Get a printable supply list when you purchase the Biology Curriculum Schedule!
Labs, experiments, and activities are an important part of a biology program. We have a variety of lab choices listed. You should NOT do them all! Think of this as a buffet of lab choices. You will need to choose labs based on your interest(s) and budget. We’ve seen biology programs that only have dissection labs and others that skip them altogether. We think it’s more balanced to do different types of labs and my choices reflect that.
© Guest Hollow, LLC
There are several lab options
First, I will explain your lab options for the year, and then farther down below I will list the supplies for each week.
Option 1:
Note: In Lab III-4 there is a reference to evolution.
The Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments
The benefit of the Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments is that the text is FREE. It’s also quite rigorous and includes a variety of biology labs covering a lot of different subjects.
The downside is that if you want to purchase a kit of supplies, you’ll be set back by over $200 or so. An option to spending so much money and still using this book is going through the experiments and figuring out which ones you can accomplish without buying the kit.
The authors state that even if you do only a third or fourth of the labs, you’ll still accomplish quite a bit of lab work. Having said all that, we did NOT use it. We just did many of the “Guest Hollow labs” (described farther down below in the option 2 section) instead, as I found that was more cost effective (and fun) for our family.
If you use this book, you will need to purchase the kit that goes with it as well as a microscope:
Home School Biology Laboratory Kit
This kit does NOT contain all of the supplies you will need for the labs in this book. See the supply list farther down below for additional items.
Microscope
You will need a compound microscope. We don’t recommend any specific microscope, although the Amscope seems to have some good options.
Option 2:
Guest Hollow Labs
I’ve chosen a variety of labs for the year for you to pick-and-choose from. Instructions for these labs are in the linked web pages in the schedule or are in the instructions that come with some of the kits.
Please note that we are NOT responsible for these links and kits. We merely link to them. Please report any dead links, and we’ll find a replacement activity asap!
These labs are intended for you to pick-and-choose from depending on your budget, time constraints, and student interest.
Some of the labs and activities are featured in Ellen McHenry’s Book: Cells (which is scheduled in). You will need this optional book to do the Cells activities.
This is the option I chose when doing this curriculum with my son. We did NOT do all of the activities listed.
Option 3:
You can mix-and-match labs from the Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments and the Guest Hollow options as desired. Just make sure to look at the supply list ahead of time to plan out your labs (so you have the necessary items on hand)!
Lab F.A.Q.
Do I have to do every lab and activity in the schedule?
No! When I was using this curriculum with my son, we didn’t do all of the activities. There just isn’t enough time in most schedules to get to them all. Having said that, I believe it’s important your student gets to as many as is feasible for your budget and time constraints. You may want to take photos of your student’s projects for record keeping and also to have fun memories to look back on!
Is it OK to substitute a different activity for one that’s scheduled?
Yes! You may want to do a similar but different experiment or activity than some that are scheduled. Some students may be squeamish and unable to handle dissections. In that case, you may wish to watch a video or find a different activity that covers the same topics being studied. Perhaps you’ve found a specific activity for one of the biology topics while browsing Pinterest or another source…Feel free to add it in! Remember, YOU are in charge, not the schedule!
Do I have to have a microscope?
No. Although having a microscope is a great experience, you can choose to do the labs and activities that don’t require one. You can look up slide images and videos of microscope labs online as a substitute, too.
Supply List
Note: The lab supplies for the Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments are in a tan row to more easily distinguish them from the Guest Hollow lab options. The Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments (IGHBE) lab supplies listed below DO NOT include kit items. If you purchase the kit that goes with this book, please reference it for any other items you made need for the IGHBE labs.
