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.

Berkshire Biological 264 Main Road, Westhampton, MA 01027

(413-527-3932). Berkshire biological supplies living organisms to school systems for two decades now, and specializes in kits and materials for grammar school and high school science levels. Prices for specimens are extremely reasonable, and all specimens are shipped with care to arrive in good health for your projects and experiments.

Blue Spruce Biological Supply, Inc 701 Park Street, Castle Rock, CO 80104

(1-800-825-8522). Blue Spruce publishes a home school science catalog focussing on hard-to-find items for biology (like dissection specimens). Prices are very reasonable.

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).

Edmund Scientific Company 101 E. Gloucester Pike, Barrington, NJ 08007-1380 (1-609-547-8880)

The king of hobby science suppliers. Wide range of scientific and hobby equiment and materials (including biological specimens) at reasonable prices for sale to businesses and individuals.

Fisher Science Education

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.

H.M.S. Beagle

Both an online store and a physical store (in Parkville, MO), the online store carries basic science equipment, kits, and games, including chemicals in small amounts suitable for home experiments, lab equipment (glassware, sclaes), telescopes, and microscopes.

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 his company 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 (just Google "National Science Ind"!)

The Perfect Parts Company One North Haven Street, Baltimore, MD 21224 (1-410-327-3522)

Chemistry and Biology supplies for the serious student. Supplies individual chemicals to hobby/science education stores, so check those for its products as well.

Science and Nature Discovery Series Yarmouth, ME 04096-0808

Science and Nature sells packets of science supples and many one-experiment science kits at educational toy stores. They have good, inexpensive microscope slide and stain kits.

Science eStore Innovation Frontier Inc. 5318 E. 2nd St. #530, Long Beach, CA 90803

Extensive selection of science equipment and supplies, including components (batteriess, magnets), Kits, software, and DVDs.

Science Kit and Boreal Laboratories P. O. Box 5003 Tonawanda, NY 14151-5003 (1-800-828-7777)

Science kits, supplies, classroom activities, recommended material lists. This supplier has expanded its user base to include individuals; printed catalogs are available only to certified teachers and homeschoolers, but the site contents and suplies are availab to all.

Scientific Explorer (only online)

Kits include rockets, cameras, room alarms. Call (800) 900-1182 for information. This company markets their kits through Amazon.com among other online outlets.

SKS Science

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

Tobin's Lab Supplies

Hands-on lab equipment for students of all ages.

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.

The Wild Goose Company Call 1-888-621-1040 to order.

This company markets its science supplies at educational toy stores. Their line includes most of the chemistry lab equipment recommended for a home lab, including thermometers, test tubes, stoppers, pipettes, flasks and beakers.