Welcome to the SI Cloud! Check out the topics below to learn about our platform before you dive in. Have a great semester!
Your instructor will be able to tell you which of these access methods your course will use. Select the dropdown below that matches what you see when you click the link supplied by your instructor.
Great! That means your course is integrated into your school's Learning Management System (LMS). You will access your course through your LMS for the entire semester.
If you see this page, fill in the account creation fields and you can begin learning! You'll access your course this semester using the link your instructor provided.
We recommend using your school email address for your SI Cloud account; it helps your instructor keep track of who's who!
Your instructor will tell you how you will order your course's kit. We have collected our ordering guides here. They cover the various ordering methods we have available for schools, and your instructor will tell you which one to use.
You might not even need to order your kit; some school bookstores buy kits ahead of time and make it easy for students to pick them up and begin learning right away!
When your lab kit arrives, unpack the equipment you received in your kit and compare the items to the contents list provided. Your kit may contain a printed list or a digital list. See Figure 1. Do not throw away your box, as you may need to reference the kit code or shipping information later. Note that many items are sealed in packaging materials and may be placed within other items. For example, a thermometer may be packed in bubble wrap and located inside a graduated cylinder.
The lid of your kit will have a sticker like this. You can scan the QR code or enter the URL into a web browser to access your digital packing list. Your Kit Code will be used to unlock your course if you purchased your kit through your school's bookstore.
If you purchased your kit through Cloud, you won't need a kit code!
Student-Supplied Material
Many experiments require student-supplied items, such as distilled water, aluminum pans, fresh flowers, or rubber bands. Most items are readily available at your local grocery store. Review your list of student-supplied items on the Materials page in your course.
Once you are in a lesson, you can access its materials list at any time by selecting the "Experimentation" button on the top toolbar, and then selecting "Materials."
Each course in SI Cloud includes a number of prerequisite lessons that will prepare you for your semester. "Getting Started" shows you how to interact with the lessons in your course. "Lab Safety" covers the basics of keeping you and your surroundings safe while performing the experiments in your course. These lessons must be completed before you can begin your semester's coursework.
Your course may include additional prerequisite lessons depending on the course content.
Each lesson is divided into three categories that you will complete in order:
Exploration introduces topics that are applicable to the Experimentation section. The Exploration section contains content, videos, interactive elements, and questions throughout to check your knowledge. It is important to understand the introductory concepts before moving forward with any experiments, as you will be applying the knowledge obtained in this section to perform the experiments and answer questions.
Experimentation contains procedures that demonstrate the concepts introduced in the Exploration section. In this section you will be using science equipment and/or simulations outside of a formal laboratory. It is important to read this section thoroughly to complete your work properly.
In the Experimentation section, you will report your results as you work through the procedures. Here are a few examples of how to report and analyze your results:
- Record numeric and textual data in Data Tables and Text Panels.
- Upload photographs of your experiment setup and its results into Photo Panels.
- Upload screenshots of graphs into Graph Panels.
- Answer Exercise Questions.
Evaluation reviews all of learning objectives and a comprehensive exam in the lesson. The final page of this section includes a button for submitting all work associated with the lab.
Many of the most common questions that students have can be answered right here in our Student Help Guide.
For more specialized help, reach out to our expert customer support team.