High School Botany/Horticulture

Youngest is interested in taking Botany for a Science elective.  She already has Biology, Chemistry, Human Anatomy, Physics, Animal Science, and will have Advanced Animal Science (and is not interested in the Apologia Marine Biology).  I told her she didn't have to do another science but Botany is something that interests her.  I didn't realize it would be difficult to find a curriculum for Botany.  All of our sciences have had labs so it seems strange to do a textbook-based course.
One thing we're considering is doing .5 credit Botany and .5 credit Horticulture.

This is simply a compilation of resources I've come across in my search as we decide.

Coloring Book:
https://www.rainbowresource.com/proddtl?id=020035&subject=Science/11&category=BOTANY/6540

Botany Adventure (6th-12th):
https://www.rainbowresource.com/proddtl?id=001506&subject=Science/11&category=BOTANY/6540

Playing cards:
https://www.rainbowresource.com/proddtl?id=034269&subject=Science/11&category=BOTANY/6540

https://www.rainbowresource.com/proddtl?id=034271&subject=Science/11&category=BOTANY/6540

Fandex::
https://www.rainbowresource.com/proddtl?id=004533&subject=Science/11&category=BOTANY/6540

https://www.rainbowresource.com/proddtl?id=002133&subject=Science/11&category=BOTANY/6540

Botany in 8 Lessons (gr 5-9, so a bit low)
https://www.rainbowresource.com/proddtl?id=021118&subject=Science/11&category=BOTANY/6540

student text: https://www.rainbowresource.com/proddtl?id=021121&subject=Science/11&category=BOTANY/6540

Video Playlist for Botany in 8 Lessons:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-VM2DC519n0J2ajC5Z3j25qnkyXs4pb0

Preview of Great Courses: Botany For Beginners | Plant Science & Biology - ck library -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktnv88bcIZg

Floral Adventure (9th-12th)
https://www.rainbowresource.com/proddtl?id=004753&subject=Science/11&category=BOTANY/6540

Field Guide (edibles):
https://www.rainbowresource.com/proddtl?id=047115&subject=Science/11&category=BOTANY/6540

Botany Lab Sheets (5th-12th)
https://www.rainbowresource.com/proddtl?id=004751&subject=Science/11&category=BOTANY/6540

Botany Reading List (thanks, M. Whitmann)
http://homeschoolconnectionsonline.blogspot.com/2018/08/botany-reading-list-for-homeschool.html

Square Foot Gardening:
https://www.rainbowresource.com/proddtl?id=014722&subject=Science/11&category=BOTANY/6540

Plantology (Gr 2-Adult)
https://www.rainbowresource.com/proddtl?id=001268&subject=Science/11&category=BOTANY/6540

Trees of Texas Field Guide:
https://www.rainbowresource.com/proddtl?id=009059&subject=Science/11&category=BOTANY/6540

Natural Homemade lotion and body butter

What's Green?

[Note:  I wrote this in July of 2014! So, ignore any dead links but I'm going to upload it just to get it out there.  I refer to this recipe for my face cream all of the time so I still recommend the first recipe.  I'm off to make a double batch right now since one of my daughters has been asking for some. :) The only difference is that I usually use almond oil for the oil part.]

I wanted to add lotion to my choices at the local farmers market this upcoming Saturday.  As I was looking for a recipe to try I kept coming across body butter recipes. So... I'm posting some of those finds also

Hand/Body Lotion

What I want:  a lotion that can be used in a squeeze bottle or a pump with all natural 'edible' ingredients :).  I want to use only essential oils - no fragrances, no dyes.  I plan on making a small batch to see how it goes.  [UPDATE: I ditched the idea of a lotion in a pump or squeeze bottle and settled on lotion in small jars.  Much easier and the viscosity it just right!]

Some options that I found online for all natural homemade lotions:

*I'll try this one and double the oil to 4 Tbsp for a pump/squeeze bottle:
http://livesimply.me/2014/04/16/homemade-moisturizing-lotion-recipe-no-coconut-oil/
[UPDATE:  I was very pleased with this recipe and really didn't experiment further with other recipes.  I made lavender, wintergreen, and peppermint lotions.  I used 10 drops of essential oil per batch and it seems like a good strength.  I used the shea butter/grapeseed oil ratio the same as the recipe indicated.]

