Guest Hollow’s High School Biology Curriculum Book and Resource List

Welcome to the Guest Hollow’s High School Biology Curriculum Book and Resource List! This list is to give you an idea of what will be needed if you are using Guest Hollow’s High School Biology Curriculum along with some helpful tips and other information. For details about the curriculum itself please click here.
Thank You,
The Guest Family
© Guest Hollow, LLC

Biology that’s engaging and fun!

In order to use Guest Hollow’s Biology Curriculum, you will need to obtain the scheduled books and other items separately. You may be able to borrow many for FREE from your local library! Check out the F.A.Q. below for tips on how to save money when using a literature-based curriculum.

The printable version of the book list features:

• The ISBN number and author’s name
  You can make sure your copy of the book matches the one in the schedule.
• Notification of when each book or item is used
  You can plan ahead when to check out books from the library. Books used throughout the year are marked “multiple weeks,” so you can decide whether you want to purchase them vs. borrow them.
• Checklists for planning
  A handy checklist helps you plan if you are going to buy or borrow a book. It can also help you choose the format of your books (physical copy, e-book, or audio book).
• Consumables are marked
  You’ll get advance notice of which items are consumable, so you’ll know what you may need to purchase and how many copies you may want to get if you are using the curriculum with multiple students.
  
• Please note: The Biology books are NOT ranked. There are not as many scheduled books in this curriculum vs. some of the others. Feel free to adapt for your needs as with all of our curricula!

Here’s an example of the printable book list:

Keep scrolling to see the full online book list (below the F.A.Q. on this page).

We’ve scheduled in lots of colorful, fact-filled, interesting and engaging books for this year’s biology study! Before taking a look at the books and resources, we’ve addressed some common questions:

Book and Resource F.A.Q.

Warning! Preview all materials! We strongly recommend you preview all items to see if they are appropriate for your student. Every family is different in what they find offensive! Additional notes about some of the books are in the descriptions below.

