MacBeth's
Opinion
...home of text-free learning in association with
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Microbiology:
- A Field Guide to Bacteria This is one of the coolest books ever! Find bacteria with your five senses, and no microscope required!
- Microbiology A great reference book, with photos and instructions.
Entymology:
- Journey to the Ants is the story of two entomologists and their one true passion--ants!
- Fabre's Book of Insects by Fabre; a peek into the lives of insects. Also by Fabre: The Life of the Fly and The Life of the Spider
Zoology:
- In a Patch of Fireweed by Bernd Heinrich is the autobiography of a great zoologist, from Nazi Germany to the dept. of Zoology at U of VT. Outstanding.
The Life of Birds by naturalist and TV narrator David Attenborough
- Of Wolves and Men, republished
The Way Life Works is an unbeatable graphic overview of genetics, protein synthesis, and other mysteries of DNA. FYI: This book has a high (and sometimes annoying) evolutionary content.
Five Kingdoms : An Illustrated Guide to the Phyla of Life on Earth by Lynn Margulis is a survey course covering all the phyla...with black and white photos, and clear descriptions. Evolution.
Scientific American The Amateur Biologist The famous column from Sci Am. Outstanding fun in the home bio lab...isolate DNA!
Explore the World Using Protozoa This one f the most intriguing books on fresh water life I have read. The author uses protists as models for ecosystems. Includes 28 real investigations.
+Darwin's Black Box by Michael Behe is a biochemist's point of view, and examines Darwin's theory in light of current biochemical research.
+Darwin on Trial by Phillip Johnson Creationist takes on Darwin.
The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin (also available as an e-book) Read the original.
The Voyage of the Beagle by Charles Darwin is a nifty view into Darwin's mind. He was a very careful naturalist, who recorded his journey in great detail.
Tales from the Underground: A Natural History of Subterranean Life by David Wolfe is very evolutionary, but interesting survey of life in the odd corners of Earth.
The Double Helix by James Watson is a remarkable classic record of scientific research and discovery.
Wild America : The Record of a 30,000 Mile Journey Around the Continent by a Distinguished Naturalist and His British Colleague by Roger Tory Peterson
Red-Tails in Love : A Wildlife Drama in Central Park by Marie Winn
Wild New York by Mittelbach and Crewdson is one fun book for New York and surrounding region. The wildlife that lives in the city is varied and plentiful. Anyone living in a urban area who thinks that concrete and skyscrapers can't support wildlife should read this book. Includes the pre-historic history of NYC.
The Curious Naturalist by Sy Montgomery
The Best of Beston : A Selection from the Natural World of Henry Beston from Cape Cod to the St. Lawrence
Experiments in Plant-Hybridization by Gregor Mendel
+Life Is a Blessing : A Biography of Jerome Lejeune--Geneticist, Doctor, Father
+The Shroud of Turin : The Most Up-To-Date Analysis of All the Facts Regarding the Church's Controversial Relic by Bernard RuffinAnatomy of a Rose by Sharman Apt Russell (botany and the history of science)
Online dissections (offsite links are checked at time of publishing. Please report any problems to me):
Oh, and a word of warning--these online dissections use actual specimens, not drawings.
Lamprey (still site with cross sections)
Laboratory Manuals and Equipment
Much of the following material is available off-site, from sources other than Amazon. To keep things simple, I have used as few suppliers as possible. You may find other sources for these materials, but these links are provided to give you a place to start.
The lab manual are from Castle Heights Press. Written by Kathleen and Mark Julicher, these manuals are meant for use in small schools or the homeschool. The labs contain clear instructions and are simple to do in the home, yet provide the student with solid high school laboratory experience.
Equipment and supplies available from:
