We recommend watching a live biology class lesson with a teacher, and then working on a corresponding lab (usually listed right after the lesson video).

Click here to access the General Biology and Notebooking lesson series.

The only materials you need a notebook, pencil, glue stick, and the student handouts at the link above.

This chapter is a series of lessons to introduce you to the field of biology by studying plants, animals and cells. 

Click here to access the Introduction to Biology lesson series.

Here’s the first two videos on The Cell that are good to start with. Both videos are on the same page, and this gives a general overview about what cells are, why they are so small, and how to measure things that you just can’t see.

Now let’s work on experiments that demonstrate the properties of cells. Pick at least three of these experiments to do:

• Measuring the Size of a Molecule
• Carrot Osmosis
• Colored Flowers
• Potato Osmosis
• Celery Stalk Race
• Onion Mitosis (PDF: Onion Mitosis lab)
• Carbohydrate Lab(advanced students)
• Enzyme Lab (advanced students)

This chapter is all about field trips!

Join us on an adventure with Oliver, our microbiologist! Let's explore how a microscope works and what it can do.

Click here to access the science lessons and experiments. 

Need microscope recommendations? Click here. 

I’ve prepared 18 lessons for you to work through plus 21 science experiments to demonstrate the science concepts we’re covering for a total of 46 videos (most are between 5-15 minutes long).

Click to get started with Marine Biology!

This unit study is not normally included with the e-Science program.

However, as my gift you for working through this Biology Program, I will grant one 30-day access window to the Marine Biology study unit upon request, so make sure you are ready to start before asking for access (I’ve included the shopping list on page 9 so you can have everything pulled together before you start).

Contact us when you’re ready.

First start with these lessons:

• Lesson #1: Why classify?
• Lesson #2: Entomology
• Lesson #3: Taxonomy
• Lesson #4: Ecosystems
• Lesson #5: Birds and Flight

Experiment time! Choose at least two activities below:

• Rubber Eggs
• Insect Aspirator
• Water Cycle Column
• Terra Aqua Column
• Predator-Prey Column
• Waterscope

Many doctors, surgeons and veterinarians report that their first fascination with the body started with a biology dissection class. If you’re not sure you are going to like these labs, try the first one (Dissecting a Chicken Egg) and see how it goes.

We’ve put them in the general order that a  high school program would progress through the dissection labs. Click on a link below to order the materials you need (try to do this right before you need it, as specimens are perishable):

• Chicken Egg Dissection
• Clam Dissection
• Earthworm Dissection
• Grasshopper Dissection
• Perch Dissection
• Starfish Dissection
• Crayfish Dissection
• Frog Dissection
• Owl Pellet Dissection
• Sheep Heart
• Sheep Brain
• Sheep Kidney
• Cow Eye Dissection

Start with two science lessons:

• Botany Part 1
• Botany Part 2

Now pick at least two experiments to complete from this list:

• Carbon Dioxide and Photosynthesis Experiment
• Plant Press Experiment
• Einstein’s Garden Experiment
• Carnivorous Greenhouse Experiment
• Terra Aqua Column Experiment
• Eco-Column Experiment

Did you complete the Botany Lab Packet back in Chapter 2?  If you haven't, please do these now:

• Measuring photosynthesis
• Leaf transpiration / evaporation
• Leaf chromatography (best when leaves are changing colors in autumn)

Please find the Human Anatomy teacher-led lessons here, and the experiments below.

Each link below has reading downloads and several experiments for each section. Feel free to select the experiments you can easily find materials for. Have fun!

• Skin, Bones and Muscles
• Digestive System
• Cardiovascular System
• Respiratory and Excretory Systems
• Controlling the Body
• Diseases and Defenses

Your first step is to watch the Live Class recording for setting up your Natural History Museum.

After watching the video, download your Natural History Museum Packet here.

Meet Microbiologist Oliver!

My name is Oliver and I have a University degree in research Microbiology/Molecular Biology. I work as a high school biology teacher, where I also instruct my students on how to use a microscope.

I want to get those people who do not know much about Microscopy and/or Biology interested in this hobby.  I want to give those who already have a microscope some motivation and observation ideas. 

Microscopy is a fun and fascinating hobby and I hope that I can share my enthusiasm with you.

Question: Do I NEED a microscope?

Maybe. We are going to discover a whole new world of amazing organisms by learning about magnification and optics, and we'll be making use of microscopes to see tiny creatures normally invisible to the human eye.

If you have a compound microscope, bring it out and dust it off! Otherwise, you can watch us demonstrating ours in our science lessons.

Even if you don’t own a microscope, you can still join our class, we’ll teach you how you can make several easy microscopes out of handheld magnifiers, a live cell laser microscope, or purchase an inexpensive pocket microscope, a digital USB microscopes (connects to your phone or computer so you can take images and measurements easily). Any of these will work for our classes.

If you're looking for Microscope recommendations, we have two: Monocular microscope and Binocular microscope. Just make sure it has 4x, 10x and 40x objectives, a 10x eyepiece, metal body and a mechanical stage.

10 Things I wish I knew when I started Microscopy

Microscopy is a great hobby, and not difficult to do, but I wish I knew some things when I started it. I hope you enjoy this and learn so you have an enjoyable experiencing looking and observing through your microscope.

Ten common mistakes when using a Microscope

Try to avoid these mistakes when using a microscope! We all make mistakes, and hopefully by learning about the most common mistakes, you'll understand more about how microscopes are meant to be used.