A Note on Inquiry based lab

Inquiry-based labs are different.  For one, they tend to be more open-ended.  Often the experiments in the home-school textbooks are more cook-book style.  Inquiry also involves more experimental design.  One lab I've done to help teach both inquiry and experimental design is this Accuracy and Precision lab.  After a brief discussion of the difference between accuracy and precision, I let the kids design the lab with meter sticks, solo cups, and sponges.  Before they start, the kids are instructed to do at least 30 trials; the statistics teacher had recommended 30 as a minimum for human trials.  Try it.  Loads of questions arise.  How will you replicate each trial?  What height?  Should the partners trade roles?  Should we wet the sponge?  Will that make the results more or less accurate?  Should we measure in centimeters or inches?  Centimeters or millimeters?  I have the kids calculate and report the mean, median, and mode.  Lastly, they write a brief explanation distinguishing between accuracy and precision.  Simple tools with loads of science.

Planning an Inquiry-based lab

Yesterday, during one of my classes at Co-op, the kids made 'apple mummies'.  The experiment in the Young Explorer Human Anatomy textbook to make a mummy with a mixture of baking soda and salt with one apple, leaving a second as a control.  Fine.  But, this is an opportunity to take an experiment and adapt it for inquiry.  First, the Egyptians used natron, a fact I remembered back when I'd helped the school librarian sponsor an Egyptian camp.  We made orange mummies.  Natron is a mix of compounds and can be approximated with washing soda, baking soda, and salt.  I tossed in Epsom salts for our lab.  Since natron is a mixture, it would be logical to test a similar mixture.  But how would you determine if the individual compounds might also work?  Which combination?  See where I'm heading.

Here's what we did.  This class has five home-schoolers, aged 6-11.  Together, we determined the supplies.  I set the total mass of compounds at 60 grams.  On a blackboard, I drew cups, labeled the compounds by their names and assigned numbers: 1. washing soda, 2. Epsom salts, 3. Baking soda, and 4. table salt.  Cup 5 is the control.  Under this row, I drew another row of cups and walked the kids through  two different combinations of compounds: 1+2, 1+3, 1+4, 2+3, and 2+4.  In the third row, I drew another series of cups with three different mixtures: 1+2+3, 1+3+4, and 2+3+4.  After a minute to explain the mixtures, the kids dispersed to weigh, mark cups, locate the different chemicals, and trouble shoot.  We decided to weigh the apples and write their respective masses on individual cups.  This takes time.  We made sure everyone had a chance to weigh with a digital balance using the tare button.  After, the kids noted their predictions regarding which mixture would dry the apple most and copied the blackboard into their notes.  Next week, we'll look at the mummies and weigh the apple pieces.  Finally, we'll look at their predictions to see if the evidence supports or refutes their hypotheses.  Yes, this is a lot more work.  The result is a lot more science.  This apple mummy lab is similar and can be adapted to add more salts.

Notebooks

This fall, I'm teaching a class of elementary age children with Apologia's Young Explorer's Human Anatomy.  The series has companion notebooks for both younger and older elementary students.  So, I'm going to use both the Junior and regular notebooks with the class.  My emphasis is always to use 'hands-on' instruction; the book series suits me.  What's new for me is the integral focus on notebooks.  Don't get me wrong.  My kids have used notebooks for their classes.  I've never had a dedicated workbook I liked and which have some flexibility.  Apart from science camps or college courses,  I haven't taught mixed aged classes either.

Here's my plan.  First, I want to include book activities and photos of activities from class to make the notebook more of a scrapbook or lapbooks-ideal for portfolio submissions.  We'll add Montessorri album ideas, mini-books, and pockets.  Montessori Three Part Cards are useful to introduce nomenclature.  You can follow my adventure with notebooks and Young Explorers at my science blog.  Look for the Young Explorer headings.

How about a Co-op?

Many Home-school families turn to Co-ops for help.  These Co-ops vary.  In our area, parents club together to assign teaching duties; classes meet weekly.  The Priory nearby offers Latin classes.  At our church, three adults offer Biology, Accounting, and Spanish, one a retired teacher, one a retired financial controller, and a native speaker.  The Classical Cottage School at the Baptist church has several retired teachers who act as independent contractors, whom parents pay directly.  They offer a wide range of courses two days each week.

The Home-school families I work with asked me to teach science classes several years ago.  The families were a bit intimidated by the subject matter and materials needed.  The families asked me to help.  We meet on Wednesdays, three hours,  from September to May.

  How do you find a Co-op?  First, ask around to see if there's a home-school network.  Access the network to locate a Co-op.  None in your area?  Does the private school allow part-timers?  Does your pastor teach a Latin class?  What about retirees?  Ask!  Create your own!  See if your church can offer space.  Meet with a few like-minded home-schoolers to gauge need.  Network!  Ask about retirees!  Put a notice in the church bulletin.  Be brave!

Last week, sisters from a new convent came to our church yard sale to pick up furniture and household goods.  The sisters are from Mexico.  The Mother Superior spoke with me and mentioned her need for English lessons.  My friend, Suzy, just retired--she was an ESL teacher.  I spoke with her after Mass.  See?  Network!  Ask around!  You can do this!