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rosenon -> RE: Apologia (7/25/2008 8:08:05 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Jenny-Fair

Do they do experiments? Like the 'physics for every kid' and 'chemistry for every kid' series of books? Or the library probably has them. DK has some amazing books on building boats, building motors, etc..that is science. Nature, cause and effect, chemical reactions, non-newtonian liquids, making Flubber.

I guess what I am saying, lol, is that you have to make a mess to get excited about science.[8D]


The messier the better [;)]. Out of the chaos often comes the MOST turned on students, and don't be afraid of the "wild" idea. Sometimes the experiments that DON"T work, turn students on more than those that work predictably. One of my students loved oysters for dinner. He freeze dried them, then extracted the minerals out of them, and finally determined that oysters grown suspended off the bay's bottom contained the nutrients. Yes, it was a messy and stinky experiment ... but the student got a scholarship from the oyster producer for his work and the lab report he generated was published. He went into college a published author, which really helped his academic standing.

Hope that helps.

Steve



rosenon -> RE: Apologia (8/7/2008 12:31:25 PM)

Hi Everyone:

For those of you starting Apologia Biology this month, I provide the following link:

http://redwagontutorials.com/NotesB/BModule01-1w.htm

This is the link to my online class notes for my biology program. When you click on the you will begin the download of a 90-minute recorded class lecture. It will take about 30 seconds for the print to appear and notes to start playing. I hope this little offering helps you start your school year off with a bang. The recording really does explain the opening concepts of the textbook well. It is my gift to you.

Have fun this year learning about God's Creation.

God Bless,

Steve



cynthia -> RE: Apologia (8/7/2008 3:29:06 PM)

Thank you, Steve.



bzirk -> RE: Apologia (8/10/2008 8:34:52 PM)

We'll begin Biology in about three weeks; thank you so much, Steve. [sm=icon_smile.gif]



rosenon -> RE: Apologia (8/12/2008 1:09:39 AM)

You are both very welcome. I just love supporting home schooling families! You all do such GREAT things with your kids. I so enjoy being a small part of it.

God Bless,

Steve



rosenon -> RE: Apologia (8/22/2008 4:23:07 PM)

Hi Everyone:

For those of you starting Apologia General Science this month, I provide the following link:

http://redwagontutorials.com/NotesG/GModule01-1w.htm

This is the link to my online class notes for my program. When you click on the you will begin the download of a 90-minute recorded class lecture. It will take about 30 seconds for the print to appear and notes to start playing. I hope this little offering helps you start your school year off well. The recording really does explain the opening concepts of the textbook well. It is my gift to you.

Have fun this year learning about God's Creation through the eyes of your 7th-grader.

God Bless,

Steve



rosenon -> RE: Apologia (9/7/2008 12:22:58 AM)

Hi Everyone,

Here are some great web sites to help kick off your study of Apologia Physical Science this year:


1. There are currently about 116 basic kinds of atoms known in creation. The link below is to an interactive periodic chart which is an excellent resource.

http://www.webelements.com/

2. Images of atoms produced by scanning tunneling electron microscopes are not pictures, but are the result of computer generated calculations.

The types of signals made by an SEM can include secondary electrons, back scattered electrons, characteristic x-rays and light (cathodoluminescence). These signals come from the beam of electrons striking the surface of the specimen and interacting with the sample at or near its surface. In its primary detection mode, secondary electron imaging, the SEM can produce very high-resolution images of a sample surface, revealing details about 1 to 5 nm in size. Due to the way these images are created, SEM micrographs have a very large depth of focus yielding a characteristic three-dimensional appearance useful for understanding the surface structure of a sample. This great depth of field and the wide range of magnifications (commonly from about 25 times to 250,000 times) are available in the most common imaging mode for specimens in the SEM, secondary electron imaging, such as the micrographs displayed on the web page below.

Characteristic x-rays are the second most common imaging mode for an SEM. X-rays are emitted when the electron beam removes an inner shell electron from the sample, causing a higher energy electron to fill the shell and give off energy. These characteristic x-rays are used to identify the elemental composition of the sample. Back-scattered electrons (BSE) that come from the sample may also be used to form an image. BSE images are often used in analytical SEM along with the spectra made from the characteristic x-rays as clues to the elemental composition of the sample. The web site that follows provides a very good introduction to SEM.

http://www.mse.iastate.edu/microscopy/home.html

3. When two or more atoms link together, they form a molecule, which has its own unique properties. The web site below has some wonderful 3-D images of molecules and their structure.

http://www.stolaf.edu/depts/chemistry/mo/struc/

Hope that helps get you started.

