How do home schooled students do science experiments that require special equipment?

Question

Chemistry, dissections for biology, etc. Do the parents do it themselves at home? What if the parent doesn't know how to dissect a frog or mix chemicals without blowing the place up???

Answer 1

We, the parents, buy the materials at the same supply houses as the schools.  We, the parents, have generally done these experiments, dissections, prepped lab slides, etc. ourselves at some point in our education since we DID go to school and or college, and or have advanced degrees.  

We sometimes share expensive equipment in cooperatives and frequently prepped slides.  We follow instructions carefully and have emergency equipment available in case someone has an accident.  And often times a parent in the group who happens to be a scientist or doctor or professor can sometimes allow us access to a lab for fee.  Especially if the student is working at an AP level.

Long answer short:    the same way you do it in school.  

And if you are a homeschooling parent wondering how to get started, try Home Training Tools website for supplies and guides and texts.  Also SK & Boreal Laboratories for elementary and secondary supplies.

Answer 2

Well, since we're not attempting to split the atom, and we can actually read directions...we do it ourselves.  Many textbook publishers sell (or link to sites that sell) accompanying lab kits, so we have access to the same lab contents that schools offer.  

We don't need to set up a lab with 8-12 different stations, since there aren't 20-30 kids in the class.  Dissecting a frog isn't really all that hard...my 9yo knows how to do it from virtual dissection software.  And quite frankly, I think I'm probably capable of reading the same textbook that I give my child...the one that includes the directions for mixing chemicals.

Answer 3

Many experiments can be done at home (including dissections).  Most homeschool families own beakers and microscopes and telescopes.  Nearby science museums, homeschool coops, community colleges are also good resources for a child to get their lab experience.

Answer 4

I bought everything my son needed for high school biology. We dissect things, use the microscope and do very normal lab experiments.

If I didn't, I would utilize an outside source for this, like a tutoring service or an academy that offered biology in its courses.

Answer 5

We  do what the teachers in school do:  Read the instructions.

Answer 6

You can't set up a chemistry lab in your kitchen.  You'd have to speak with the principal at the local public school to ask to use their lab for an hour.

Answer 7

LOL, it's not exactly rocket science.

Well, unless, of course, you are studying rocket science!!

As other homeschool moms have stated, oh so eloquently,

we do what the teachers do READ THE INSTRUCTIONS. None of my friends that are teachers have reported on taking a course entitled "How to keep from blowing up the school 101" so I'm assuming they, too, use common sense.

Hilarious!

Some families get together and share materials and expenses, some families belong to co-ops that give them access to many many things, and some homeschool supply stores rent equipment and can order just about anything from gross frogs to scary chemicals.

As I type, my bff has a baby pig and a frog and probably some other disgusting thing ready to be dissected sitting on her bookshelf.

bleh.

I like virtual labs myself when it comes to dissection.

But I'm TOTALLY  in to attempting to blow up my kitchen from time to time!

Answer 8

Buy the equipment, read the instructions, do the experiments

or

Take a class at a community college

or

Join a co-op

or

Check a local museum.

Many museums offer homeschool science labs, as well as art classes.

Answer 9

OK, that is a tough one.  They won't exactly let you BUY ETHER, you're right on that one.

Maybe go to the local Comminity or State College and ask one of the Biology Professors.

Maybe go see if the Lab Students will let you look over their shoulders as they work (YOU have to behave and be adult!).

Maybe they are squeemish and you can do the work and they get the College Credit and you get the HS experience!

You have to be devious and think on your feet!

Answer 10

You can find some sets online or in education catalogs that include everything you need.  Some you buy, some you rent.  Also at some public libraries you can find experiment kits.

Answer 11

There are a number of safe chemistry sets out there that will give at least a general lab experience. Because of the dangers involved and increasing class sizes where I live, a lot of labs AREN'T done; some classes don't get to do ANY labs and just have the odd demo here and there.

We have a local homeschool group that has yearly basic dissections--so those of us who are too queasy to do it ourselves can have our kids do it with them. We also have to register with school boards here and sometimes the school boards make things available.

That said, correspondence learning has been approved by our province for ages; the high school chemistry courses do NOT include dangerous labs or things requiring expensive specialized instruments. These students still get into university because even if they can't do a dangerous lab, they're still required to learn lab procedures and safety, how to write up lab reports, etc.

Answer 12

We co-opped for many of the science courses. This lets the families go in together on the purchase of some of the more expensive equipment or buy some materials in bulk. Once the equipment is bought, it gets reused year after year, so the long-term investment is quite reasonable.

The how-to-do-it part is not a problem. There are plenty of suppliers, curriculum, and online resources that give adequate details.

A few families will sign their kids up for community college classes to have the lab component. You can typically even sign up for the lab separate from the lecture course.

Answer 13

I am in total agreement with heartintennessee. Just want to reintegrate that we are smart enough to figure out projects OR smart enough to seek out help from others when necessary.

Answer 14

As others have said, you order the materials yourself, join a co-op or do virtual dissections.

One thing others haven't mentioned yet is taking lab courses at a community college.  Many students can forgo high school lab courses and just jump right into community college at high school ages.

Answer 15

My parents just buy the supplies from the same places the school gets them, or from homeschool websites that sell the same materials in smaller quantities and at a discount. We have beakers, graduated cylinders, flasks, test tubes, stoppers, an alcohol burner, test papers, basically everything we need for our chemistry labs. And we buy the chemicals in small ammounts as we need them. As I reach the end of a unit of study we look ahead to the next unit and figure out exaclty what we'll need for the lab. If there are things we can just get at the hardware store, we do. Other things we get online or at specialty stores.

When I was taking Biology, we got disection kits that included the organism to be disected, the materials, and instructions. It's not that hard. Non-homeschoolers tend to forget sometimes that teachers are ordinary people too.

Answer 16

We buy the same materials, microscope, and safety equipment schools do.

http://www.hometrainingtools.com/

We read the instructions like any other teacher.

When we decided to dissect pigs, we got a larger group together, bought what we needed in bulk, and organized a class; one of the moms was the instructor, many of us were the helpers; it's as simple as that.

When the children want a more advanced class they can take one at the local community college.

Answer 17

look up apologia.com or sonlight.com for sonlight science. they pretty much provide everything.