Here are some more that I have not tried yet but that looked promising:

Maybe tweak this to make it less thick (leave out beeswax, more shea?):
http://wellnessmama.com/3765/homemade-lotion-recipe/

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/our-favorite-handmade-lotions-plus-a-recipe-to-diy-your-own.html

http://newleafwellness.biz/2013/09/16/homemade-coconut-oil-lotion-recipe/


Body Butter

We're not in need of a body butter at our house.  I'm very happy using either coconut oil, Primal Body Whip, or straight shea butter for face cream or any other skin needs.  However, I wanted to experiment and come up with something for my children and customers. 

Here are some recipes that look good:

Whipped shea butter:
http://wholenewmom.com/health-concerns/why-i-stopped-using-moisturizer-from-stores-and-what-i-am-using-now/

http://holisticsquid.com/whipped-body-butter-homemade-lotion/

http://livesimply.me/2014/04/16/homemade-moisturizing-lotion-recipe-no-coconut-oil/

Antibacterial crème:
I may substitute out with Melrose:
http://livesimply.me/2014/01/20/homemade-neosporin-four-simple-steps-healing-salve-recipe/

Salves:
http://www.everythingessential.me/Hints/Lotions.html

Biology Coloring Pages, Trade Books, and Videos

[This was from a year (or so!) ago... just now posting]
My youngest is doing a speedy study of R.E.A.L. Science - Life (level 1).  It's young for her but we'll be supplementing heavily and I just absolutely love this curriculum to fill in classification gaps before going into high school science [which she'll be starting in the Fall - ACK!].  I wish we had a level 2 but, oh well, we'll make it work :).

COLORING PAGES

Here are some free online coloring pages in a random order (or it'll never be uploaded!).  They recommend Color Anatomy by Christine Becker.  We don't have that book and we would probably want more detail anyway so I started scouting around online.

Variety of Biology coloring pages:
https://askabiologist.asu.edu/activities/coloring

Cells (plant/animal)
http://www.education.com/worksheet/article/animal-and-plant-cells/

http://homeschoolclipart.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/CellColoring.pdf

http://homeschoolclipart.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/CellAnimalColoring.pdf

Used to label her diagrams of plant and animal cells:
http://sbaran.net/7science/cells/index.html

Heart
http://homeschoolclipart.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/HeartColoring.pdf

Lungs
http://homeschoolclipart.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/LungsColoring.pdf

Kidneys
http://coloringpanda.com/page/388196

TRADE BOOKS

The Basics of Cell Life with Max Axiom, Super Scientist (Keyser)

Random Body Parts: Gross Anatomy Riddles in Verse (for fun!)



VIDEOS

Magic School Bus videos (of course!):  Goes Cellular (in the Super Star Power DVD); The Human Body (3 episodes in this video)

Biology Cell Models

What's Schoolin'?


[Note: This is an unfinished draft but I'm posting it now because it looks like it will never be polished/posted if I wait!  I've moved on from teaching Biology classes and youngest Dd is using DIVE Biology along with an outside lab this year.  I'll be pulling in resources from these posts - which is what made me look for them and discover that many of the drafts were never posted!  Hopefully these will be helpful to others... ]

We just finished Module 2 and are in the middle of Module 3 of Apologia's Biology (2nd Ed).  During Module 2 I brought Play-Doh to class and had my students (yes, 9th graders!) make a 2-D cell model using Play-Doh.  For Module 3 I had them make an Amoeba model using colored paper.  Here is my example that I made as I explained it.  A few students wanted to make a Paramecium instead.

High School Biology: Apologia Resources

What's Schoolin'?

[Note: This is an unfinished draft but I'm posting it now because it looks like it will never be polished/posted if I wait!  I've moved on from teaching Biology classes and youngest Dd is using DIVE Biology along with an outside lab this year.  I'll be pulling in resources from these posts - which is what made me look for them and discover that many of the drafts were never posted!  Hopefully these will be helpful to others... ]


I am teaching Biology at a local homeschool enrichment program this year.  Ironically, I never intended to teach Biology to my own homeschoolers and my oldest children did it in a co-op.  Even more ironically, one is currently a Biology major in college :) [update: she graduated!].  Anyway, this post will be a place where I will post online support resources for my general Biology class.  We are using Apologia Biology 2nd Edition.

These schedules have been especially helpful in planning:
https://corefoundations.wordpress.com/scheds-math-science/

Donna Young Biology links (I still need to go through and see what I need):
http://www.donnayoung.org/apologia/biology1.htm

Great blog with ideas and links for each module:
http://mindfulramblings.com/apologia-biology/

Quizlet has flash cards and quizzes for each module.  I find it easier to just google "apologia (the module) flash cards" than to search within quizlet.

