Below is a list of the type of activities one may expect to do as lab technician. You will also be required to tutor students at lunch one day a week. You may need to sit in on lectures or review the coursepack/book to refresh your knowledge of the subject for tutoring. Occasionally, you will be required to arrive at school early to set up a lab or meet with your teacher advisor. You may be asked to collect specimens (pond water, lichens, rocks, etc) at home. You will maintain a lab notebook in which you record what you’ve done each day. The notebook must be submitted to your teacher every other Friday and you will receive a grade for that time period.

Each semester, you must produce a product to demonstrate an understanding of a science topic of your choice. You may work on this one day per week, but you must record what you did on these days in your lab notebook. The product may be: a study guide(s), competition in a science competition, biographies of famous scientists, a paper, a PowerPoint presentation, etc. The product must be proposed by email to your teacher by Oct. 15 for the first semester.

The lab technician will need to be very meticulous and thorough in his or her work. In addition, being a lab technician requires the ability to work independently and solve problems on your own. Your advisor will be teaching a class during your period and will not be able to dedicate time to explaining instructions or suggesting work.

1. Labs
• Determine materials needed (what and how much)
• List supplies to be ordered
• Set up lab stations
• Prepare solutions/plates
• Collect pond water
• Decorate the lab
• Walk around and make sure students are doing their labs correctly
• Keep students on track
• Answer questions about procedure
• After lab, clean up and dispose of materials
2. Regular Basis
• Keep lab clean (one day per week dedicated to this)
• Make distilled water
3. In Classroom
• Help with worksheets or group work, make sure it’s correct
• Keep students on task
• Explain concepts or clarify instructions
4. Other
• Preview movies
• Simple calculations for making solutions
• Tutor students (at lunch, 1 day per week)
• Make review games
• Organize course materials
• Read articles, write summary or review questions
5. How to keep a lab notebook

Write the date and record what you did that day. If you make solutions, include the exact recipe you used as well as where you stored them. If solutions are disposed of, indicate where and how you disposed of them. ALWAYS ASK YOUR TEACHER HOW TO DISPOSE OF CHEMICALS.

6. How to make a solution

Measure out the solute using a balance. Add water (or appropriate solvent) but be sure you add less water than you will need. Stir to dissolve (or use stir plate). Transfer solution to a graduated cylinder or volumetric flask and bring to the final volume with water (or solvent). Mix and pour into container for storage. Label the container with:

1. Name and concentration of solution (0.1M NaOH, for example)
2. The date
3. Your initials

Every two weeks, you will submit your lab notebook and your teacher will give you a grade (based on the rubric below) for that period. Your grade for the semester will be cumulative based on these biweekly grades.

• Maintains an accurate and detailed lab notebook, which is submitted on a biweekly basis
• Takes initiative to make effective use of class time. Class time is never used as a study hall
• Displays respectful and positive attitude
• Consistently completes tasks thoroughly and correctly in the time needed
• Solves problems independently
• Follows safety rules and asks the teacher if there is any question about safety procedures
• Tutors one day a week. Makes an effort to be knowledgeable about the subject being tutored
• Independent study product is proposed, approved, and completed in a timely manner

Please read the expectations for this course before applying. If you are interested in signing up for this course, please submit the following application to the chair of the science department.