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Imprimis
08-09-2009, 05:48 PM
I need some recommendations on what to look for in a microscope for high school use. We will be doing Biology: Exploring Life this year.

Any favorites, or ones to avoid? Also, where do most of you buy your science supplies?

Thanks in advance!
Pamela H in Texas
08-09-2009, 05:57 PM
Get the microscope from Sonlight. Every year this question is asked and every year, it's the one with the most votes. I agree:)
Loupelou
08-09-2009, 06:11 PM
Get the microscope from Sonlight. Every year this question is asked and every year, it's the one with the most votes. I agree:)

:iagree:We purchased this and love it.
Imprimis
08-11-2009, 05:49 PM
Thank you! How about the rest of your science supplies? Anyone have any favorite vendors from which to purchase slides, petri dishes,etc.?
jlovebaker
08-11-2009, 07:51 PM
We're also doing Biology Exploring Life and I purchased a mammal organ dissection kit, slides and other accessories including a blood type kit, onion DNA kit, food science experiment kit, slide prep kit (with instructions and materials to prep cheek cells and things like that) from homescience tools. Also bought a microscope for about $60 cheaper than sonlight's from ebay with all the bells and whistles and I love it so far - dh and i had a blast looking at his red blood cells! But then I promptly spend the money and more at homescience tools. And that was after I bought two other biology books/workbooks/CDS. Scary!
Peggy in Va
08-12-2009, 09:10 AM
Also bought a microscope for about $60 cheaper than sonlight's from ebay with all the bells and whistles and I love it so far - dh and i had a blast looking at his red blood cells! But then I promptly spend the money and more at homescience tools. And that was after I bought two other biology books/workbooks/CDS. Scary!

I'm curious, what brand was the microscope you purchased off ebay. Was it one an individual was selling or was it from AmScope or one of the other distributors?

I've been looking at scopes for weeks now and can't make up my mind. Sonlight, Home Science Tools, AmScope off ebay? Decisions, decisions - you'd think I was buying a house!

TIA
Country Girl
08-12-2009, 02:24 PM
I'm curious, what brand was the microscope you purchased off ebay. Was it one an individual was selling or was it from AmScope or one of the other distributors?

I've been looking at scopes for weeks now and can't make up my mind. Sonlight, Home Science Tools, AmScope off ebay? Decisions, decisions - you'd think I was buying a house!

TIA

:iagree: Would you mind telling us what brand and seller you bought from? I've been looking at ebay but microscopes are so expensive and I'm hesitant to buy from an unknown ebay seller without knowing more about them and their microscopes.

Thanks!
Susan C.
08-13-2009, 02:36 PM
We bought everything from Home Science Tools (hometrainingtools.com).

Great company. We picked a microscope a few notches above the lowest. Whatever they recommend for upper sciences would be fine. Don't go too cheap, or you won't be able to see everything (you need a higher magnification). I also added concave slides so it would be easier to hold pond water. We use Apologia Biology, and they have a package of supplies for that.