Dissected Perch Cake, yes, really!  Needs rice crispy treats and fondant.
https://appliejuice.wordpress.com/2012/02/06/ive-done-it-again/
https://appliejuice.wordpress.com/2011/01/26/4303/

Activities by topic (a lot of genetics but also other topics):
http://www.ngsslifescience.com/science.php?/biology/lessontypes/Activity

Great ideas!
http://www.biologyjunction.com/biology_projects.htm
Coloring worksheets:
http://www.biologyjunction.com/biology_coloring_worksheets.htm
Concept Maps:
http://www.biologyjunction.com/concept_maps.htm
Crosswords:
http://www.biologyjunction.com/crossword%20puzzles.htm
Dissections:
http://www.biologyjunction.com/animal%20dissections.htm
Games:
http://www.biologyjunction.com/biology%20quia%20games.htm
Quizzes:
http://www.biologyjunction.com/quizzes.htm

Apologia Biology Module 11

[Note: This is an unfinished draft but I'm posting it now because it looks like it will never be polished/posted if I wait!  I've moved on from teaching Biology classes and youngest Dd is using DIVE Biology along with an outside lab this year.  I'll be pulling in resources from these posts - which is what made me look for them and discover that many of the drafts were never posted!  Hopefully these will be helpful to others... ]

Online interactive activities and quizlet quiz:
http://www.e-learninglinks.com/science/biology_apologia_vocabulary.htm

Apologia Biology Module 12

[Note: This is an unfinished draft but I'm posting it now because it looks like it will never be polished/posted if I wait!  I've moved on from teaching Biology classes and youngest Dd is using DIVE Biology along with an outside lab this year.  I'll be pulling in resources from these posts - which is what made me look for them and discover that many of the drafts were never posted!  Hopefully these will be helpful to others... ]

Online interactive activities and quizlet quiz:
http://www.e-learninglinks.com/science/biology_apologia_vocabulary.htm

Apologia Biology Module 14

[Note: This is an unfinished draft but I'm posting it now because it looks like it will never be polished/posted if I wait!  I've moved on from teaching Biology classes and youngest Dd is using DIVE Biology along with an outside lab this year.  I'll be pulling in resources from these posts - which is what made me look for them and discover that many of the drafts were never posted!  Hopefully these will be helpful to others... ]

Online interactive activities and quizlet quiz:
http://www.e-learninglinks.com/science/biology_apologia_vocabulary.htm

Apologia Biology Module 14

[Note: This is an unfinished draft but I'm posting it now because it looks like it will never be polished/posted if I wait!  I've moved on from teaching Biology classes and youngest Dd is using DIVE Biology along with an outside lab this year.  I'll be pulling in resources from these posts - which is what made me look for them and discover that many of the drafts were never posted!  Hopefully these will be helpful to others... ]

Online interactive activities and quizlet quiz:
http://www.e-learninglinks.com/science/biology_apologia_vocabulary.htm

Apologia Biology Module 15

[Note: This is an unfinished draft but I'm posting it now because it looks like it will never be polished/posted if I wait!  I've moved on from teaching Biology classes and youngest Dd is using DIVE Biology along with an outside lab this year.  I'll be pulling in resources from these posts - which is what made me look for them and discover that many of the drafts were never posted!  Hopefully these will be helpful to others... ]

Online interactive activities and quizlet quiz:
http://www.e-learninglinks.com/science/biology_apologia_vocabulary.htm

http://mindfulramblings.com/2011/04/18/apologia-biology-module-15/

Apologia Biology Module 9

What's Schoolin'?

[Note: This is an unfinished draft but I'm posting it now because it looks like it will never be polished/posted if I wait!  I've moved on from teaching Biology classes and youngest Dd is using DIVE Biology along with an outside lab this year.  I'll be pulling in resources from these posts - which is what made me look for them and discover that many of the drafts were never posted!  Hopefully these will be helpful to others... ]

And now for Module 9...

For this module I plan to show The Mysterious Island video across 2 class periods and just have them write a reflexive essay due the second class day.  The end.