Books and Items The resources listed below are things to use in addition to the free textbook. Pick-and-choose what your interest and budget allows for.
Note: Our amazing, free textbook is online. The reason why we’ve done this is because it gives us an unprecedented way to tie in FREE videos, articles, and interactive activities that are linked directly from the text. Students can read about the Kreb’s cycle and then immediately SEE how it works. Both students and parents have told us how much they LOVE our textbook. Rather than handing a student an overwhelming, thick, boring book, our biology lessons are interactive, colorful and so much more engaging.  Kids who dislike their other biology curriculum love the switch to Guest Hollow.	Click here to go to our FREE online textbook. We’ve taken the well-known and rigorous CK-12 biology textbook and edited it  (thanks to a Creative Commons licence) to fit a Christian creationist perspective. Edits are as follows: ★ References to evolution taken out ★ New videos added (you can watch them right from the online text!) ★ Christian material added ★ Definitions placed with vocabulary words in the beginning of each chapter ★ New pictures added ★ Custom illustrations created to better communicate concepts ★ Additional concepts and material added ★ Some humor was added and/or sections rewritten to be more clear / understandable ★ Latin and Greek root word “alerts” were created and inserted in the text – a fun way to learn vocabulary using science! If you are a secular family or do not want the Christian version of the textbook & workbook, click here.
Optional Christian books for the year
	The New Answers Book 1 This book is available FREE online. I’ve linked to the chapters in the schedule. I thought it was important to cover apologetics and our family’s Christian beliefs about creation vs. evolution this year, as it meshes perfectly with biology. I managed to find 4 great books online for FREE that cover these topics. If you are a Christian with these beliefs, it’s very important to build this foundation now, before college. Our daughter Hannah was very well-prepared for her secular college classes and didn’t divert from our belief system. She was able to have successful (and respectful) debates with some of her teachers because we armed her with a great deal of knowledge. This book has a free study guide available online! Here is the free answer guide.
	The New Answers Book 2 This book is available FREE online. I’ve linked to the chapters in the schedule. Click here for the free study guide. Here is the free answer guide.
	Evolution Exposed: Your Evolution Answer Book for the Classroom This book is available FREE online. I’ve linked to the chapters in the schedule. Our oldest used this in high school before heading off to college. It was a great tool in helping her learn about creationism vs. evolution.
	The Lie: Evolution This book is available FREE online. I’ve linked to the chapters in the schedule.
	The Genesis of Germs Click here for a : FREE study guide “As the world waits in fear, the CDC and world health organizations race to minimize the current pandemic – a looming threat that has forced international, federal, and local governments to deal with COVID19 and other future epidemics, and the widespread death and devastation which would follow. Will the world find the answers in time? Or will we see a deadly threat ravage populations as others have before in 1918 with influenza, in the late 18th century with yellow fever, or the horrific “black death” or bubonic plague in 1347 AD? Are these [viruses] examples of evolution? …Did God make microbes by mistake? Are they accidents of evolution, out of the primordial soup? These timely questions are examined throughout this book.”
Scheduled books These books are scheduled in.
Note: there are evolutionary concepts covered in some of the chapters. I don’t schedule those pages in. There are also scientific drawings of cut-away human anatomy.	Biology Coloring Workbook I chose this biology coloring book because I like the pictures in it better than the other biology coloring book option. It’s much more clear and uncluttered and also covers a variety of the topics we’ll be studying this year. It’s not a must have, but coloring the pictures might help cement concepts in some student’s minds.
	A World in a Drop of Water: Exploring with a Microscope Read it for FREE here. “Within every drop of pond water lurks an invisible world, alive with an amazing variety of microscopic animals. And with the help of this book and a microscope, you can bring these tiny creatures into focus and discover the ways in which they live. You’ll trace the path of a blob-like amoeba as it stretches out its pseudopods to hunt and gobble up its prey, and you’ll see the life-or-death water ballet of a slipper-shaped paramecium as it swims away from its mortal enemy, the pincushion-shaped suctorian. You’ll also meet the euglena, classified as both plant and animal; the rotifer, a creature with two wheels of whirling hairlike projections that help it move by squeezing in and out like an accordion; and the incredible hydra, a fearsome bully that constantly threatens other small animals with its crown of grasping tentacles. With this book, your key to the world of single-celled organisms, you’ll learn fascinating lessons about how these strange animals eat, reproduce, and defend themselves. Enter their microscopic domain and see for yourself!”
	All in a Drop: How Antony van Leeuwenhoek Discovered an Invisible World This is a picture/chapter book combo for younger grades, but it gives an excellent and quick overview of Leeuwenhoek and discoveries he made, plus a splash of history. Students can read it in one sitting.
Note: Some of the information is outdated (but still important and interesting), as this book was written in the 70’s. Let your students know that many new discoveries about enzymes and how to manufacture them have been discovered since this book was written. Your students may even wish to look up some of the newer discoveries and information after reading portions of this book. We did!	FREE: Enzymes in Action by Melvin Berger Free at the Open Library – available in epub format or PDF or online This is a fascinating book that is pretty easy to read. Not only does it talk about the history of how enzymes were discovered, it also talks about how enzymes are used in a variety of functions, from the human body to laundry detergents. Don’t let the cover throw you off. This is a book that has a lot of appealing / interesting information (in addition to a few dry spots).
Note: There are some adult humor/references as well as evolution mentioned. This book also takes about the Bible story of Jacob and Laban and interprets the story as Jacob using “fertility magic” when he stripped the bark from willow rods and set them near the watering hole.	The Cartoon Guide to Genetics This book is FREE at the OpenLibrary. This books takes a complex subject and makes it much more understandable in a cartoon / comic-book style.
Note: Evolution is mentioned in this book.	Bacteria: Staph, Strep, Clostridium, and Other Bacteria Read it for FREE here. This is an easy read with lots of pictures. This book will help a visual learner or reluctant reader better retain some of the textbook information.
Note: Evolution is mentioned in this book.	Archaea: Salt-Lovers, Methane-Makers, Thermophiles, and Other Archaeans Read it for FREE here. An easy read with lots of pictures – this book will help a visual learner or reluctant reader better retain some of the textbook information.
	Gregor Mendel: The Friar Who Grew Peas Read it for FREE here. This is a picture book, but one that even some high school teachers use for their biology classes. I love the illustrations.
	Cells 2nd Edition (by Ellen McHenry) I love Ellen McHenry’s work. She takes complicated subjects and makes them understandable. Note: Make sure to get the FULL book, not the student text. You may like the digital copy the best since there are printables for some of the activities. Click here for the physical copy on Amazon. Click here for the digital version.
	Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments: All Lab, No Lecture (DIY Science) This is an OPTIONAL book. Please look over the information on the Biology Curriculum Lab and Activities Supply List Page before purchasing. Experience the magic of biology in your own home lab. This hands-on introduction includes more than 30 educational (and fun) experiments that help you explore this fascinating field on your own. Perfect for middle- and high-school students and DIY enthusiasts, this full-color guide teaches you the basics of biology lab work and shows you how to set up a safe lab at home. The Illustrated Guide to Home Biology Experiments is also written with the needs of homeschoolers firmly in mind, as well as adults who are eager to explore the science of nature as a lifelong hobby. The Home Scientist also offers inexpensive custom kits that provide specialized equipment and supplies you’ll need to complete the experiments. Add a microscope and some common household items and you’re good to go.
UNSCHEDULED BOOKS – These books are intended to be read throughout the year in whatever order you wish. They are optional, but will enhance your biology study and make topics come alive in ways that a textbook can’t. Scheduling: Read one book and when you are done, read the next one (again – in whatever order you wish).
Fiction Note: Scientific concepts can be just as memorable in fiction and can encourage students to do more research. At the very least, they make science come alive in a “real” context that is accessible and memorable.	The Andromeda Strain Read it for FREE here. “From the author of Jurassic Park, Timeline, and Sphere comes a captivating thriller about a deadly extraterrestrial microorganism, which threatens to annihilate human life.   Five prominent biophysicists have warned the United States government that sterilization procedures for returning space probes may be inadequate to guarantee uncontaminated re-entry to the atmosphere. Two years later, a probe satellite falls to the earth and lands in a desolate region of northeastern Arizona. Nearby, in the town of Piedmont, bodies lie heaped and flung across the ground, faces locked in frozen surprise. What could cause such shock and fear? The terror has begun, and there is no telling where it will end. “
