Most weeks in Earth and Space Science you'll have a lab activity. Many of these are online skill-building activities; some are at-home science experiments.

Your very first lab assignment in this course is to take care of lab-related business–the lab safety contract and finding, buying or ordering the materials you'll need starting in Week 2 or 3. This information will also be listed in your Earth and Space Science Resources packet (the last packet in this course) so you can find it again easily when you need it.

LAB SAFETY

An important first step in laboratory safety is for you and your parents to sign a contract that will help guide your steps when doing at-home science experiments. We won't require you to handle dangerous materials, but any activities involving heat, electricity, water, etc. require your conscientious participation.

Please go to this web site to print out the Flinn Scientific Student Safety Contract: http://www.flinnsci.com/Documents/miscPDFs/Safety_Contract.pdf. (Be patient; the document can take a few minutes to load!) Print two copies--one to sign and mail to MNOHS, and one for your work area. Be sure to read the contract carefully before signing.

You must sign the lab safety sheet. If you are under 18, your parents must sign it as well. Send it to:
Minnesota Online High School
Att: Ms. Raffa
University Technology Center, Suite 227
1313 Fifth Street SE
Minneapolis, MN 55414

If you have any questions about the contract, please contact Elissa Raffa at elissa.raffa@mnohs.org.

REQUIRED EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES

The at-home lab activities in this course can generally be completed using common household supplies and utensils that can be bought at your local supermarket or discount store. There are, however, a few items that might be more difficult to find. You will need to go to a hobby store, or to order these items online. Ordering information, if you need it, is included below.

The items (and their approximate cost) are:

1. Safety goggles – As your safety contract says, these should be worn whenever you are working with heat (for example hot water) and/or glassware. ($4.00)
2. A thermometer -- digital or alcohol-filled, partial emersion. It must cover the range of -20 to 110 °C (0 to 230 °F) ($4.50)
3. (optional) 6X - 10X hand-held magnifier ($7.00)

Item #3 is not required. If you're serious about rock identification, however, it's a useful tool to have.

Items #1-2 can be ordered online or on the phone from Ward's Natural Science for a total of $13.24 (this includes their minimum shipping charge of $5.00). A 10X pocket field magnifier can be added to the order from Ward's for $6.95 and does not raise the shipping fee. Please click here for a sample order form which shows the exact item numbers, descriptions, and prices. Remember, you can order these items in any combination and the shipping fee will be $5.00. You do not need to order all three. They are all listed on the form so that you can make sure you are getting the right item.

• To order using a credit card, follow the link above to the Ward's site. Use Product Search on the left menu bar to search, one at a time for 'goggles', 'thermometer', and/or 'magnifier'. Each search term will bring up all the choices in their catalog. Be sure to select the one that matches the information on the sample order form, click on 'BUY NOW' and add one of each item you want to your cart. Double check quantity and price, and then proceed to checkout. Fill out the online form and complete the purchase. Your order should arrive within a week.
• If you want to pay by check (or if you prefer not to use your credit card online), call Ward's customer service at 800-962-2660. Use the sample order form to place your order on the phone. The person you speak to will take your credit card number, or they will give you an order number and ask you to mail a check for the correct amount with the correct order number written on it. When your check is received and verified your order will be shipped. This will obviously take longer than a week. Please do not send a check without calling first!

Below you will find a week-by-week list of other materials you will need for Earth and Space Science. If you have any questions about your Lab Safety Contract or lab equipment and supplies, please contact Elissa Raffa at elissa.raffa@mnohs.org.

Thank you!