Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers

Honest. Quirky. Real. Practical tips, candid reviews, and stereotype-smashing humor for homeschooling families.

Honest. Quirky. Real. Practical tips, candid reviews, and stereotype-smashing humor for homeschooling families.

100+ Things To Look At Under The Microscope (That You Already Have At Home)

By Adrienne Bolton

If you need to get your kids interested in the microscope, this list of 100+ things to look at under the microscope is full of stuff you have at home!

Written by Adrienne Bolton of Adrienne Bolton.

Who needs to make science a little more fun? Would a bucket list of over 1oo things to look at under the microscope help?

Do you own a microscope? I invested in one years ago when my oldest started taking biology. It’s spent more time in the box than out, but I’m looking for ways to spark some science interest around here.

100+ Things To Look At Under The Microscope

Whenever I decide to get it out and set it up, no one seems to be able to resist the urge to sneak a peek.

Learning the ins and outs of the microscope is a useful skill if your child plans to take any biology or higher-level science. In-person labs can be intimidating when there’s a bunch of other students breathing down your neck for their turn at the lens. It’s essential to get familiar with using the microscope now.

To help make the lab a little more laughable (and hopefully memorable), I created a microscope bucket list of sorts. (Scroll to the bottom for a free printable version.)

Full disclaimer: some of this list is gross. I’m sorry. We’ve already established I’m weird, so you’re reading at your own risk. [Read more…]

How to Crush Homeschool High School Science (Even If Your Kid Hates Chemistry)

By Kris Bales

You know that scene in Indiana Jones when he looks into the pit where the ark is hidden and groans, “Snakes. Why did it have to be snakes?”

That’s kind of how my kid felt about chemistry, complete with groaning, sweating, and that glassy-eyed stare. Okay, maybe not the sweating.

And, that low, guttural moan? That might have been me as the vision of playing nagging schoolmarm for another year flitted through my head.

How to Crush Homeschool High School Science (Even If Your Kid Hates Chemistry)

But, y’all, I’ve been doing this homeschooling thing since before Facebook hit the Internet. Yeah, let that sink in a minute. Suffice it to say that I’m over doing what we’re “supposed” to do just because we’re “supposed” to do it. So, I went looking for a high school level science class that would capture my teen’s attention.

I found Apologia’s Exploring Creation with Marine Biology. Winner, winner, chicken dinner, y’all!

What Is Exploring Creation with Marine Biology?

Exploring Creation with Marine Biology is a high school level, college-prep, lab science. It checks all the boxes to make umbrella schools, portfolio reviewers, and college admissions folks happy while still being a captivating course that excites my teen. (Just like the health course, which is, hands-down, Megan’s favorite subject this year.)

Its sixteen modules cover topics such as:

  • Ocean geography
  • Sea life processes (such as nutrition, respiration, and reproduction)
  • Marine vertebrates and invertebrates
  • Ecology
  • The ocean’s zones (which provides an excuse to watch Finding Nemo and listen to Mr. Ray sing the zones of the oceans song)
  • Ocean resources
  • Human impact on the sea

Each module contains at least one experiment, including dissection labs later in the course.

Marine Biology presents a complex topic in an engaging, conversational manner using a hardback textbook with colorful, informative illustrations and an optional spiral-bound student notebook.

Marine Biology Review

We chose the Superset, which also comes with the solutions and test manual,  an audio CD, and a DVD. I love that Apologia offers so many options for all learning types! I got the audio CD for Megan because I thought she might prefer listening and following along in the text. However, we’ve found that the student book is engaging enough to keep her interest without the CD.

The DVD was totally and completely for me. I need to see how those labs are supposed to go, y’all. And, both the CD and DVD are excellent for learning correct pronunciations of technical terms. {ahem}

Here’s a sample from the DVD:

How to Use Marine Biology

Exploring Creation with Marine Biology was designed for high school students who have completed a biology course. It’s written to the student so it can easily be completed independently, which is what we do.

The student book is technically optional, but I think it’s a must-have addition to the course. First, it contains a daily lesson schedule with the whole school year planned out for you.

See? Buy the student notebook! That’s all the reason you need.

Marine Biology Review

But, if you really need to know more about the student notebook, it contains:

  • Lots of space for taking notes and tips for how to take them
  • Grading charts and a rubric for grading experiments
  • All the On Your Own questions and space to answer them
  • Study Guide questions
  • Optional summary reviews
  • Lab reports section for all labs
  • Tips for presenting a research poster

The student textbook also contains the details for accessing the “book extras” site where students will find links to helpful websites and videos for each module and a video by Marine Biology author, Sherri Seligson, on how to write a lab report.

Thanks to the daily lesson schedule in the student notebook, planning is easy-peasy. I just plug the assignments into Megan’s assignment sheet, and she completes the lessons on her own. I watch the DVD if I need to catch up.

How to Crush Homeschool High School Science (Even If Your Kid Hates Chemistry)

More Reasons to Love Exploring Creation with Marine Biology

I really only need one or two reasons to love Exploring Creation with Marine Biology. First, my teen loves it. Second, it meets our needs for a high school level lab science.

Even though I only need the two reasons to love it, there are many more. For one, the student textbook is packed with useful, easily-accessible information for students and their homeschooling mamas (and dads).

Vocabulary words are defined in bold, off-set text. There are insets throughout the book with additional facts and points to ponder. My favorites are the Creation Connection sections that look at how scientific facts relate to scripture and creation.

You’ll also find:

  • Answers to the On Your Own questions
  • Glossary (Tell me I’m not the only one who loves a glossary, so you know exactly which definition your student needs to know.)
  • An appendix with reference figures and tables that is as interesting as it is helpful
  • Module summaries
  • A complete list of lab supplies you’ll need

If you’re looking for a high school level science lab that’s a little different from the biology/chemistry/physics routine, but still meets the need for a college-prep lab science, check out Exploring Creation with Marine Biology. Even my probably-not-college-bound teen loves and recommends it.

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Exploring Creation with Health and Nutrition: A Homeschool Health Course for High School

By Kris Bales

I was having such a hard time finding a good homeschool health curriculum that it was actually on my to-do list to either write or piece together my own this year.

I’m so glad Apologia beat me to it! I’m pretty sure my teenager is, too.

Exploring Creation with Health and Nutrition: A Health Course for Homeschooling High School

I was ecstatic to discover Apologia’s new health course, Exploring Creation with Health and Nutrition. Megan and I agreed that not only did it look like it’d meet our needs for high school health credit, but it also seemed interesting.

Apologia’s Exploring Creation with Health and Nutrition is not only teen-approved, but it’s also my teen’s favorite subject. And, not just this year. It’s her all-time favorite in her entire homeschooled existence. It isn’t the lesser of the evils. She enjoys it! That probably tells you all you need to know and I could end my review right there.

But I won’t. Because, you know, I like to gush about the curriculum we love. Let the gushing begin.

Apologia’s Exploring Creation with Health and Nutrition is not only teen-approved, but it’s also my teen’s favorite subject. And, not just this year. It’s her all-time favorite in her entire homeschooled existence.Click to Tweet

What Is Apologia’s Homeschool Health Course?

Exploring Creation with Health and Nutrition is complete one- to two-semester high school level health course written from a Christian worldview. A beautifully-illustrated (except for the frostbitten toe – that’s kind of gross) hardback book and spiral-bound student notebook guide students through the course.

It’s made up of 15 modules with a suggested schedule of three days each week for a total of 34 weeks.

homeschool high school health curriculum

Topics covered include:

  • Genetics and temperament (This one fascinated both of us!)
  • Physical influences on thoughts and feeling
  • Mental health
  • Interpersonal relationships
  • Nutrition and hydration
  • Diet and exercise
  • How the body fights infection
  • Sexual reproduction

I love the topics covered in this course! It focuses not just on physical health, but also on emotional, mental, and spiritual health.