Week 1
Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments
Lab I-1 Using a Microscope
- lamp or book light
- microscope and illuminator
- scissors
- slide, prepared (bacteria or diatoms)
- specimen: notebook or copy paper
- specimen: snippet from cover of this book
- gloves
Lab I-2 Mounting Specimens
- gloves
- butane lighter
- raw carrot
- microscope
- petroleum jelly
- human hair
- toothpicks
- vegetable oil
- distilled water
- pond water
Guest Hollow Labs
Using a microscope lab and printable
- newspaper
- scissors
- microscope
- microscope slide
- cover slip
- dropper
- water
- tweezers
- paper towel
- rapid rise yeast
- sugar
- ziploc bags
- small water balloons
- test tubes & rack
- water container
- Sharpie
- sterile nutrient agar plate
- microscope
- petri dishes
Week 2
Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments
Lab Session III-2: Carbohydrates and Lipids
- gloves
- butane lighter
- butter
- diet sweetener
- unsweetened fruit juice
- honey
- Isopropanol
- marking pen
- microwave
- microscope
- whole milk
- non-dairy creamer
- onion
- paper bag (brown)
- peanut
- potato
- colorless soft drink
- table sugar
- vegetable oil
Guest Hollow Labs
Who took Jerell’s iPod – an organic compound mystery
(Testing items to see if they contain carbohydrates, lipids or proteins.) Scroll down the page to see the linked experiment.
- Biuret reagent
- Iodine potassium iodide solution
- glucose test strips
- containers for food testing
- something to stir with
- tape for labeling containers
- brown paper bag
- vegetable oil
- glucose or dextrose
- corn starch
- unsweetened gelatin
- hard pretzels
- peanut butter
- jelly
- plain yogurt
- canned white beans
Chemistry of Food Experiment Kit
This is an alternative to the activity linked above.
Exothermic Reaction Make your own Hot Ice!
- household vinegar
- baking soda
- 70% Isopropyl Alcohol
- plastic cup
- plastic bowl
- measuring cup
- aluminum foil
- measuring spoons
- stove
- cooking pot
- fridge
Endothermic reaction – Ice Cream in a baggie
- 1/2 cup whipping cream (heavy cream)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla or vanilla flavoring (vanillin)
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup sodium chloride (NaCl) as table salt or rock salt
- 2 cups ice
- 1-quart ZiplocTM bag
- 1-gallon plastic zip bag
- thermometer
- measuring cups and spoons
- cups and spoons
Video lab (after reading the section on enzymes): Amylase Experiment
- bread or cracker
- your mouth
Online Activity: Enzyme catalysis
- No supplies are needed.
Week 3
Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments
Lab Session III-3: Proteins, Enzymes, and Vitamins
- gloves
- blood from uncooked meat
- desk lamp
- raw egg white
- freezer
- hydrogen peroxide 3%
- Isopropanol 99%
- marking pen
- microwave
- black paper or cloth
- paper towels
- starch water
- urine
- distilled water
IGHBE: Lab Session III-1: Acids, Bases, and Buffers
- gloves
- marking pen
- paper towel
- scissors
- specimens from last lab
- distilled water
Guest Hollow Labs
Experiments with acids and bases
- red cabbage
- stove
- pan
- distilled water
- white paper
- scissors
- cup(s)
- various items from around the house to test like cola, baking soda, milk, aspirin, etc.
- Optional: Red cabbage indicator Jiffy Juice Kit (instead of cooking cabbage and making your own)
Online activity: pH Scale (PHET interactive)
- No supplies are needed for this activity.
Week 4
View cork and plant cells
microscope
piece of cork
piece of onion skin
razor blade
microscope lab printable from the biology printables packet
Demonstration of fluid mosaic model
- mini-marshmallows
- shallow tray with sides
- water
- apple (or anything else that will float and can be stuck with a toothpick)
- a few toothpicks
- knife to cut apple
Make a phospholipid ornament
printouts from the book
pipe cleaners (chenille stems)
string or yarn
colored pencils or markers
craft bond glue (stronger than school glue)
optional beads to slide onto the pipe cleaners
A paper membrane model
- pattern page from the book
- craft glue (stronger than school glue)
- craft knife
- pencil/colored pencils or markers
- ruler
- a pointed object for scoring fold lines (nail, etc.)