Here is a link to the full Vision Forum movie of The Mysterious Island.  I have it as a DVD also.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyWFgexpgjU

This link has a few videos but I honestly have not watched them yet...
http://homeschoolersresources.blogspot.com/2011/01/biology-module-9-evolution-part.html


Online interactive activities and quizlet quiz:
http://www.e-learninglinks.com/science/biology_apologia_vocabulary.htm

Apologia Biology Module 10

[Note: This is an unfinished draft but I'm posting it now because it looks like it will never be polished/posted if I wait!  I've moved on from teaching Biology classes and youngest Dd is using DIVE Biology along with an outside lab this year.  I'll be pulling in resources from these posts - which is what made me look for them and discover that many of the drafts were never posted!  Hopefully these will be helpful to others... ]

Good tutorial for a mason jar terrarium and water cycle:
http://www.thecrunchymommy.com/stem-project-mason-jar-terrariums/

http://mindfulramblings.com/2011/01/23/apologia-biology-module-10-ecology/

Online interactive activities and quizlet quiz:
http://www.e-learninglinks.com/science/biology_apologia_vocabulary.htm

Videos:
http://homeschoolersresources.blogspot.com/2011/01/biology-module-10-ecology.html

Possible Labs:
http://www.biologycorner.com/worksheets/ecosystem.html

http://cibt.cornell.edu/labs-activities/labs/edible-earth-parfaits/

http://cibt.cornell.edu/labs-activities/labs/oil-spills-lab-kristen-pizarro-4/

Predator/Prey Game (with graph):
http://www.biologycorner.com/worksheets/predatorsim.html

Freshwater Ecosystem in a jar (freshwater plant, snails, shrimp, rocks with algae or dried bacteria)(see pet store for items):
https://earthref.org/ERDA/1586/
https://earthref.org/SCC/lessons/2010/ecology/

Bottle Biology:  Teraqua or Decomposition Bottle Columns:
http://www.bottlebiology.org/investigations/


PLANTS MODULE FOR LATER:
http://cibt.cornell.edu/labs-activities/labs/plant-game/

ARTHROPOD MODULE FOR LATER:
http://cibt.cornell.edu/labs-activities/labs/world-of-crickets/

Apologia Biology Module 13

[Note: This is an unfinished draft but I'm posting it now because it looks like it will never be polished/posted if I wait!  I've moved on from teaching Biology classes and youngest Dd is using DIVE Biology along with an outside lab this year.  I'll be pulling in resources from these posts - which is what made me look for them and discover that many of the drafts were never posted!  Hopefully these will be helpful to others... ]

Online interactive activities and quizlet quiz:
http://www.e-learninglinks.com/science/biology_apologia_vocabulary.htm

Frog dissection videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qwhm65ybxxY

Spelling/Vocabulary SAT/ACT Prep

What's Schoolin'?

I'm excited about this *free* online Spelling course.  I plan on using the 8th grade for Spelling/Vocabulary Test Prep.  It has good words, fun games, and repetition.  Seriously, one of the words in Week 1 of the Option #2 course is "ecclesiastical."  How great is that?  We're doing Option #2 first and then Option #1.  So, we're ignoring the "8th Grade" part and using it even though youngest dd is now older than that (gasp!!).

http://8thgradespelling.com/course/

Here is the main link:
http://gradespelling.com/

What's Cookin'?

Not much, that's for sure!! What a difference from years ago when I had so much to post! 

We just got 25 broiler chicks.  They are doing well after a week with us.  They are clean, healthy, active, and just so cute...  I ended up getting a non-organic starter feed over the organic because the organic (Purina) is based on soy.  No thanks.  Instead, we got the non-gmo, soy-free feed.

Periodic Table Videos

What's Schoolin'?

This is just too cool!  There are short videos for the elements on the periodic table.

Enjoy!

http://ed.ted.com/periodic-videos

"Advent Gratitude Tree"

This year we won't be able to decorate for Christmas.  There is no room and all of our decorations have been in storage for 3 1/2 years.  When we were staying with my mom, the kids would help her decorate a little, but not this year.  As I browsed Hobby Lobby looking for some little gifts for my students and went through the Christmas aisles, I could feel myself wading into the pity pool ... So, when I saw the miniature trees I grabbed one and decided to make it an Advent Gratitude Tree!  Each day one of us will write something for which we're thankful on a little metal snowflake ornament and hang it on the tree.  On Christmas day we'll put lights on it because Jesus is the light of the world.  I'm grateful all of the Christmas items were 50% off :).

Here is what we have so far...

The idea of gratitude ornaments was subconsciously inspired by this Touched by Lyme post.  Thank you for sharing:
https://www.lymedisease.org/touched-by-lyme-gratitude-ornaments/

Jesse Tree Booklet

As another Advent/Christmas season is fleeting by I really need a "portable" Jesse Tree devotional.  This way, no matter where we are at any given day throughout the season I can just pull it out and we'll carry on with our devotions.  We just spent a few days at my mom's house and I wish I had already gotten this!