Due to several mental health issues we face in our family, I am passionate about removing the stigma associated with mental illness so that people treat them with the same dignity and respect afforded physical illnesses. Apologia’s health course tackles mental health issues openly, honestly, and respectfully.

If you’re a little hesitant about covering the topic of sexual reproduction, don’t worry. Apologia saved it for last. That allows you to skip it if you don’t feel that your student is mature enough for it, or work up your personal fortitude to cover the topic.

Health and nutrition high school

I’ll just butt in here and say that they’re learning it somewhere. It might as well be from you with accurate information. They always know more than we think they know. My son may or may not have had to educate a male friend or two on the female menstrual cycle because with two sisters who have no filter he knows way more than he ever wanted to on the subject. {ahem}

Moving along.

What’s So Great About the Homeschool Health and Nutrition Student Notebook?

I’m not sure who loves the student notebook more – Megan or I. Why would I, the parent, care about the student notebook, you ask. Three words: suggested daily schedule.

Yes, the entire schedule for the year is written out for me.

Apologia's Exploring Creation with Health and Nutrition is the perfect high school level homeschool health course for Christian families. It's engaging, beautifully-illustrated, and well-written. It's my teen's favorite homeschooling course - ever!

No guessing. No counting pages. Just, “Hey, Megan, it’s Week 4. Pick three days this week to work on the Week 4 activities.” Boom. Lesson planning is complete.

As if the schedule weren’t enough, there is a section for grading that includes:

  • A grading rubric for projects
  • Samples for figuring grades
  • A chart for recording grades (including suggested weights for each grade)
  • A spot to figure and record the student’s final grade

Then, there is the rest of the notebook, which is just for students. The section for each module includes:

  • Space for taking notes
  • The On Your Own questions with room for students to record their answers
  • Student projects
  • Study guide for the module assessment

Apologia includes the module exams in the back of the student workbook. The answer key for the student workbook is available online, along with other course extras, with the details for accessing located in the textbook.

You can visit Homeschooling 101 to download a free health activity book that contains samples from Health and Nutrition if you want to check it out and get a feel for what the course is like.

Would We Recommend Exploring Creation with Health and Nutrition?

Without a doubt. Well, unless you’re a secular family. If you are, this course probably isn’t for you, but if you’re a Christian family with students in 8th-12th grades, Megan and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this homeschool health course.

Homeschool health and nutrition

Megan says it’s interesting and fun. She said the questions in the student notebook are great for making sure that you read and comprehended the material without being so rigorous that they make you feel stupid.

The projects are thorough and engaging without being time intensive and mentally exhausting. They encourage students to get to know themselves through activities such as food and sleep logs, learning to set boundaries, and beginning an exercise routine. They even encourage teens to do something they’ve never done before such as minor car maintenance or learning to play an instrument.

Exploring Creation with Health and Nutrition: A Health Course for Homeschooling High School

I like Exploring Creation with Health and Nutrition because it meets our needs for a high school level health class and I didn’t have to write it myself. I love Exploring Creation with Health and Nutrition because Megan loves it. She is engaged and excited. What more could you ask for from homeschool curriculum?

I like Exploring Creation with Health and Nutrition because it meets our needs for a high school level health class and I didn’t have to write it myself. I love Exploring Creation with Health and Nutrition because Megan loves it. She is engaged and excited. Click to Tweet

If you’ve got high school students, I encourage you to add this high school health course to your curriculum this year. You can purchase it from Apologia’s website or other homeschool curriculum vendors who carry Apologia products.

Win Apologia’s Health and Nutrition Course

You can also enter to be one of two winners who will receive the Exploring Creation with Health and Nutrition basic set. Follow the directions on the RaffleCopter widget below to enter. This giveaway is administered by Apologia and hosted on multiple blogs.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Generation Genius: Engaging Science Lessons for Grades 3-5

By Kris Bales

If you’re looking for an engaging, fun, hands-on way to supplement your upper elementary science lessons or a fantastic spine for building on, you have got to check out Generation Genius.

