Our Approach

We create engaging activities that enable science laboratory courses to be taught at a distance while still retaining the rigor of an in-classroom lab experience.

These activities are not videos. The science is actually embedded in the coding that drives each data run. A push or a pull, a temperature change, a difference in concentration, a difference in reagent, or other changes in user input, directly produce changes in results or outcomes. This responsiveness to varying user input promotes user exploration and, if desired, allows several of the activities to be used as extended projects. Activities may be repeated as often as needed (e.g. to allow a redo of student work).

Activity design is driven by decades of teaching and curriculum development experience and, to help promote academic integrity, students are randomly assigned differing data sets that yield differing results and answers.

Finally, the lab interface has a consistent "look and feel" "across all activities. After completing their first lab activity, students will know exactly where to find the background materials, procedures, activity data forms, additional data, and the activity interface, for all of their future lab activities.

Our Science Lab Activities

Biology Lab Activities

Appropriate for a biology lab course
  • Acids and Bases — identifying acids and bases; measuring pH; exploring buffers
  • Biomolecules — testing for carbohydrates, proteins, amino acids, and fats
  • Osmosis — concentration, osmotic pressure, tonicity and water imbalance
  • Enzymes — enzymes, substrates and reaction products; testing enzyme activity
  • Metabolism — energy transfer, photosynthesis, and cellular respiration
  • Genetics — DNA, genes, traits, and inheritance; Central Dogma; population genetics
  • Biotechnology — crime scene analysis; paternity determination; species comparison
  • Ecology — trophic levels and food webs; biogeochemical cycles; human impact
Activities appropriate for extended projects: Enzymes, Metabolism, Genetics, Ecology

Physical Science Lab Activities

Appropriate for a physical science lab course with a focus on physics and chemistry
  • Motion and Forces — position, velocity, and acceleration; forces and Newton's laws
  • Energy Conservation — potential energy, kinetic energy, conservation of energy
  • Heat Transfer and Specific Heat — temperature, internal energy, and heat transfer
  • Lenses and Mirrors — image formation, magnification, lens and mirror equations
  • Radioactive Decay — atoms, isotopes, and elements; types of radiation; half-life
  • Heat of Reaction — chemical reactions; exothermic and endothermic reactions
  • Acids and Bases ‐ acids, bases, and pH; neutralization reaction; titration curve
Activities appropriate for extended projects: All

Nutrition Lab Activities

Appropriate for a nutrition lab course
  • Energy & Calorimetry — energy content of food; Calorie; food calorimetry
  • Enzymes & Digestion — enzymes, substrates and reaction products; enzyme activity
  • Macromolecules — testing for carbohydrates, proteins, amino acids, and fats
  • Lipids — types of lipids; thin-layer chromatography; saturation levels of fatty acids
  • Micronutrients — vitamins and minerals; testing for vitamin C and iron
  • Water & Osmosis — concentration, osmotic pressure, tonicity and water imbalance
  • Acids & Bases — identifying acids and bases; measuring pH; exploring buffers

Additional science lab activities are under development that support science courses in nutrition, interdisciplinary science, and physics.

Technology Requirements

  • An active email address is necessary for registration and sign-in purposes
    • Academic email addresses (.edu) are preferred for students
    • Academic email addresses (.edu) are required for faculty
  • Internet access and a modern web browser are required
    • Internet access is needed for sign-in and proper functioning of lab activities
    • Recommended Modern Browsers: Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari
  • Ability to open/edit/save lab activity form documents (.docx file format)
    • Examples of compatible software include: MS Word, Pages, and LibreOffice
  • Laptop, desktop, or tablet computer – smart-phone screens are likely to be too small for useful work

Privacy

  • Your information (name, email address, course, etc.) is strictly for access and software use
    • We do not sell or trade your information
    • Email addresses are used only for registration and sign-in purposes
    • Your information is removed from our servers in a timely manner after your access period ends
    • We do not have access to any of your financial or academic data
    • Click Here for complete Privacy Policy details

Company Information

Bobby Bailey, PhD – Founder & CEO / Developer / Science Professor

"Dr. Bob" has a background in scientific programming, theoretical physics, applied chemistry, and curriculum development. Current projects at TableTop Science leverage an array of modern web technologies to enhance science education.
Contact Information: TableTopScienceLabs@gmail.com