...
I'm teaching a biology lab class for our new high school enrichment program starting next week. Too bad you aren't interested in a co-op he could come to ours and we'd have Rockies games field trips in the afternoon  .
Anyway back to the topic... Miss Mary Procrastination will come up with only a few weeks labs at a time if left to my own devices. This list of links and resources and all the pre-planning is wonderful. Between Jen and Michelle I could be totally set in advance! Thanks for helping me pre-plan, ladies-you are AMAZING! And I'm going to give Kris a heads up so that she will hopefully respond in the thread as well - this is right up her alley and I know she has taught bio labs for their homeschool group.
MichelleW wrote:
I have arranged our course as an inquiry by life process, so it is a bit out of order of most traditional courses.
For each life process we study that process in all organisms. So, when we do nutrition we study the way certain representative animals acquire nutrients, then plants, then fungi, protista, etc. Then we look at the way a cell acquires nutrients. Then we do the same thing for each subsequent life process. That way we are constantly comparing the same function across organisms. |
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You are right that is a non-traditional approach, but very intriguing. Will love to see how that works for you this year. I'll PM you to get the blog info.
everyone!
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Mary M. in Denver
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Angie Mc
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| Posted: Sept 09 2011 at 11:32am | IP Logged
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Yea! This is AWESOME! Michelle I *love* your approach, thank you for sharing. Mary, *I'm* miss procrastination on this one. I honestly thought I could google "biology labs" and there would be a nice list of exactly what I wanted  . So much out there is for a classroom, for AP, costly, politically/philosophically off, etc.
Love,
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Angie Mc
Maimeo to Henry! Dave's wife, mom to Mrs. Devin+Michael Pope, Aiden 20,Ian 17,John Paul 11,Catherine (heaven 6/07)
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anitamarie
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We're going to be using NAVS BIOLeap materialsfor "dissection experiences". For many reasons, I cannot stomach dissecting animals in my home, so this is a good alternative. Good luck with your labs and please update us with what you find.
God Bless,
Anita
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guitarnan
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I am greedily soaking up this info, because my dd and her friend are hoping to do their 20 bio labs together next year!
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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MichelleW
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| Posted: Sept 09 2011 at 10:32pm | IP Logged
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Here (Practical Biology) is the site that had the amylase lab. It looks like it has lots of other good stuff, though I haven't combed through it in detail yet...
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Michelle
Mom to 3 (dd 14, ds 15, and ds 16)
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Kristie 4
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We used Froguts for alot of the dissections (online). It is interactive. We also just watched a heap of them on YouTube. The microscope was a hefty buy, but we bought prepared slides quite cheaply.
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Kristie in Canada
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AtHomeScience
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Hey, Michelle, I currently have Biology Inquiries out from the library. I plan on using some of the beginning stuff with my co-op but use it again when my oldest hits high school. I had to laugh, though, when I saw his suggestion for the mini-poster session--pretty much a slightly modified lap book!
And I was going to post the link for Practical Biology. You and I are on the same wavelength.
Awesome Science Teacher Resources has a lot of links, some of which are to labs.
Seredip from Bryn Mawr is a eclectic site, but it does have Hands-on Activities for Teaching Science to High School or Middle School Students.
I have other links to search engines. HowToSmile.org requires you to register for an account but has a lot of material.
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Kris, Mom to 3 rambunctious boys 
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4Real Forums : High School Years and Beyond
Topic: 20 Great Biology Labs
