| Copyright 2006 Julie Shepherd Knapp |
| Copyright 2006 Julie Shepherd Knapp. All rights reserved. |
| about the book |
| The Homeschool Diner's Guide to Science Resources High School Biology for Homeschool: Curriculum, Courses, Labs, and Other Resources by Julie Shepherd Knapp, copyright 2006, 2007 Options for both secular and Christian approaches to high school biology-- homeschool curriculum, free online courses, online distance learning courses, text books, or "living book" options... A good curriculum makes it easy to teach high school biology at home. Choose the option that best meets your student's needs and goals. If you just aren't comfortable teaching lab science classes yourself, many homeschool organizations get together and hire a teacher to give homeschool classes in biology (as well as chemistry, and physics). Contact your local and state homeschool organizations to hook up with a nearby learning co-op. In some states, homeschoolers enroll as part-time public school students to take their lab sciences. In states where that isn't possible, students might opt to enroll part time in a private school, or take lab classes at a nearby community college. Others choose to enroll in online distance learning courses which include virtual labs or use multi-media to guide students in doing labs at home. But, teaching biology at home isn't as hard as it might sound -- homeschool curriculum usually includes enough info and lists of resources that the typical parent can manage just fine. Take a look at the "tried and true" high school biology program and lab options listed below to see what meets your needs. If you don't see what you're looking for, google "homeschool biology" and see what come up -- there are new products coming out every year! High School Biology Programs Thinkwell Biology and Thinkwell AP Level Biology-- students learn from an entertaining video series instead of a textbook, includes practice tests and chapter tests. This is the course used by the Johns Hopkins University CTY program for gifted students. You can take the course thru JHU (at a much greater cost) or purchase it independently from Thinkwell. High School Biology in Your Home -- an independent research approach to high school biology, no textbook provided, students do research on websites, in old textbooks, and using primary "living" resources. Guides students through a process of research, discovery, dissection, and experimentation. Includes resources for lots of dissections. Could be considered an Honors level Biology course. Designed by a homeschool mom who is also a biochemist. Apologia -- Christian-focused high school science program (also offers several creationist texts for all ages), conversational style text appeals to those without much science background/interest, choice of books or CD- Rom text, no tests. PA Homeschoolers AP Biology -- an online distance learning course for homeschoolers, an authorized AP course through the College Board Audit process includes virtual and multimedia assisted home labs, courses run each fall during the school year (register spring and summer before) CyberEd Biology -- CD-Rom narrated worktext includes options for Basic, Honors, and AP Biology. Currently, CyberEd is only available to homeschoolers thru pre-arranged group buys from the Homeschool Buyer's Co-op (a free buying club). This is the program used for JHU- CTY Honors level Biology (see demo there). The software includes virtual labs, but I would suggest combining it with a separate lab program from the resources listed below. College Board AP Biology Suggested Course Description -- includes book recommendations, suggested course outline Biology 1 (AP) -- free online tutorials from the National Repository of Online Classes-- a self-study AP level prep course in biology, (Biology 2 (AP) also offered.) Biology I and Biology 1 Honors - online distance learning course offered thru the Florida Virtual School, uses guided in-home labs Kendall-Hunt Publishers -- offers three standards-alligned biology textbooks suitable for college prep-- BSCS Biology: A Human Approach, BSCS Biology: An Ecological Approach, and Insights in Biology (which says it can be used for general or Honors biology) Online Biology Book -- free from Michael J. Farabee, Ph.D of Estrella Mountain Community College -- full color illustrations and text for college biology. Combine this text with a lab resource from the list below and construct your own basic or Honors Biology course. Kimball's Biology Pages -- a free online college-level Biology text, most recently published in 1994, this text is continually updated by the author (latest revisions 2009). Combine this text with a lab resource from the list below to create your own Basic or Honors level Biology course. Spectrum Science -- this is Christian-focused high school science biology curriculum (chemistry offered, too), incorporates intelligent design arguments (mostly discussed in the book's intro and conclusions), often used as part of The Well-Trained Mind approach (following the use of Rainbow Science) Life: The Science of Biology -- a college-level biology book that can be used as a high school AP level Biology text, the 8th Edition is offered in hardback, a 3-volume set of paperbacks, and as an ebook/CD-Rom (and is quite expensive) -- check for used copies on Amazon. (the older 7th Edition -- still an excellent book -- can be purchased used on Amazon for under $5) Alpha Omega LIFEPAC Science -- Bible-based biology curriculum, offers work text units and videos of actual science experiments. AO also offers Switched on Schoolhouse (SOS) Biology with OnDemand video and interactive multiedia University of Missouri Center for Distance and Independent Study -- offers Biology (in two units), students can enroll at any time, and have nine months to complete a course from the enrollment date (offers other high school sciences, too) Bob Jones Biology-- an intensive, Christian-focused curriculum teaches "...scientific content and method and the biblical principles necessary to interpret and apply this knowledge in a God-honoring way...", online or DVD courses may be taken thru BJU, or buy the book and materials and work independently Abeka's Biology: God’s Living Creation -- Christian-focused high school biology text that is "...built upon the firm foundation of Scriptural truth...", Teacher's Edition, Lab Manual, and lab kits available (you must register to see a catalog), used by many private Christian Schools University of California Open Access College Prep -- free online Biology and AP level Biology courses, including tutorials and simulated