Fiction Note: This book contains some cursing.	The Cobra Event Read it for FREE here. “The Cobra Event is set in motion one spring morning in New York City, when a seventeen-year-old student wakes up feeling vaguely ill. Hours later she is having violent seizures, blood is pouring out of her nose, and she has begun a hideous process of self-cannibalization. Soon, other gruesome deaths of a similar nature have been discovered, and the Centers for Disease Control sends a forensic pathologist to investigate. What she finds precipitates a federal crisis. The details of this story are fictional, but they are based on a scrupulously thorough inquiry into the history of biological weapons and their use by civilian and military terrorists. Richard Preston’s sources include members of the FBI and the United States military, public health officials, intelligence officers in foreign governments, and scientists who have been involved in the testing of strategic bioweapons. The accounts of what they have seen and what they expect to happen are chilling.”
Fiction	Fantastic Voyage Read it for FREE here. “Four men and a woman are reduced to a microscopic fraction of their original size, sent in a miniaturized atomic sub through a dying man’s carotid artery to destroy a blood clot in his brain. If they fail, the entire world will be doomed.”
Fiction	Fever 1793 Read it for FREE here. “During the summer of 1793, Mattie Cook lives above the family coffee shop with her widowed mother and grandfather. Mattie spends her days avoiding chores and making plans to turn the family business into the finest Philadelphia has ever seen. But then the fever breaks out. Disease sweeps the streets, destroying everything in its path and turning Mattie’s world upside down. At her feverish mother’s insistence, Mattie flees the city with her grandfather. But she soon discovers that the sickness is everywhere, and Mattie must learn quickly how to survive in a city turned frantic with disease.”
Fiction	The House of the Scorpion Read for FREE here. “Matteo Alacrán was not born; he was harvested. His DNA came from El Patrón, lord of a country called Opium–a strip of poppy fields lying between the United States and what was once called Mexico. Matt’s first cell split and divided inside a petri dish. Then he was placed in the womb of a cow, where he continued the miraculous journey from embryo to fetus to baby. He is a boy now, but most consider him a monster–except for El Patrón. El Patrón loves Matt as he loves himself, because Matt is himself. As Matt struggles to understand his existence, he is threatened by a sinister cast of characters, including El Patrón’s power-hungry family, and he is surrounded by a dangerous army of bodyguards. Escape is the only chance Matt has to survive. But escape from the Alacrán Estate is no guarantee of freedom, because Matt is marked by his difference in ways he doesn’t even suspect.”
	Basher Science: Extreme Biology Read for FREE here. “Learn about the amazing research that is revolutionizing biology, from advances in medicine to genetic engineering. Meet the world’s toughest bacterium and a biologically immortal flatworm whilst learning about epigenetics, superbugs, nanomedicine and cloning. Extreme Biology is a compelling guide to developments at the very forefront of science―a must-read for anyone wishing to understand, and engage with, modern biology.”
Note: There are some references to sex, especially in the first chapter about asparagus.	How Carrots Won the Trojan War: Curious (but True) Stories of Common Vegetables Read for FREE here. “Discover why Roman gladiators were massaged with onion juice before battle, how celery contributed to Casanova’s conquests, how peas almost poisoned General Washington, and why some seventeenth-century turnips were considered degenerate. Rebecca Rupp tells the strange and fascinating history of 23 of the world’s most popular vegetables. Gardeners, foodies, history buffs, and anyone who wants to know the secret stories concealed in a salad are sure to enjoy this delightful and informative collection. “
	Enslaved by Ducks Read for FREE here. “When Bob Tarte and his wife Linda brought a rabbit into their rural Michigan home, they didn’t anticipate how it might upset their tranquil lives. But even after the bunny chewed through their electrical wiring, their household menagerie kept growing. Soon, Bob found himself constructing cages, buying feed, clearing duck waste, and spoon-feeding an assortment of furry and feathery residents. He unwittingly became a servant to a relentlessly demanding family. “They dumbfounded him, controlled and teased him, took their share of his flesh, [and] stole his heart.” (Kirkus Reviews)