- pipe cleaners (chenille stems)
Game for 2 players or more: Lysosome simulation game
- Legos™ or other similar building blocks
Lab: Simulation of merging vesicles using oil droplets
- vegetable oil
- water
- pepper
- optional: eye dropper
- plates or trays to hold a thin layer of water
- optional food coloring
Golgi body cookies
- cookie dough
- icing
- optional candies or food items to decorate the cookies
Week 5
Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments
Lab Session VII-1: Observing Specialized Eukaryotic Cells
- gloves
- elodea leaf
- microscope
- raw onion
- prepared slides
- distilled water
Lab Session IV-2: Investigating Osmosis
- gloves
- balance
- 2 raw eggs
- foam cups
- graph paper, calculator or software
- marking pen
- paper towels
- syrup (maple, waffle, etc.)
- distilled white vinegar
- watch or clock with a 2nd hand
Guest Hollow Labs
Osmosis Eggs or watch an Osmosis Eggs Video
- 3 eggs
- 3 glasses (large enough to fit the egg plus liquid)
- 3 butter knives
- white vinegar (about 3 cups)
- distilled water (about 2 cups)
- light corn syrup (about 1 ¼ cups)
- slotted spoon
- measuring cup (1 cup)
- Mmeasuring spoons (1 tablespoon and ½ tablespoon)
- sticky notes and marker
- scale (optional)
Osmosis Set
Do one experiment about osmosis and one for diffusion.
This is an alternative to the activity linked above.
- corn syrup
- corn starch
Make antibody refrigerator magnets
- pipe cleaners (chenille stems)
- hot glue gun (or strong all-purpose glue)
- small magnets
- optional: a large bead
Week 6
Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments
Lab Session IV-1: Chlorophyll and Photosynthesis
- gloves
- optional coin with milled edge
- cotton balls
- Elodea
- Isopropanol, 70%
- various leaves
- light source
- measuring tape or meter stick
- microscope
- microwave
- saucer
- scissors
- soda straw
- toothpicks (plastic)
- UV light source (optional)
- watch or clock with 2nd hand
- distilled water
Guest Hollow Labs
- sprig of Elodea (an aquatic plant available at some pet or garden stores)
- Bromothymol blue solution
- transparent plastic films of different colors (heat resistant)
- masking tape
- clamp lights
- test tubes or small glasses (one for each color and two additional as controls)
- plastic wrap
- aluminum foil
As the chloroplasts absorb light, they produce oxygen bubbles which eventually cause the leaves in the experiment to float. You can reproduce this lab at home using:
- spinach leaves
- syringe
- water
- baking soda
- source of light (natural or artificial)
- paper hole punch
Cell “Mini-Mural”
- 2 sheets of cardstock (or regular paper if you don’t have it)
- tape
- pencil and erasers
- ruler
- optional colored pencils or markers
- optional compass to draw circles
Cell Bingo
- copies of the book printables
- 24 tokens (something yummy will work like candies)
- scissors
- glue
Amylase at work (if you didn’t do this activity in week 2)
- bread or cracker with very little added sugar
Week 7
Paper model of the ATP synthase
- copies of the book printables
- craft glue (stronger than school glue)
- scissors
- masking tape
- sharp craft knife
- piece of thick cardboard
paper clips or clothespins (to hold paper joints while they dry)
Week 8
Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments
Lab Session IV-3: Investigating Cell Division
- microscope
- prepared slide: onion tip / plant mitosis
- prepared slide: animal mitosis
Want to just look at slide pictures online? Click the links below:
Onion tip mitosis slides
Animal mitosis slides
Guest Hollow Labs
There are no Guest Hollow labs this week.
Make a Mitosis Flip Book
- patterns printed from the book onto cardstock
- scissors
- glue
- fine sandpaper (to sand the edges of the pages so they will flip easier)
Week 9
Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments
There are no IGHBE labs this week.
Guest Hollow Labs
Drake Breeder’s Guild Meiosis Lab (Yay! Let’s breed some dragons!)
- No supplies are needed for this activity.
Week 10
Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments
Lab Session VI-1: Exploring Mendelian Genetics
- No additional supplies are needed for this activity.
Guest Hollow Labs
Drosophila genetics simulation
- No supplies are needed for this activity.