These elementary-level science videos featuring Dr. Jeff Vinokur, The Dancing Scientist, will capture your kids’ attention and make learning fun.

Generation Genius: Engaging Science Lessons for Grades 3-5

What Is Generation Genius?

Generation Genius is a subscription video streaming service that focuses on science topics for kids in grades 3-5 and presents them in an engaging, easy-to-understand way. And, the videos aren’t just entertaining for kids. While there is plenty of kid-friendly silliness the may elicit some eye-rolling from parents, the topics and their presentation are interesting for all ages.

I sat and watched three videos in a row with no kids anywhere in sight. (Yes, I learned stuff.)

Generation Genius: Engaging Science Lessons for Grades 3-5

Each video is about 12 minutes long and focuses on a specific topic such as:

  • Chemical and physical changes
  • Variation of traits
  • The moon and its phases
  • Animal and plant life cycles
  • The structure of living things
  • Food webs
  • The sun and other stars

In fact, the Generation Genius videos cover all of the Next Generation Science Standards. I know a lot of homeschooling families won’t necessarily care about that statistic, but I wanted to include it because it tells me that if you’re covering a topic in your science lessons, there’s probably a Generation Genius lesson to go with it.

And, I say “lesson” rather than “video” because Generation Genius is much more than just a collection of videos.

Generation Genius Review

Science Lessons for Grades 3-5

Each Generation Genius video lesson introduces a concept then explains it through related demonstrations. The demonstration is followed by a real-world segment which relates the lesson’s concept to real-world applications and a DIY segment which is a related hands-on activity that kids can do at home.

Generation Genius Review

Each video also includes lesson materials for the video’s topic. Lesson materials include:

  • An overview of learning objectives
  • Discussion questions
  • Vocabulary
  • DIY activity guide
  • Lesson plan
  • Teacher guide
  • Quiz (not available in individual subscription)

Generation Genius is secular so Christian families may wish to preview the videos to identify talking points or determine suitability for your children.

Generation Genius Review

How to Use Generation Genius

The Generation Genius site states that it is intended to be a supplemental resource for teaching science. It would be fantastic for viewing videos (and doing the activities) on topics as they come up in your science lessons.

Generation Genius will also make a useful resource for families who are a bit more eclectic and interest-led because the videos, lesson plans, and activities create a fantastic jumping-off point for further research and discussion.

Generation Genius: Engaging Science Lessons for Grades 3-5

If you’ve got kids in grades 3-5, check out Generation Genius! There is a sample video lesson on the homepage so you can watch the video and view all the lesson materials that go with it. Currently, there are 36 video lessons in total – enough for the whole school year!

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How to Homeschool Science in Middle School and High School

By Kris Bales

You know what some of the most high-interest subjects with young kids are? Science topics. Young children want to know how and why things work. One of our favorite unit studies ever was on the human body. Little kids love learning about their bodies – space and bugs and volcanoes and…

That’s why books and shows such as The Magic School Bus and The Magic Treehouse are so popular. The “magic” is science. (And sometimes history with The Magic Schoolbus.)

How to Homeschool in Middle School and High School

How Science Becomes Boring

Then, kids get to middle school and high school level, and science becomes boring. It’s not that the magic changes. It’s that we have a tendency to suck all the fun out of it – especially at the high school level.

I’m one of those kids who actually enjoyed high school biology – and I bet I’m not alone – but many teens do not enjoy middle school and high school level science.

There are three ways that we manage to take an amazing topic like science and make it boring.

  1. Switching from captivating books to dry textbooks
  2. Not offering enough hands-on learning
  3. Trying to squeeze teens into a college-bound box, rather than allowing interest-led exploration

There are ways to teach middle school and high school science without draining all the life out of otherwise fascinating topics.

