Believers' Home Education Community - High School - Teaching Lab Science from Home

Believers' Home Education Community

Teaching Lab Science from Home
From a lecture delivered at ENOCH's Convention in 2002
By Kathie Donaldson

So you need a lab science? You have several choices:

You teach it
You have the student take a correspondence course
The student takes a video course
Or a class at a community college
Or one sponsored by your homeschool group

Traditional High School has:

First year: physical science
Second year: biology (which Kathy recommends being extended for two years, one as zoology and one as botany)
Third year: chemistry
Fourth year: physics

Necessary Supplies for Biology:

Microscope which has

Movable stage
3 objectives
Fine focus
Heavy base
Slides as thin as possible and 3 stains (crystal violet, carbofusion, and methylene blue)

Dissecting Kit with specimen (NASCO is a good supplier). Use a double wrapped ziploc bag for storage from day to day use. [http://www.enasco.com/dissection/]

Other recommendations:

Blood and Guts: essential for the lab
Skin and Bones
Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Comstock
Lyrical Life Science: music! [http://www.lyricallearning.com]
Access Excellence (website with experiments) [http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/]

DNA
Blood typing
Mitosis study
Plastic skeleton

Physical Science Essentials:

Litmus Tape
Electronics Kit (Radio Shack) good to let your Jr. High student explore with on own
Lenses: old glasses can also be used
Heat source (alcohol burner or a candle with a low wick and good quality)

Chemistry:

Skilcraft Chemlab 1100
Heat Source: hotplate, alcohol burner
Frank Eshelman's MicroChem Kits: Get small samples of chemical for affordability and ability to ship. Many supplies no longer ship hazardous stuff to home addresses after 9/11. This is very affordable (according to Kathy!) at $120 for the manual and chemicals at [http://www.microchemkits.com]

Earth Science: 7, 8, or 9th grade:

Sonlight Science for Seventh Grade [http://www.sonlight.com/science.html]
The Stars by H. E. Rey
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Virginia. [http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov]: It has a museum with tours but best of all if you bring your own blank video's, CD's and slides there is a curriculum area where you can copy many of their excellent resources. Dad stays and works and you and the kids visit the sites??? 301-286-8570
Bob Jones Satellite Link (not a lab course, however) [http://www.bjup.com/services/bjhomesat/]

Other Comments from Kathy:

Labwork is a necessary for appropriate placement in college.

Exploring Creation with Biology and Exploring Creation with Chemistry are very appropriate for those "non-science" students of yours (i.e. don't want to do science as a career). Dr. Jay Wile authors these. Do not use Abeka's high school science, they took out all the math!

However, Dr. Weil's Advanced Chemistry in Creation IS a good college prep course. [http://www.highschoolscience.com]

Role of Advanced Placement Exams: (AP)

These used to be the ticket to college scholarships. Grade of 6 is the highest possible. Today many students who even place a 5 aren't getting credit for the course. They are very difficult and cost $75. And no college credit is given. However, they do allow the student to take the next level of course if they do well.

SAT II Exams:

These exams are generally easier and are for specific subject areas. The exception is for languages, these are harder than the AP Exams. It seems that the colleges prefer these exams and they will give credit for excellence in the language exams if done well (since they are so difficult).

So, determine if your college of choice gives credit for AP or SAT II exams prior to taking.

Transcript Preparation:

You must specify if the science your child has taken is a lab course.
Science Fairs look good also.: There is the possibility of good prize monies for good performance at science fairs.
Participate in 4-H science activities or clubs. [http://www.nj4h.rutgers.edu]
Look for internships, even if unpaid, when there is lab experience included.: UMNDJ has a 2 day/week medical professions option where the students meet physical therapists and cadavers, etc. [http://rwjms.umdnj.edu/community_programs/high_school_students.htm]; Johns Hopkins, Rutgers: email the department heads for possible opportunities.; Some hospitals have medical explorers clubs for junior and early high school students.

Kathy recommends Inge Cannon's Education Plus for further preparation and/or Cathy Duffy's Curriculum Manual. Reminder: 5 class hrs/wk = 1 credit in HS. An advanced course would have 1½ hrs/day for 1½ credits. [http://www.edplus.com] and [http://www.cathyduffyreviews.com]

Equipping Your Kids for Real Life:

Dr. Jay Wile's Apologia Curriculum has the best defense for creation Kathy has seen. [http://www.highschoolscience.com] It is a lab science course and each experiment proves his point, although it is not a college prep course. He has online classes with The Potter's School. [http://www.pottersschool.com]

We can't equip our kids to answer every evolution point but the underlying issue in any debate with an evolutionist is " Why am I here?" Creation answers this; evolution doesn't.

Miscellaneous:

The CLEP exams are for students who are already enrolled or for those in Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and certain USA testing sites. The scores must go to a college. Thomas Edison State College and Regents can hold them for you for a time.

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25 November 2005

Teaching Lab Science from Home From a lecture delivered at ENOCH's Convention in 2002 By Kathie Donaldson