Note: This book mentions evolution.	Parasite Rex: Inside the Bizarre World of Nature’s Most Dangerous Creatures Read for FREE here. “Traveling from the steamy jungles of Costa Rica to the parasite-riddled war zone of southern Sudan, Zimmer introduces an array of amazing creatures that invade their hosts, prey on them from within, and control their behavior. His vivid descriptions bring to life parasites that can change DNA, rewire the brain, make men more distrustful and women more outgoing, and turn hosts into the living dead.”
	Bitten: True Medical Stories of Bites and Stings Read for FREE here. “We’ve all been bitten. And we all have stories. The bite attacks that Pamela Nagami, M.D., has chosen to write about in Bitten take place in big cities, small towns, and remote villages around the world and throughout history, locales as familiar as New York or Hollywood, or exotic as Africa, the Middle East, or Indonesia. They include a six-year-old girl who descended into weeks of extreme lassitude from a tick bite; a diabetic in the West Indies who awoke to find a rat eating two of his toes; a California man who developed “flesh-eating strep” following a penile bite; and more. With reports from medical journals, case histories, colleagues, and her own twenty-five-year career as a practicing physician and infectious diseases specialist, Pamela Nagami offers readers intrigued by infection, disease, and mesmerized by creatures in the wild a compulsively readable narrative that is entertaining, sometimes disturbing, and always engrossing.”
	An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 Read for FREE here. “1793, Philadelphia. The nation’s capital and the largest city in North America is devastated by an apparently incurable disease, cause unknown . . . In a powerful, dramatic narrative, critically acclaimed author Jim Murphy describes the illness known as yellow fever and the toll it took on the city’s residents, relating the epidemic to the major social and political events of the day and to 18th-century medical beliefs and practices. Drawing on first-hand accounts, Murphy spotlights the heroic role of Philadelphia’s free blacks in combating the disease, and the Constitutional crisis that President Washington faced when he was forced to leave the city–and all his papers–while escaping the deadly contagion. The search for the fever’s causes and cure, not found for more than a century afterward, provides a suspenseful counterpoint to this riveting true story of a city under siege.”
Note: This book graphically describes what happens to people when they get the Ebola virus. Other warnings: curse words, mention of a prostitute, killing of animals, etc.	The Hot Zone: A Terrifying True Story Read for FREE here. “A highly infectious, deadly virus from the central African rain forest suddenly appears in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. There is no cure. In a few days 90 percent of its victims are dead. A secret military SWAT team of soldiers and scientists is mobilized to stop the outbreak of this exotic “hot” virus. The Hot Zone tells this dramatic story, giving a hair-raising account of the appearance of rare and lethal viruses and their “crashes” into the human race. Shocking, frightening, and impossible to ignore, The Hot Zone proves that truth really is scarier than fiction.”
Note: This is a Christian book.	Gifted Hands Read for FREE here. Inspiring! There is also a kid’s version of this book which would be appropriate for younger students or a student who just wants a quick read. “Dr. Ben Carson is known around the world for breakthroughs in neurosurgery that have brought hope where no hope existed. In Gifted Hands, he tells of his inspiring odyssey from his childhood in inner-city Detroit to his position as director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions at age thirty-three.”
Note: This book contains cursing and graphic content regarding an abusive situation.	The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Read for FREE here. I have had parents tell me how this book really resonated with them and their students. Be aware that it definitely has adult content in it. “Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor black tobacco farmer whose cells—taken without her knowledge in 1951—became one of the most important tools in medicine, vital for developing the polio vaccine, cloning, gene mapping, and more. Henrietta’s cells have been bought and sold by the billions, yet she remains virtually unknown, and her family can’t afford health insurance. This phenomenal New York Times bestseller tells a riveting story of the collision between ethics, race, and medicine; of scientific discovery and faith healing; and of a daughter consumed with questions about the mother she never knew.”
	The Woman with a Worm in Her Head: And Other True Stories of Infectious Disease “Even the most innocuous everyday activities such as eating a salad for lunch, getting bitten by an insect, and swimming in the sea bring human beings into contact with dangerous, often deadly microorganisms. In The Woman with a Worm in Her Head, Dr. Pamela Nagami reveals-through real-life cases-the sobering facts about some of the world’s most horrific diseases: the warning signs, the consequences, treatments, and most compellingly, what it feels like to make medical and ethical decisions that can mean the difference between life and death. “