God Bless,

Steve



rosenon -> RE: Apologia (9/17/2008 10:11:53 AM)

Hi Everyone,

For those of you starting Apologia marine biology, here is a great web site:

http://www.divediscover.whoi.edu/circulation/index.html

The global ocean circulation system transports heat worldwide and affects climate in many areas. For example, Europe would have much colder winters if it were not for the Gulf Stream. Winds blow surface waters and cause ocean currents. But the waters below the depths of the wind's influence flow because of differences in temperature and saltiness (called salinity). This site is a wonderful interactive tutorial that presents how this system effects world climate.

Hope that helps you get started on your marine biology course. If you would like to view my first WMV recorded marine biology class of the year which covers the first half of Module 1, it is posted to my marine biology course web page located on:

http://www.redwagontutorials.com

I also have posted the first classes for General Science, Physical Science, and Biology on my site. Enjoy!

Have a great year studying God's marvelous Creation.

God Bless,

Steve

Note: It takes about 30 seconds for the video to buffer as you are downloading a full, 90-minute, feature-length, class lecture. The presentation window size can also be adjusted to fit your individual monitor by simply clicking on "Control" and pressing the (-) sign on your keyboard once or twice.



rosenon -> RE: Apologia (9/25/2008 6:24:16 PM)

Hi Everyone,

I know all of you doing Apologia Biology are just starting or finishing Experiment 1.1. I though I might share a formal lab report completed by one of my students. It really is a good idea to have your students complete one formal report per quarter. You can pick and choose the lab you want to attack for this project. Completing a formal report on an occasional experiment gives the student a chance to practice skills they will need for standardized tests like SAT II (E), Biology CLEP, and national AP Biology exams. As a reader for the national exams, I can always tell a student who has practiced the skill of report writing as part of his or her science program. It is worth the time it takes. Here is that link:

http://redwagontutorials.com/LabsB/Exp1.1B.htm

If you would like to see the grading criteria I use, you can visit my web site: www.redwagontutorials.com. You will find the grading rubric on the 2008 - 2009 Assignment Supplement page.

Hope that helps you with your studies this year.

God Bless,

Steve



rosenon -> RE: Apologia (10/2/2008 5:42:40 PM)

Hi Everyone,

I was talking with Jay Wile today and I mentioned that it would be cool to bundle my Module WMV screen captures, class notes, formal experiment reports, pre-test review, and online test and answers as individual Module bundles. That way you could purchase a single Module instead of the whole program. We know that some Modules are more difficult than others to master. This would give you a chance to purchase only those that you need. It would look something like this

Video Lectures:

Module 1, Part 1
Module 1, Part 2

Class Notes:

Module 1, Part 1
Module 1, Part 2

Formal Lab Report:

Experiment 1-1

Test Review:

Module Review

Module Test & Answers:

Module Test
Module Test Answers

We are thinking maybe a $19.95 per Module bundle would be a good price point. We would have these available for General Science, Physical Science, Biology, Marine Biology, and Chemistry next year.

We would value your opinion on this new project. If you could write me at rosenon@apologia.com or post a note here, I would appreciate it.

God Bless,

Steve



cynthia -> RE: Apologia (10/6/2008 5:27:51 PM)

We are working on Biology, Module 1 and trying to find the cheek cells on the slide. We have now used three slides and two different people, but cannot seem to find any cheek cells. I don't know what we're doing wrong.



rosenon -> RE: Apologia (10/6/2008 10:31:46 PM)

Hi Cynthia,

A couple of things could be wrong:

1. You are focusing too high in the solution or using too much light. Believe it or not, a solution under a coverslip has depth. If you are focusing too high in the solution you are looking at the surface and not at the bottom on the drop where the cheek cells are found. You can rectify this by using the fine focus and adjusting your field to deeper in the solution. You might also close the iris of the stage a couple of notches. Too much light blasts right through even the stained cells and you won't see them.

2. People tend to rub gently on the inside of a cheek becuase they don't want to hurt themselve or the subject volunteer. Remember you are trying to dislodge cells which are attached to the skin. A simple swipe might be enough for a TV show like CSI or NCIS to get cells for DNA testing; but, in real life, you need to rub harder: imagine scalling a fish will help with this technique :-) We used to use a toothpick for this experiment until someone drew blood by digging too hard, so we went to cotton swabs. With a little bit a caution, the toothpick techique could be revisited.

Thanks for writing. Hope you are enjoying your course.

God Bless,

Steve



cynthia -> RE: Apologia (10/6/2008 10:42:00 PM)

Oh boy, I scrubbed the inside of my cheek! I think the light may be the problem though. I didn't know you could regulate it. Huh! I am not real good at this microscope thing.

I did send out a plea on our local homeschool support group e-mail loop and a very nice lady called me. She said we can come over to her place on Thursday morning with our microscope and they will help us get it figured out. She also said they are on Module 2 of Biology and doing the pond water experiement. We have pond water sitting in our laundry room with stuff in it growing and I didn't know how we were going to do the experiment. This is such a blessing. Once I get this microscope thing in line, TL can finish up the rest of Module 1 and Module 2 (she's waiting for the microscope to finish with #1, but has already started with #2). Whew!

