Fantastic High School Biology Labs for Homeschoolers

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One of the most overwhelming topics to homeschool in high school is science. The textbooks feel somewhat familiar, but the idea of conducting labs is intimidating. If you are nervous or feel unprepared about teaching high school biology labs for homeschoolers, keep reading. I have found an amazing solution!

Why teach biology with a lab?

Biology is part of the standard science sequence for high school students. Colleges expect to see it listed on high school transcripts. College admission requirements usually state that they want high school students to take at least one lab course.

In North Carolina, public colleges require high school applicants to have taken a minimum of:

  • 1 biology or life science class
  • 1 physical science class
  • 1 lab science

Teaching biology with a lab component lets us knock off 2 of the 3 requirements in one school year. Of course, we can require our kids to take more. Personally, I require my high schoolers to take a science course every year. If there is a way to include homeschool science labs, we add them in. I want them to be prepared for college-level lab courses. College science labs will likely assume that students have been exposed to lab classes previously.

Even if a student doesn’t have college plans, I think it is worthwhile to teach biology as thoroughly as possible. They deserve to have a solid understanding of the world around them. Biology lessons also help them understand the human body a little better.

high school biology labs for homeschoolers written on a banner in front of a microscope

What makes it hard to do labs at home?

The first time I taught biology at home, I really struggled with labs. At the time, I was using a lab book intended for public school classrooms. It didn’t work well.

Homeschoolers usually do not have a well-stocked high school science lab at our disposal. We need to know exactly what to buy. We also need to know that the lab activity will work. I have been disappointed by many Pinterest science experiments over the years!

The other thing that makes it hard to do biology labs at home is that it is helpful to know the material really well. It has been a long time since most parents were in a high school science classroom, so we might not remember the material well enough to explain why a lab works.

I can help my student research answers to questions, but I don’t have a ton of ‘extra’ science knowledge.

Thankfully, it is easier than ever to offer high-quality high school biology labs for homeschoolers.

High School Biology Labs for Homeschoolers

high school biology video labs written below screen of Kristin Moon Science
I received complimentary access to the Kristin Moon Biology Video Labs in exchange for this post. However, I loved the Chemistry lab video so much I would have happily paid full price for the Biology course. All opinions are my own. Read my full disclosure policy.

Last year my daughter used the Kristin Moon Chemistry Lab Video course to earn high school chemistry lab credit. It was a wonderful program, so I was thrilled when Dr. Moon announced that she created a similar course for Biology.

Related: Online Chemistry Labs for Homeschoolers

My son has been using the Kristin Moon Biology Video Labs for a few months now, and I am happy to report that they are fantastic!

The labs are self-paced and designed to complement any biology science curriculum. I like that this gives me the flexibility to choose a core curriculum that will work well for my family. We are using the Miller and Levine Biology textbook and study guide.

Related: Secular Homeschool Biology Curriculum Plan

Each week my son reads the appropriate chapter, does a few study guide worksheet pages, and participates in the corresponding lab video.

I let my teens manage their own schedules, but usually, he does the reading Monday – Wednesday, the review worksheets on Thursday, and the lab on Friday.

I love that there are biology labs to accompany most of the chapters in our textbook.

The labs include:

  • Lab Safety (Super important to teach!)
  • Microscope Basics (A microscopy lab is important if you expect your student to use the microscope correctly.)
  • Exploring the Properties of Water
  • Investigating the Macromolecules in Our Food
  • Determining the Factors that Influence Enzyme Activity
  • DNA Extraction
  • Modeling the Cell Membrane (This has been my son’s favorite activity so far!)
  • Investigating Transport Across a Semi-permeable Membrane
  • Observing Plasmolysis in Living Plant Cells
  • Discovering the Reason Cells are So Small
  • Visualizing Aerobic and Anaerobic Cellular Respiration
  • Why Do Leaves Change Color in the Fall
  • Observing Photosynthesis in a Living Plant
  • Observing Cell Division (Mitosis)
  • Transcription, Translation, and the Effects of DNA Mutations
  • Genetic Traits Exploration
  • Punnett Square Analysis
  • Understanding the Difference Between Probability and Real Life Outcomes
  • The Genetics of Human Blood Types
  • Using a Dichotomous Key
  • Investigating Bacterial Growth and Reproduction
  • Observing Microscopic Life in Pond Water
  • Observing Stomata in Leaves
  • How Do Scientists Estimate Population Size
  • The Plant Vascular System and Transpiration
  • Reproduction in Angiosperms (Flowering Plants)
  • Macroscopic and Microscopic Examination of Fungi
  • Observing How Animals Sense and Respond to Their Environment
  • Investigating Natural Selection
  • Invertebrate Anatomy (Earthworm Dissection)
  • Vertebrate Anatomy (Frog Dissection)