Note: There are some references to insect sex in the first chapter: “She’s Just Not That Into You.”	Wicked Bugs: The Louse That Conquered Napoleon’s Army & Other Diabolical Insects “In this darkly comical look at the sinister side of our relationship with the natural world, Stewart has tracked down over one hundred of our worst entomological foes—creatures that infest, infect, and generally wreak havoc on human affairs. From the world’s most painful hornet, to the flies that transmit deadly diseases, to millipedes that stop traffic, to the “bookworms” that devour libraries, to the Japanese beetles munching on your roses, Wicked Bugs delves into the extraordinary powers of six- and eight-legged creatures.”
Note: This book describes all sorts of poisonous and intoxicating plants. Use at your discretion!	Wicked Plants: The Weed That Killed Lincoln’s Mother and Other Botanical Atrocities My son and I enjoyed this book and learned some interesting facts! This book is also scheduled in Guest Hollow’s Botany Curriculum. “A tree that sheds poison daggers; a glistening red seed that stops the heart; a shrub that causes paralysis; a vine that strangles; and a leaf that triggered a war. In Wicked Plants, Stewart takes on over two hundred of Mother Nature’s most appalling creations. It’s an A to Z of plants that kill, maim, intoxicate, and otherwise offend. You’ll learn which plants to avoid (like exploding shrubs), which plants make themselves exceedingly unwelcome (like the vine that ate the South), and which ones have been killing for centuries (like the weed that killed Abraham Lincoln’s mother). Menacing botanical illustrations and splendidly ghastly drawings create a fascinating portrait of the evildoers that may be lurking in your own backyard. Drawing on history, medicine, science, and legend, this compendium of bloodcurdling botany will entertain, alarm, and enlighten even the most intrepid gardeners and nature lovers.”
	The Earth Moved: On the Remarkable Achievements of Earthworms This book is also scheduled in Guest Hollow’s Botany Curriculum. “In The Earth Moved, Amy Stewart takes us on a journey through the underground world and introduces us to one of its most amazing denizens. The earthworm may be small, spineless, and blind, but its impact on the ecosystem is profound. It ploughs the soil, fights plant diseases, cleans up pollution, and turns ordinary dirt into fertile land. Who knew? In her witty, offbeat style, Stewart shows that much depends on the actions of the lowly worm. Charles Darwin devoted his last years to the meticulous study of these creatures, praising their remarkable abilities. With the august scientist as her inspiration, Stewart investigates the worm’s subterranean realm, talks to oligochaetologists―the unsung heroes of earthworm science―who have devoted their lives to unearthing the complex life beneath our feet, and observes the thousands of worms in her own garden. From the legendary giant Australian worm that stretches to ten feet in length to the modest nightcrawler that wormed its way into the heart of Darwin’s last book to the energetic red wigglers in Stewart’s compost bin, The Earth Moved gives worms their due and exposes their hidden and extraordinary universe. This book is for all of us who appreciate Mother Nature’s creatures, no matter how humble.”
Note: This book contains a lot of references to evolution.	I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life Read for FREE here. “Every animal, whether human, squid, or wasp, is home to millions of bacteria and other microbes. Ed Yong, whose humor is as evident as his erudition, prompts us to look at ourselves and our animal companions in a new light—less as individuals and more as the interconnected, interdependent multitudes we assuredly are. The microbes in our bodies are part of our immune systems and protect us from disease. In the deep oceans, mysterious creatures without mouths or guts depend on microbes for all their energy. Bacteria provide squid with invisibility cloaks, help beetles to bring down forests, and allow worms to cause diseases that afflict millions of people. Many people think of microbes as germs to be eradicated, but those that live with us—the microbiome—build our bodies, protect our health, shape our identities, and grant us incredible abilities. In this astonishing book, Ed Yong takes us on a grand tour through our microbial partners, and introduces us to the scientists on the front lines of discovery. It will change both our view of nature and our sense of where we belong in it.”
Videos This list of videos doesn’t include the free YouTube videos linked in the schedule.
	Evolution vs. God *This video is unscheduled. Watch it whenever you wish! 🙂 This video is FREE online. You can also purchase it from vendors like Walmart, etc. This video is quite entertaining as you watch evolutionists (even university instructors) try to defend evolution. Let’s inform ourselves (as creationists) so we don’t come across the same way!