Wisconsin Fast Plants Dihybrid Genetics Student Kit
Click here for a PDF that schedules out this experiment and other activities over 45 days.
Want to purchase seeds instead of a kit? Check out: https://fastplants.org/shop/
Week 11
Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments
There are no IGHBE labs this week.
Guest Hollow Labs
Pea Plants: Blending Inheritance (online activity)
- No supplies are needed for this activity.
Mendel Pea Simulation (online activity)
- No supplies are needed for this activity.
- Skittles or other similar candy (or items like buttons, etc.) in 6 different colors
- 6 different colored plastic eggs to match the colors of candy (or pockets of construction paper)
- printable worksheet
Week 12
Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments
Lab Session III-5: Extracting, Isolating, and Visualizing DNA
- Gloves
- Optional balance
- Beef or pork liver or yeast
- Cheesecloth or muslin, etc.
- Isopropanol
- Freezer
- Microscope
- Paper towels
- Saucer
- Table salt
- Teaspoon
- Toothpick
- Distilled water
Guest Hollow Labs
Extracting DNA from Strawberries
- 100 ml dishwashing liquid (or shampoo without conditioner) 900 ml water
- 15 grams of salt 1-2 fresh or frozen strawberries
- Ziploc bag
- Coffee filter
- Clear glass or test tube
- Cup or beaker or similar container
- Isopropanol alcohol
- 2 pieces of red licorice
- 12 toothpicks
- colored mini marshmallows
- edible DNA models from the previous activity
- black licorice
- printable worksheet and answer key
- crayons
- colored mini marshmallows
- black marker (a Sharpie would work fine)
- toothpicks
DNAhttps://learn.concord.org/resources/764/dna-to-protein to Protein (online activity)
- No supplies are needed for this activity.
Modeling Transcription (online activity)
- No supplies are needed for this activity.
Modeling Translation (online activity)
No supplies are needed for this activity.
Protein pencil topper
- pencil
- eraser
- 12 pipe cleaners
- craft beads
Build a paper model of DNA
- copies of the book printables
- scissors
- glue
- stapler or tape
- lots of paperclips
Game: “Translation Taxi”
- copies of the book printables
- paper
- glue and tape
- scissors
- X-Acto knife or razor blad
- 6 tokens (candies, cereal, whatever you want to use)
Super Models: DNA Molecular Model Kit (optional)
Week 13
There are no labs this week.
Week 14
Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments
Lab Session III-6: Build a Gel Electrophoresis Apparatus
- aluminum foil
- 9V batteries (5, 7 or 9)
- gel casting comb materials (see text)
- marking pen
- plastic containers
- scissors
- tape (electrical or masking)
Guest Hollow Labs
Make your own gel electrophoresis apparatus video and instructions
- small rectangular plastic box
- stainless steel wire (24-18 gauge)
- wire cutters
- 5 nine-volt batteries
- 2 alligator clip leads
- kitchen scale or measuring spoons
- baking soda
- bottled water
- agarose powder
- microwave
- 3 food coloring dyes
- measuring utensil (graduated cylinder)
Week 15
Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments
Lab Session III-7: Simulated DNA Gel Electrophoresis
- gel electrophoresis apparatus (from previous lab)
- measuring spoons
- microwave
- 2-liter soda bottle (empty and clean)
- table salt
- baking soda
- toothpicks
- water
Guest Hollow Labs
Transgenic Fly Lab (online activity)
- There are no supplies needed for this activity.
Week 16
There are no labs this week.
Week 17
There are no labs this week.
Week 18
Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments
Lab Session II-1: Building Microcosms
Note: This is a long-term project. See the Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments book for more details.
- gloves
- brown paper bag
- camera (optional)
- eggshell and yolk
- funnel
- wide-mouth jars
- mixing bowl
- newspaper
- pond water
- pond sediment
- pond vegetation
- soft drink bottles (1 liter)
- ladle, trowel or scoop
- water (spring or boiled tap)
Lab Session II-2: Observing Succession in Aquarium Microcosms
Note: This is a long-term project. See the Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments book for more details.