Anyway, what I needed was a self-contained resource with the actual Bible readings included, not just the citations.  I also wanted pictures of ornaments with the symbolic pictures.  It also needed to be in booklet form.  I spent quite some time looking online and didn't find what I needed (for free).  However, this will work perfectly as a Jesse Tree devotional with a young teen (and olders).  It has the Bible story paraphrased but it also has the actual Bible text.  That makes it appropriate for a variety of ages.  It has pictures of Jesse Tree ornaments but it also has a classic work of art to go along with each day.

There were no hard copies available but I bought a Kindle version for less than $5.00.  This will be more than worth it as a resource to continue our Advent devotionals no matter where we are!



Note: This is an affiliate link and if you purchase through the link I may get a tiny commission.

Here are a few old Jesse Tree/Advent posts:

http://eclecticlvng.blogspot.com/2009/12/advent.html

http://eclecticlvng.blogspot.com/2012/12/advent-o-antiphons-jesse-tree-link.html

May you have a blessed Advent!

Ordinary People Striving to Live Holy Lives

St. Josemaria Escriva was the founder of Opus Dei.  His main message was that all of us can be holy while living ordinary lives.

When my brother died my junior year in high school our dean of students gave me the book The Way by Josemaria Escriva.  I still have it with the rest of my life in storage.  I vaguely remember that it consoled me but that's all I remember about it.  I hope to reread sometime soon.

June 26th is his feast day so I was watching some videos of him.  I was just going to post a link to a short bio but this other video of him talking and answering questions is just too awesome not to post also.  He is so endearing.  I love hearing his Spanish.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=i5RdKDQ8fy4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1643&v=hXWCwwa-C7A

Full children's video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3cj3YrMszI

Some more bio links:

http://www.americancatholic.org/features/saints/saint.aspx?id=1908&calendar=1

http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=5603

Catholic Cuisine suggests making flan to celebrate.  I'm not up to that (and don't want to use the box) so here are some other options:

Arroz con Pollo (I woke up craving chicken and rice so this sounds perfect for this year! I have it cooking right now.):
http://sarahrosessupposes.blogspot.com/2013/06/arroz-con-pollo-for-st-josemaria-escriva.html
There are a ton of Arroz con Pollo recipes at Food.com!

If I had some organic condensed milk on hand, this looks like an easier flan recipe:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/20979/spanish-flan/?internalSource=hub%20recipe&referringId=726&referringContentType=recipe%20hub

Of course, we'll probably just end up with Churros Espanoles - youngest d loves them!  Scroll down for the Churros recipe here:
http://www.foodbycountry.com/Spain-to-Zimbabwe-Cumulative-Index/Spain.html

Thunder Cake

What's Schoolin'?

What an appropriate book to end our semester of personal narratives during Spring Thunderstorm Season!!  I just finished making about 30 "Thunder Cakes" (chocolate cupcakes) to share during our last class as we have a Read Around.  Fresh strawberries on top will make it even more special.  Hint:  there is a recipe at the end of the book.

Patricia Polacco is one of my favorite authors to break through reluctant writers.





[The above is an affiliate link.  I may get a few pennies if you buy something through it. Thanks!]

Apologia Biology Module 16

What's Schoolin'?

Wow, we made it through the entire Apologia Biology textbook with my 9th graders!!  Here are some resources for the last module...

We watched these videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4Xrq_xCC50

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOlGsH-ZpOo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPihrBlReXQ

Bird Beak Experiment ~ I did a combination of 2 different experiments:
http://www.education.com/science-fair/article/brilliant-bird-beeks/

http://it.pinellas.k12.fl.us/Teachers3/gurianb/files/8041AE1EF3B946ABB522A47B70C43974.pdf

Online interactive activities and quizlet quiz:
http://www.e-learninglinks.com/science/biology_apologia_vocabulary.htm

For their last module test I simplified the test and they had to learn the common characteristics for each class and the 7 vocabulary words from the study guide (closed book).

Other resources:

http://homeschoolersresources.blogspot.com/2011/05/biology-module-16-reptiles-birds-and.html

https://mindfulramblings.com/2011/05/09/apologia-biology-module-16/

We also did a cricket experiment which had absolutely nothing to do with the module but we had some time for extra labs.  We just did the towel part and then tested potato vs apple:
http://www.education.com/science-fair/article/cricket-behavior/

I hope to take a few pictures of some of their lab notebooks to upload.  They filled them a little over half-way and used graph (or quadrille) sewn notebooks (composition notebooks with squares).

It turned out to be a wonderful Biology year.  Hopefully these posts will help others track down resources and save time... and remind me later of the resources I need also!! :)