Alternatives to Science Textbooks

Unless you are a particularly science-minded parent, it’s probably difficult to teach the subject without a textbook at all. However, that doesn’t mean you have to depend on it exclusively. Instead, use the book as your spine and:

Supplement with videos. We’ve used and enjoyed Biology 101 and Chemistry 101. We also really enjoy most of the Crash Course videos. (Parents may want to preview these.) And, of course, you can check your local library, Netflix, or Amazon Prime options.

Supplement with books. Let’s just say I wish I’d known about Gregor Mendel: The Friar Who Grew Peas the first time we studied genetics. Yes, it’s a book for younger kids, but don’t discount those. Juvenile books can make a great quick reference book for older kids (and adults) because they tend to strip down the information to the bare essentials making it easy to understand.

You can also add in other types of living books and field guides.

Try online classes. Online courses offer video-based, interactive lessons. If the online classes are live, students also have the opportunity to work with other homeschooled kids. Some resources for live online classes include My Fun Science, CurrClick Live, Apologia Live, and The Academy at Bright Ideas Press (both live and self-paced classes).

Last year, Megan study astronomy with the Experience Astronomy online course. It’s not a live course, but once it starts, a new video lesson comes out each week. There is a field guide with hands-on activities to do with most lessons and a weekly quiz – and I didn’t have to teach anything!

Experience Astronomy

Consider dual enrollment. Yes, dual enrollment will probably bring you back around to dry textbooks, but the class options may offer more variety and be more appealing than what you’re able to provide in your homeschool.

Options for Hands-on Middle School and High School Science

Hands-on science activities can get more expensive – and dangerous – as kids reach middle school and high school age. Still, science labs and experiments are a huge part of keeping the magic of science alive. Try the following ideas for continuing hands-on learning in middle school and high school.

Purchase the right supplies. By the time your teens are in high school, gone are the days when you could complete science lab with household supplies. It’s a good idea to determine what you really need and invest in quality supplies when you can.

Home Science Tools sells a wide variety of science supplies for homeschoolers. We’ve purchased beakers and test tubes from them. They also sell lab kits for many popular science programs, such as Apologia, REAL Science Odyssey, Switched-on-School, and BJU.

Christian Book Distributors is another great resource for Apologia science kits. It’s also where we bought our microscope. You might also try a subscription service like MEL Chemistry.

Try a Co-op. Co-ops are a great option for science lab classes because they usually have all the pricey equipment (like microscopes and Bunsen burners) and can often get group discounts on other supplies.

You don’t have to do a large co-op, though. You can get together once a week with another family or two for science labs, with the students doing the other work on their own at home. That’s an excellent way to stay accountable and share the cost of supplies.

Look for options online. If you absolutely can’t do a lab yourself, there is likely a YouTube video you can watch. There are lots of virtual dissection options online, and this interactive period table is pretty cool.

How to Homeschool in Middle School and High School

Seek out local options. Check for intern, volunteer, or student programs at zoos, aquariums, farms, marine centers, veterinary offices, etc.

Alternatives to Traditional High School Science

One mistake many homeschooling parents (including me) make is trying to force teens into a traditional mold once it’s time to start considering high school credits. Not every teen – even those who are college-bound – needs to take biology, chemistry, and physics.

Consider your teen’s interests when planning their high school science courses. Then, check with potential colleges and universities to see what other science courses are acceptable for incoming freshmen.

Some alternate science courses to consider are:

  • Marine Biology
  • Botany
  • Zoology
  • Astronomy
  • Forensic Science
  • Animal Sciences
  • Meteorology
  • Horticulture
  • Geology

Most colleges expect to see at least three lab sciences, but there is often room for interest-led learning within those parameters. In addition to providing a more engaging and personalized high school experience, following your teen’s interests with science credit may just help him stand out in the crowd of college applicants.

What are some of the ways you’ve kept middle school and high school science interesting?

Experience Astronomy