	Biology 101: Biology According to the Days of Creation I’ve scheduled in this video series due to popular demand! This 4 1/2 hour series covers biology topics from a Christian perspective.
Note: This video series mentions evolution.	Life Season 1 “This epic natural history series reveals the glorious variety of life on Earth and the spectacular and extraordinary tactics animals and plants have developed to stay alive.”
Note: This video series mentions evolution.	Life in the Undergrowth “Life in the Undergrowth (Dbl DVD) (WS) David Attenborough guides the viewer through a miniature universe teeming with life, never normally seen, yet all around us. New technology reveals surreal vistas and their extraordinary inhabitants — swarming antler moths, desert locusts and a mountain of cockroaches — up close and personal.”
	Planet Earth “As of its release in early 2007, Planet Earth is quite simply the greatest nature/wildlife series ever produced. Following the similarly monumental achievement of The Blue Planet: Seas of Life, this astonishing 11-part BBC series is brilliantly narrated by Sir David Attenborough and sensibly organized so that each 50-minute episode covers a specific geographical region and/or wildlife habitat (mountains, caves, deserts, shallow seas, seasonal forests, etc.) until the entire planet has been magnificently represented by the most astonishing sights and sounds you’ll ever experience from the comforts of home. “
Additional Resources, Kits, Etc.
Note: Please read through the Biology Lab and Activities Supply List page before choosing items from this section. You will learn about your lab options and will better know which of the following items you will want or need.
	Super Models: DNA Molecular Model Kit The Super Models Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) kit provides a hands-on approach to understanding the molecular structure of DNA. Students easily construct 24 nucleotides from their molecular components, then bond them together to create a DNA chain of 12 pairs. After the initial DNA model has been constructed, the model can be used to show a variety of base sequences, including the mutation that causes sickle cell anemia. Use two or more DNA molecular model kits to show the double helix formation. Super Models: DNA Molecular Model kit includes more than 180 pieces, plus assembly instruction which includes information about DNA and student quiz.
	BrainPOP I’ve scheduled in some BrainPOP videos. Some high schoolers may find BrainPOP too childish. However, the videos are short and quite informational with short quizzes for each one. My kids still thought the BrainPOP videos were fun, even when they were older. You may want to look for a trial before spending the money on a subscription. Sometimes The Homeschool Buyers Co-op has a discount on subscriptions. If you decided BrainPOP is not a fit for your family, feel free to skip it.
	Plush microbes Every student needs a plush microbe study buddy. 😉
	Chemistry of Food Experiment Kit This is for an optional lab in week 2.
	Compound microscope While not absolutely necessary, a microscope is used for a few (optional) activities this year. A microscope is also used to view slides in our anatomy curriculum. AmScope seems to have some good options.
	Red cabbage indicator Jiffy Juice Kit This is for an optional lab in week 3.
	Osmosis Set This is for an optional lab in week 5.
	Wisconsin Fast Plants® Dihybrid Genetics Student Kit This is for an optional long-term (55-day) experiment for genetics. Click here for the document that schedules out the experiment’s activities. Want to purchase seeds instead of a kit? Check out: https://fastplants.org/shop/
	Soil testing kit This is for an optional lab in week 19. You don’t have to get a specific brand of soil test kit. I’ve used the Luster Leaf test pictured on the left in my garden with good results.
Choose one of the following for week 20. When I did this program with my son, I bought The Magic School Bus: The World of Germs Kit. It was less expensive, and the experiments were appropriate for any age (in my opinion).
Bacteria Growing Kit	The Magic School Bus: The World of Germs Kit
	Gram Stain Kit and Bacteria Cultures This is for an optional lab in week 20.
	Microscopic Life Kit This is for an optional lab in week 21. This activity is HIGHLY recommended. This was one of our family’s favorite biology labs. A free alternative (if you have access to a pond): Set up 4 jars and fill each 1/2 full 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. Note: If you go the “homemade” route, you will need glass microscope slides and slide covers.
	Back To The Roots Mushroom Kit This is for an optional lab in week 22.
	Advanced Dissection Kit This is for optional labs starting in week 27. 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.
	Grow a Frog Kit This is for an optional activity in week 29. Free option: Scoop up a tadpole at a local pond, make a habitat for it, and feed it tadpole food.
	Fetal Pig Dissection Kit This is for an optional lab in week 31.

The terrific books on this page are for our Guest Hollow’s High School Biology Curriculum! We invite you to check it out!