- Gloves
- Aquarium microcosms (from preceding lab)
- Particulate masks, N100
- Pond life reference material
- Watch or clock with 2nd hand
Lab Session II-3: Observing the Effects of Pollution in Microcosms
- gloves
- foam cup
- pond sediment/vegetation from lab II-1
- tablespoon
- water, spring or boiled tap
Guest Hollow Labs
There are no Guest Hollow labs for this week.
Week 19
Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments
Lab Session V-1: Sampling Plant Populations in a Community
- gloves
- assistant
- optional camera with macro feature
- hammer or mallet
- field guides to plants and trees for your region
- plastic bags for specimens
- pocketknife
- scissors
- stakes or sticks
- string or cord (250 ft or 75 meters)
- tape measure
Lab Session V-2: Observing the Effect of Rhizobia on Plant Growth
Note: This project lasts 6 weeks.
- gloves
- balance
- chlorine laundry bleach
- foam cups, 16 oz
- lamp/fluorescent plant (optional)
- paper towel
- pencil
- plastic wrap
- 2-liter soft drink bottle
- vermiculite
- distilled water
Lab Session V-3: Air Pollution Testing
- gloves
- saucers or similar containers
- microscope
- petroleum jelly
- plastic wrap
- spray bottle (optional)
- watch or timer
Lab Session V-4: Soil and Water Pollution Testing
- gloves
- desk lamp
- paper towels
- distilled water
- specimens: water collected from 2 different sources (stream, ditch, etc.)
- 2-3 soil samples from different sources
Guest Hollow Labs
Week 20
Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments
Lab Session VII-2: Preparing Culturing Media
- gloves
- aluminum foil
- balance or measuring spoons
- 500 ml soda bottle (clean and empty)
- chicken broth or bouillon cube
- cotton balls
- measuring cup (microwave safe)
- microwave
- optional pressure cooker
- refrigerator
- table salt
- lysol or other disinfectant spray
- sprayer bottle filled with water
- table sugar
- tape
- water
Lab Session VII-3: Culturing Bacteria
- gloves
- alcohol
- agar petri dishes from previous lab
- agar slant tubes from previous lab
- chlorine laundry bleach
- broth culturing tubes from preceding lab
- clock or watch with 2nd hand
- large container with lid (for bleach bath)
- microscope
- mixed bacteria culture
- normal saline tubes from preceding lab
- paper towels
- sanitized work area from preceding lab
- tape
Lab Session VII-4: Investigating Bacterial Antibiotic Sensitivity
- gloves
- aluminum foil
- optional balance
- chlorine bleach container
- hole punch or scissors
- marking pen
- microwave
- refrigerator
- sanitized work area
- soda bottles
- teaspoon
- distilled water (from previous labs)
- nutrient agar (from previous labs)
- nutrient broth tubes (from previous labs)
- pure cultures (from previous labs)
Lab Session I-3: Gram Staining
- gloves
- butane lighter
- ethanol 70%
- microscope
- paper towels
- toothpicks
- distilled water
Guest Hollow Labs
Gram Stain Kit and Bacteria Cultures
Bacteria Growing Kit or The Magic School Bus: The World of Germs Kit Do the activities from either kit. You may need several weeks to complete them.
Week 21
Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments
Lab Session VIII-1: Investigating Protista
- Gloves
- Microscope
- Prepared slides
- Live specimens – Either isolate from microcosm or order them from Carolina Biological Supply.
Guest Hollow Labs
2nd option:
Microscopic Life – A Free Alternative
- access to a pond
- microscope
- glass microscope slides
- slide covers
- 4 glass jars
- hay (a small amount)
- 1 tsp. rice
- egg yolk
- soil (from your yard)
- dropper
Set up 4 jars and fill each 1/2 filled with collected pond water. Put some chopped hay in one jar, a tsp. of rice in another, 1/4 tsp. egg yolk in another and 2 tsp. soil in the last. Place in a lighted area (but not direct sunlight) and culture for several days. On day 3, take a drop from each (use a new dropper for each jar) and make 4 slides to observe under the microscope. Make new slides and observe again several days later.