labs, use as courses or as prep for taking AP tests HippoCampus -- free online AP level Biology 1 and 2 courses, and a "Non-Majors Biology" that focuses more on Life Science, provided by the Monterey Institute for Technology and Education (MITE) UMASS Boston Biology 1 and 2 -- Open CourseWare from UMASS-- free online audio lectures, lecture notes, lab manual and exams, buy the textbook used, and you almost have a complete college level Biology course! Use as supplement to basic high school biology to create an Honors level course UC Berkley General Biology 1A -- Webcast Courses -- free online video or audio lectures for their current semester's General Biology Lecture and Lab Courses, (previous semesters with different professors also available!) Use as a supplement for independent research to turn a basic Biology course into an Honors level course! MIT's Introduction to Biology -- Open CourseWare from MIT -- free online video lectures from three different college level Biology 1 classes-- 7.012, 7.013, and 7.014. Each class has a different focus (see descriptions). Using these lectures as supplements to spur further independent research could turn a basic Biology course into an Honors level course. Many other biology lecture topics available. Living Books for Biology -- check out the amazing AP BIOLOGY book list prepared by a homeschool mom (scroll about half way down her Web page). The list includes non-fiction, biography, essays, and fiction. Separate Biology Lab Resources Online AP Lab Simulations -- free online videos and cool high-tech simulated lab experiences for all 12 AP Labs, from the University of California College Prep Open Access website Lab Bench Activities -- free online videos of simulated AP labs from Pearson Learning (not as high tech as the labs listed above) Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry Experiments: All Lab, No Lecture by Robert Thompson. Includes AP Chemistry Labs. [Chemistry: The Central Science, Ninth Edition by Theodore L. Brown is a good AP Chemistry companion text] Carolina Labs AP Biology Lab Manual -- prep and instructions for the 12 AP labs, designed for use with their AP Biology Lab Kits -- **note: the materials in several of the more exciting lab kits include live bacteria, etc, so the kits can't be sold to individuals. You might be able to form a small group or students, and arrange for a licensed teacher to order these materials and conduct these labs for you... Castle Heights Press -- high school biology lab manual and student data book, typical college prep experiments, including dissection, microscopes AP Lab Manual -- the official manual published by the College Board, a Teacher's Edition is also available Biology Labs Online -- a series of 12-month subscriptions to online labs -- "...interactive, inquiry-based biology simulations and exercises designed to supplement college and AP high school biology courses.", from California State University system Home Science Tools -- everything you might need for homeschool science eScience Labs Biology Kits -- kits for high school, AP, or middle school biology labs, a combination of manipulatives and experiments Carolina Biological Supply Co. -- offers specimens and kits for dissection, virtual dissection software, and experiment kits for AP Biology Science Labs in a Box -- lab manuals and complete boxes of equipment needed to do Biology labs, correlates with Bob Jones Biology, and most other formal Biology programs Science Kits and Boreal Laboratories -- equipment, kits, and supplies, including the AP Lab Manual (f Froguts -- virtual frog dissection, cow eyes, owl pellets, etc., offers a low monthly subscription fee for homeschoolers Digital Frog -- top of the line in virtual frog dissection software, offers home license to homeschoolers, uses full-motion video, narration, and detailed animations Dissection Alternatives -- a great list of virtual dissection resources from UC Davis (scroll down their page to see links) How to buy the right microscope -- a friendly tutorial on all the parts, bells and whistles available GreatScopes Microscopes -- offers several options/ price ranges for homeschool use (the company is owned by homeschool parents :-) Recommended favorite are The Paragon for close looks at live creatures, minerals, fabrics, coins, etc, and The Observer for thin slices, blood cells, slime mold, bacteria, etc. Also check out their Microscope Adventures section for some activity ideas! Other Free Online Biology Resources (for grades 9-12) Rader's Biology4Kids -- nice colorful online tutorials on many biology topics, topics start simple but increase in level as you proceed MathBench Biology Modules -- introduce students to "...the mathematical underpinnings of what they learn in introductory biology courses [but] unlike a textbook, the modules are not full of equations and proofs. Instead, we try to bring math to life using intuitive approaches, everyday situations, and even humor....", includes activities and games Young Epidemiology Students -- (9-12) free down-loadable teaching units on epidemiology and other biology topics, also an annual student competition Merlin Science -- offers a Genetics course on CD-Rom, high level science materials presented in fun way. Samples available to view. Mendel's Pea Experiment -- free activity yo learn about pea genetics Dolan DNA Learning Center -- free online tutorials on DNA and genes NIH Curriculum Supplement Series -- 2-week modules with lesson plans and activities on interesting supplemental topics in biology (cancer, infectious diseases, sleep, etc), free to download or free by mail Virtual Text -- (9 - 12) biology web modules and online texts, some free some subscription CoAST -- free modules for studying marine and coastal environments Math/Science Nucleus -- free science tutorials includes high school level Biological Science and Human Biology (not all units finished, yet) The Lesson Plans Page -- thousands of free lesson plans on all subjects, including science and computers Teachnology -- over 25,000 free lesson plans on all subjects, including science and computers Food and Nutrition -- an extensive website that discusses all aspects of food, nutrition, food processing, the food industry, food additives, and agriculture, from the University of Saskatchewan Connexions by Rice University -- offers free modules on AP Environmental Science, Biochemistry, and many other supplemental biology topics. Information is organized in small modules that stand alone or can easily be connected into larger courses. All content is free. |
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