Science Supplies

biology science basket written above a basket full of biology supplies

Dr. Moon was a homeschool mom, so she understands that homeschool parents don’t have fully stocked science labs at our disposal. She put together two helpful supply lists.

The first supply list contains all of the specialized lab supplies. This is where she lists things like beakers, test tubes, pipettes, dissection specimens, etc. Everything is conveniently linked at Home Science Tools for easy ordering.

I recommend reading through the supply list so you don’t order something you already have. For example, I already had a dissection kit, so I didn’t need to order another one.

It is hard to do a science lab when you don’t have the right supplies on hand, so I placed one large order before we started our school year. When everything arrived, I just put the supplies in our science basket.

The second supply list contains common household items such as sugar, salt, baking soda, vinegar, etc. I didn’t purchase everything on this list right away because I generally already have these items in my kitchen.

When I mapped out my Biology lesson plans for the year, I listed any of the household items that were needed each week. This lets me quickly check that I have necessary items on Fridays when I do my lesson planning. If I need something, I just add it to my weekend grocery list.

Check out the supply lists here.

Lab Walkthrough

Each lab follows a similar routine.

First, my son gathers all of the supplies. I give him a copy of the lab instructions and supply list when I give him his weekly assignment sheet. He consults the list and then brings everything to the kitchen counter.

Then I put my laptop on the counter and log in to our Kristin Moon Science account. It is easy to scroll through the lab experiments to find the one we need.

Next, we begin watching the video lesson. Dr. Moon does a wonderful job reviewing the necessary background information and skills at the beginning of each lesson. She has a way of explaining complex topics at a high school level so everyone can understand.

When Dr. Moon begins to do the experiment, we follow along, pausing whenever we need.

Then my son completes the lab and fills out the included lab report.

Finally, we clean up and turn our science area back into a kitchen. I like that Dr. Moon reminds the students to clean up at the end of each video. She even tells them which things should be disposed of and how to wash equipment.

I should note that my son could do the labs without me. I just love doing science experiments with him.

self paced biology video labs written above two photos of online lab videos

What if I can’t get the supplies?

Sometimes it is just impossible to access the supplies. I have heard from families who RV full-time or are traveling frequently that it is really hard to earn lab credit.

While I recommend hands-on experience whenever possible, if that isn’t an option, this lab course can be a great option. This course can be used for virtual labs. Students would watch the videos and use Dr. Moon’s results to fill in their lab sheets.

My son actually had to do this one week. I saw that Elodea was on the supply list but thought I had seen it for sale locally. A few days before the lab, I went to the store and could no longer find it.

Rather than put off the lab or skip it altogether, my son watched the video, and we called it a day. Virtual science labs can definitely be handy at times.

Can I do the labs on my own schedule?

Yes! Unlike other online classes or live science labs that have a set schedule, the Kristin Moon Biology Video Labs are self-paced.

This gives you the flexibility to work on your own schedule. I choose to assign a lab a week. Other families might want to do all of the labs over the summer in order to gain lab credit. This can be a good option for families who need a flexible schedule.

You will have access to the video labs for one year from the date of purchase.

I am so glad that we have the Kristin Moon Biology Video Labs.

Keep reading . . .

Welcome! My name is Jennifer. I am a teacher at heart. Before my children were born I was a public school teacher. Now, I am a homeschooling mom of two.