Week 22
Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments
Lab Session IX-1: Investigating Fungi
- gloves
- plastic zip bags
- bread with no preservatives
- microscope
- fresh mushroom
- orange slice
- paper towels
- optional prepared slides
- optional stereo microscope
- sugar
Guest Hollow Labs
- Microscope
- Edible mushroom
- Water eye dropper
- Microscope slide
- Forceps
- Cover slip
- Paper towels
Back to The Roots Mushroom Kit
Week 23
Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments
Lab Session X-1: Investigating Simple Plants: Mosses and Ferns
- Gloves
- Microscope
- Stereo microscope (optional)
- Optional prepared slides (see text)
- Fern specimens
- Moss specimens
Guest Hollow Labs
- 2 pieces of filter paper
- 150 mL beaker
- glass plate (cover for the beaker)
- pencil (colored pencils would be ideal)
- fresh spinach leaf
- a red leaf (like a coleus leaf or something else that is red like red-leaf lettuce)
- 70% isopropyl alcohol
Week 24
Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments
Lab Session X-2: Investigating Seed Plants
- gloves
- alcohol
- carrot
- flowers
- foam cups
- fruits
- paring knife
- leaves (monocot and dicot)
- leaves hydrophyte (water plant)
- microscope
- stereo microscope (optional)
- paper towels
- pencil
- seeds
- prepared slides: monocot structures, dicot structures, gymnosperm structures
- sand or vermiculite
- soil
Guest Hollow Labs
- food coloring
- water
- jar or vase
- white flowers (like carnations or something similar)
- potted plant
- plastic wrap
- Vaseline
- a bell jar or glass jar
- flat plate
Week 25
Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments
Lab XI-1 Preparation
To prepare for week 27, you need to hatch some brine shrimp. You can do so with ONE of the following options:
Guest Hollow Labs
- There are no Guest Hollow labs this week.
Week 26
There are no labs this week.
Week 27
Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments
Lab Session XI-1: Investigating Porifera and Cnidaria
- Culture: daphnia or brine shrimp
- Culture: hydra (optional)
- Microscope
- Granita specimen
- Vinegar (white, distilled)
Lab Session XI-2: Investigating Platyhelminthes, Nematoda, and Annelida
- Microscope
- Prepared slides: platyhelminthes, nematoda, annelida
Guest Hollow Labs
Advanced Dissection Kit: Dissect the Granita (sponge), clam, and earthworm.
This dissection kit comes with all the specimens you need for the year, along with dissections tools, a dissection tray and an illustrated guidebook that will explain how to dissect the provided animals except the granita specimen (which is pretty straight-forward).
Week 28
Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments
Lab Session XI-3: Investigating Arthropods
- Ethanol
- Food for mealworm beetles
- Jars
- Microscope
- Refrigerator
- Prepared slide: arthropoda
- Specimens: assorted arthropods (ants, flies, spiders, caterpillars, butterflies, etc.)
- Specimens: mealworms
- Stereo microscope (optional)
Guest Hollow Labs
Advanced Dissection Kit: Dissect the starfish, grasshopper, and crayfish.
Week 29
Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments
Lab Session XI-4: Investigating Vertebrate Tissues
- No additional supplies are needed.
Guest Hollow Labs
Advanced Dissection Kit: Dissect the perch and the frog.
Grow a Frog Kit (Choose any kit that comes with a tadpole.)
Be aware that the frog you raise with this kit can live for years. As it grows larger, it will need a larger habitat so getting one is a future commitment.
Free option:
Scoop up a tadpole at a local pond, make a habitat for it, and feed it tadpole food.
Week 30
There are no labs this week.
Week 31
Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments
There are no IGHBE labs this week.
Guest Hollow Labs
Make sure to order a kit that comes with an instruction booklet. You can also watch YouTube videos for instruction.
Week 32
There are no labs this week. This is the end of the curriculum.
Click here to return to the main Guest Hollow’s High School Biology Curriculum page.