I'm wondering if the pond water is any good now, as it's been a week since we got it. I may have to get more. Do you have any recommendations for a good pond? My husband, who is out of state at the moment, got the pond water with TL and I do not want to go where he went. It sounds off the beaten track and yucky. If you have any suggestions, please pm me. [:)]



rosenon -> RE: Apologia (10/6/2008 11:24:08 PM)

Hi Cynthia,

I am so glad you found local help. I am teaching classes five days a week this year or I would have offered. I am also busy with my weight loss program: 46 lbs and 25 1/2 inches head to toe lost so far. I have 20 more to go my New Year's Eve. Shelly does not know, but I have a limo rented and reservations at the Space Needle this year. I want to weigh the same as when we got married. Going to the gym three days per week "eats" up my free time, however.

I am not sure where you live locally; but, if I were a mom and daughter on my own going after samples, I would visit a local golf course or City park. Most of them have a pond or two on the property and they are fairly safe and open. Tumwater Valley has two GREAT ponds, which are easily accessible with a walk from the club house. (The head pro at TVMGC goes to Living Water.) It is where I get my samples, when I do the summer lab program. If you live more toward the Lacey side of town, Capitol City has a great pond to which you can drive or there is the fish pond behind the Lacey Community/Senior Center, which is great and it even has a dock to walk out on.

Hope that helps. I am looking forward to talking with Living Waters Home School Fellowship this Spring.

God Bless,

Steve



cynthia -> RE: Apologia (10/6/2008 11:33:44 PM)

Thank you, Steve.
That is a great idea for the ponds. I know exactly where they all are and one of them is only a couple miles away.

What a good job on the weight loss. How long have you been married? I don't think I'd want to go back to the weight I was when we got married. I was a skinny little thing. Babies have solved that problem though. [8D]



cynthia -> RE: Apologia (10/7/2008 1:27:43 PM)

I got another e-mail from a mom who said she also had trouble getting the hang of her microscope and thinks she can help me. She is going to stop by around lunch time. I could use the help of someone who had a similar problem and overcame it. Hopefully by this evening I can post that my problem is solved.



2jsmom -> RE: Apologia (10/7/2008 1:54:47 PM)

I wish I lived closer. I'd be happy to help, but I'm not one of those people who can visualize something and then give instructions. I'd have to be there to help hands on.



cynthia -> RE: Apologia (10/7/2008 2:10:48 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: 2jsmom

I wish I lived closer. I'd be happy to help, but I'm not one of those people who can visualize something and then give instructions. I'd have to be there to help hands on.

I agree it would be great if you could come, even if you didn't help me with the microscope! [;)]



2jsmom -> RE: Apologia (10/7/2008 2:18:55 PM)

Awww, Thanks![:D]



cynthia -> RE: Apologia (10/7/2008 3:28:23 PM)

Okay! It is definitely operator error. My friend came over and looked at the prepared slides I purchased. We could see that fine. We worked with the light source, but still could not see the cheek cells. Those slides are being washed and we are going to start over. We are going to try using a "sharp" spoon for the next try. It's not sharp as in dangerous, but is has a bit of an edge that ought to work, but if it doesn't we'll try the toothpick. Back later to let you know how we did.



cynthia -> RE: Apologia (10/7/2008 3:41:42 PM)

Ha! Ha! I took a radical approach and used a knife! Don't worry, it's a butter knife. [:D] It worked extremely well. There are many clusters of cells that were very easy to find. There are so many, they're ubiquitous. lol Doing the happy dance now!



2jsmom -> RE: Apologia (10/7/2008 3:46:50 PM)

Glad you got it figured out!



cynthia -> RE: Apologia (10/7/2008 3:48:07 PM)

I was racking my brain for something that would work to scrape without cutting. The bunt edged butter knife is perfect for this.



rosenon -> RE: Apologia (10/7/2008 6:02:30 PM)

Yippee! Good for you! You got it figured out. I would have tried a popsicle stick or tongue depressor before the knife but, as long as you did not cut your tongue out, I guess you are safe ... no blood is a good thing :-)

GREAT JOB!

God Bless,

Steve



cynthia -> RE: Apologia (10/7/2008 9:19:11 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: rosenon

Yippee! Good for you! You got it figured out. I would have tried a popsicle stick or tongue depressor before the knife but, as long as you did not cut your tongue out, I guess you are safe ... no blood is a good thing :-)

GREAT JOB!

God Bless,

Steve

lol Yeah, knife does sound pretty bad, think of it as a butter spreader. It doesn't sound as dangerous and is probably more accurate anyway, at least for this butter knife. It is completely rounded and doesn't even look life a knife.



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