| The thought of teaching an upper grade science, such | | | | experiment and require little real-life experimentation on |
| as biology, makes a lot of parents shudder. They | | | | the part of the student. If this sounds a little too dry, |
| remember their own difficulties and don't feel confident | | | | there are usually fairly inexpensive science experiment |
| enough to teach these more advanced subjects to | | | | kits available for purchase that includes and all the |
| their high school student. While teaching high school | | | | needed supplies (mostly) and directions to complete |
| takes extra work and planning, there is no reason to | | | | the experiments. This would "liven up" the chemistry |
| fear There is such a vast wealth of home school | | | | course and add a hands-on component. |
| science resources and curriculum available to the | | | | Other more expensive alternatives would be to |
| homeschooling parent, that teaching even these | | | | purchase a more in-depth program that requires |
| tougher subjects are very doable. | | | | dissection tools and a microscope. Virtually anything is |
| Will I have to set up a classroom lab in my home? | | | | available for homeschoolers to purchase and set up a |
| No, definitely not, but could if you wanted to, depending | | | | home lab. When my high school daughter was taking |
| on the budget you have to work with. For instance, | | | | an advanced anatomy course, she had to dissect a |
| biology could be taught very simply in a "nature study" | | | | cow's heart and a sheep's eyeball and the whole |
| style format, which would include observing and | | | | "dissection kit was ordered online for about $30.00. |
| documenting the life cycle of frogs, watching mold | | | | So, as you can see the sky is the limit. It all depends on |
| grow and viewing spores under a microscope or | | | | your budget and how in depth and challenging your |
| maybe making cheese and discussing live cultures. | | | | would like your child's homeschool biology course, and |
| This could be supplemented by reading biographies | | | | you can make it as simple or as in-depth as you |
| about famous biologists (do a Google search). | | | | choose. This is just one of the many benefits of |
| Another option would be an online or virtual class, | | | | homeschooling, the ability to customize your child's |
| which might only demonstrate the results of an | | | | curriculum to their interests and learning style. |