Scholars Online Science

This list is growing constantly as I find out about more good suppliers. Check it often. If you have suggestions for additions, email me!

Acorn Naturalists

Science equipment with a strong focus on nature observation, including animal tracking tools and on-the-trail.

Amazon

Amazon sells pretty much everything these days, including science supplies. A search of just "microscope slide kits" turned up several pages of introductory through professional kits for individuals and classes and a wide range of suppliers.

[If you order from Amazon, consider signing up with smile.amazon.co to donate a percentage of your purchase to the Scholars Online scholarship fund.]

American Science and Surplus (formerly Jerryco) 3605 Howard St. Skokie, Il 60076

Carries surplus equipment of all kinds, including motors, clamps, magnets, lenses, kimex chemistry glassware, and kits. Their catalog is amusingly written.

Arbor Science

Carries a wide range of science kits and demonstration equipment for "discovery-based" science experiences, along with kits aligned to the Prentice-Hall science textbooks.

Carolina Biological Supply 2700 York Road, Burlington, North Carolina 27215

CBS has a full range of chemistry and biology lab supplies, but they are often packaged for classroom or industrial use. The catalog is pricy (but almost worth it for its own sake); you get a coupon for the catalog price which can be credited against future orders. CBS will not sell chemicals or preserved specimens to individuals but does have a homeschool policy.

eScience Labs

Started by a group of scientists who realized that many of the science kits flooding the homeschool market were not well-designed, the kits offered by eScience labs emphasize safety as well as quality, providing both hands-on equipment and video virtual experiences. Their lineup includes a complete AP Biology Lab kit for an individual student (available 1 June 2008).

Fisher Science Education

(Scroll to find Educational Supplies section.) Similar to Caroline Biological Supply: provides classroom kits for life and physical sciences, K-12, as well as professional supplies to college and industry research facilities. Most kits are for multiple student use. Site includes lab demonstration suggestions and resource materials as well as merchandise.

Home Science Tools 665 Carbon Street, Billings, MT 59102

(1-800-860-6272). Started by a family that itself had trouble finding supplies in the 1990s for their homeschool science curriculum, this is a great resource for the homeschooler, with experiments, kits, and curricula for primary through secondary levels. You can also get individual items such as microscopes, chemistry lab bench supplies, including chemicals hard to find in small quantities elsewhere, and some that many companies may not ship to individuals.

The Home Scientist

Robert Bruce Thompson and his wife Barbara Fritchman Thompson wrote Do-it-yourself (DIY) books for O'Reilly and MAKE before adding Illustrated Guides to Biology, Chemistry, and Forensic Home Experiments. Now this company (under new management) also supports home schoolers and adult hobbyists with college and professional level experiment equipment, supplies, and instructions.

MakerShed

Do-it-yourself enthusiasts for both science and technologiy, MakerShed carries supplies for crafts and hobbies as well as science and robotics. Similar to HMS Beagle and Home Science Tools, but with more DYI equipment geared toward olertder students and adults. A good source for serious science lab equipment.

Natural Science Indudstries Ltd Dept. C, 51-17 Rockaway Beach Blvd. Far Rockaway, NY 11691

NSI makes the Smithsonian chemistry kits, many one-experiment kits, and also sells replacement components at inexpensive prices. They do not sell directly to the public as far as I can tell, but their products are available at many educational stores and from many online suppliers such as HobbyTown.

SKS Science

Excellent source of individual components for the more advanced student's science lab, including chemistry glass and scales.

Ward's Science Supplies (1-800-962-2660)

Environmental Science, physics, geology supplies; now supplies individuals as well as schools. Contains a special section on supplies appropriate to the homeschool environment.

xUmp Lakewood, CA

xUmp is the store linked used by the Physics Link website to proved equipment for their experiments and demonstrations. It has a collection of DIY STEM kits. Be sure to click on the Supplies link to get a full list of basic supplies (lenses, chemistry glassware, standard weights, etc.)