How can I teach biology to a homeschool student?

Question

I run an in-home tutoring company. A client has asked me to provide a biology tutor for a 9th-grade student, and she wants the curriculum to include lab work. I'm not sure how to begin. I am accustomed to hiring tutors, but how do I provide lab work?

Answer 1

I say get the Campbell's Biology book.

It's what's being used in high school and freshman college.

If the student get everything in there, they'll pass any Advanced Placement Biology exam and pass freshman college classes.

I did.  I wasn't homeschool.  It was a good book.

Answer 2

We didn't do any lab work in either High School Biology 1 or 2.

Lab work was in the AP Chemistry and Physics.

Some Biology teachers did do the frog dissection.

You can possibly do work with a microscope and slides of insects, identifying the parts of the insects.  Pre-made slides are readily available.

I really can't think of any lab work that isn't midly dangerous (like drawing blood), painful or gross.

You can try pond water with a microscope and maybe see some paramecium.  We tried that in elementary school, but we never saw any.

Answer 3

Ninth grade lab usually backs up what is being learned in the class...starting with the scientific method, observation being the key point, learning how to observe, keep data and report data. Dissection isn't usually done in 9th grade unless it's an advanced placement biology. Tenth grade is more of the physical sciences.

Lab would study water cycle, and perhaps boiling points, freezing points. Study conservation of such.

Photosynthesis, and observations of plant, how they do in dark compared to light, tainted water compared to fresh, etc.

So much depends on what they are learning in the class section, so I'd go through that, topic by topic, and google 'science projects (topic)'. It's almost impossible for someone who does NOT have the curriculum to design a lab for it.

Answer 4

The lab work would depend on the biology course done or text used. Dissection is lab work that doesn't require having a permanent lab in place. Some decent microscopes are still portable and could be used to look at various specimens. There are simple labs that can be done in a home for permeable membrane demonstrations and more.

It CAN be done but would definitely require more work on the tutor's part and s/he should be paid accordingly. If it feels really too cumbersome, then don't be afraid to say that is just can't be done at this point.

Answer 5

dont know. forget lab work , work in the bloody kitchen. get her to change to domestic home studies and become a chef noveau.

Answer 6

Argh.  

School is less about learning the three R's (reading, 'riting, 'rithmatic).  It's about learning how to be a human.  This involves interacting with other children their age.  Ever noticed how home-schooled children are usually a little... odd?  They're missing out on the most important lessons in life.  Home schoolers are already behind because they're missing out on the most important thing schools have to offer - socialization, and if you can't even provide basic information like biology, well, the kids are at a serious disadvantage in life.  Public schools aren't great, but home schooling is worse.

Answer 7

Well the things you will need for a Biology lab would be a good microscope and dissection tools. If you have your kitchen available that is good too. I would order a good curriculm book to work out of. You may be able to find lessons on the internet for free, but the microscope will be the main thing you will need. These items can be pricey. A good microscope can set you back $250. I would suggest you make a list of the costs and let the parent pay for these.

Answer 8

I did the biology provided by A beka for grade 10 with seven grade 9 students in our little private school.  For lab work we dissected a pigs heart (bought from a butcher) which is a lot like a human heart.  We did diagrams and drew pictures of hair follicles, eyes, lungs, lymphatic systems etc...  We went out and picked up different leaves and studied the veins etc... and drew them.  We learned to take our pulse using a stethoscope.  You could also incorporate CPR, splints, and how to handle big gashes into your course and practice them on dolls or something.    Hope this helps.

Answer 9

The most important part of lab work in biology at the high school level is learning how to use a microscope: different magnifications, looking at slides, and making your own slides.  You can find microscope sets at the Toys R Us for $25-30.  You could purchase this and have your client rent it, or make them purchase it as part of the tutoring cost.  I would do the latter, because the student may want to do more exploration on their own once they know the basic use.

Anyone who you feel is qualified to teach biology should be able to teach about using a basic microscope.  Obviously, the microscope is not something that needs to be incorporated in to every lesson just relevant ones, like cell structure and micro-organisms.

Dissection is usually a part of high school biology, as others have mentioned.  The pig heart idea from the butcher may be the easiest and most relevant to the student.  And some of the microscope sets already include a scalpel and other tools for basic dissection.  You'll just have to find a tutor willing to take on overseeing the dissection or do it yourself.  Again, you can charge extra for the extra cost and work of finding a butcher and purchasing the pig's heart and a cheap baking pan to dissect it in.

Good luck!!

Answer 10

I'm not sure if the tutor or the parents provide the curriculum, but there are lab work kits that can be purchased to go with biology.  When I did it, I disected a rat.  You can do this with a frog or a fish, too.  Other types of lab work that can go with biology is making models of cells, looking at things under a microscope, looking at flowers and watching how they develope.  There's all sorts of things you can do.

Answer 11

A BIG THANK YOU from this homeschool mom for being an Educator who won't 'second guess' a parents choice.

Now to try and answer your question.

Lab work for both Biology AND Chemistry can be tricky to say the least.

It would be a good idea to purchase some different styles of Microscopes that can be 'rented' by the parent for the coursework (if they like it they can go purchase one for their child). Target and Toys R Us carry a nice selection for a decent price. Target (at least where I am) has been known to carry a lot of different things for Science, or you can try a Parent-Teacher store (like ACE Educational) **but they usually charge more $$*** and at times, Walmart carries some good science kits. I found one that deals with Frog Disection, that my daughter can use over and over without actually harming a REAL frog (Synthetic Frog Dissection Lab Kit by Smithsonian(yep the Museum)). There is also a website for Owl Pellet Dissection called www.OBDK.com ( a lot cleaner than the real thing). Also try www.zoomscience.com--we got an eyeball from them to cut apart (gag factor is high but very educational otherwise).

Also try www.ScienceCastle.com, they do online science and someone might be able to direct you. Krampf.com might also be of some use and you can contact Robert Krampf at [e-mail]--he works with the school system dealing with science and might be able to direct you to a good source (my daughter LOVES his experiments).

Another place to check is your local Science Museum since they (on occasion) may run classes during the school year that homeschoolers can take advantage of.

BTW my daughter is only in the 3rd grade, but she loves to do hands-on experiements especially in Biology and I don't squash her as she wants to be a Palentologist after she graduates (dear old mom just has to make sure that she can back up what she says or get seriously razed).

Answer 12

These sites may help.

Description:

The biology lab kit promotes the development of scientific literacy and inquiry associated with biology. The scientific method is demonstrated through 13 various activities including analysis, dissections and microscope probes.

Answer 13

There are biology curricula that are designed for homeschool, labs and all.  The labs are set up to be done with a microscope, dissection kit, and specimens that can all be ordered online.   With some curricula, you can also get a CDRom that shows the labs being done, so that the student has audiovisual guidance, and can go back through anything they don't understand.  (Apologia has this, I know that others do as well.)

The lab work for bio wouldn't have to be anything huge or extreme; in high school, other than dissection, we didn't do an inordinate amount of lab work until Chem.  The tutor could be on hand for all or some of the lab work, and/or the student (depending on how strong a student they are) can be responsible for completing and reporting on various labs themselves.

Here are some sites that offer homeschool bio curricula, there are others out there as well.  I just googled "homeschool biology course".  Please note the sites also include some elementary courses.

http://www.homeschooldiscount.com/hsp/bi...

http://www.homeschoolingfromtheheart.com...

http://rainbowresource.com/prodlist.php?...

http://www.aw-bc.com/campbell/

http://www.biology.com/

Some of these listed include Christian/creationist courses as well as secular/evolutionary courses, and some of them are one or the other.  I don't know which viewpoint the family is coming from, so I included both.  The mom may want to have some options as far as curriculum chosen.

And thank you for your professional attitude toward your student and their family - it's refreshing to see!

Good luck!