Terms of Use

Users of TOPScience.org accept the following Terms between you and TOPS Learning Systems, Inc. when you use this site or our products.

We at TOPS would prefer not to have legal red tape be part of our business model. Our ideal is unlimited good will between providers and users of TOPScience.org. Nevertheless, your use of this site and the products offered by TOPS assumes that you agree to the following terms. Please review this page if you have any concerns about your rights and obligations when using this site, our free teaching materials, or any materials offered by TOPS Learning Systems.

1. Eligibility, allowed and prohibited uses

We have no restrictions on who may use information and free sample lessons on this site except as specified below. Administrators, teachers, homeschoolers and students are equally welcome to use this site and to register for email updates. No other marketers are ever authorized to use our TOPS email address to propagate spam. When you sign up for our email updates, be assured that we will dilligently seek to keep your informaton safe and private.

2. Use of free sample activities

We authorize you to view, download, print and photocopy content available on TOPScience.org solely for your educational and non-commercial use. Our sample lessons are intended to be a free resource and can not be repackaged, renamed, revised or sold for monetary gain by or to individuals or business or educational entities.
You agree not to use our content in any way that is likely to cause confusion among consumers, that disparages or discredits TOPS Learning Systems, Inc. or TOPScience.org, that dilutes the strength or value of TOPS’ property, or that otherwise infringes our intellectual property rights.

Free sample lessons may be photocopied and shared within the educational intent of these stated terms. All copies, in any form, must show our TOPS copyright. Educators and students may further create and use photographs, videos, recordings and other media to enhance the use of TOPS materials for their educational use, as long as such material does not contradict our Terms of Use.

3. Safety

We reasonably assume that all users of TOPS hands-on science activities will diligently apply common sense and currently accepted safety measures when using TOPS activities and support materials. We will not be held liable for lack of responsible supervision or failure to advise students of potential hazards. This applies to general usage, and to the following specifics:

A. Students should be discouraged from roughhousing, teasing, running, or other inappropriate or risky behavior during TOPS activities.

B. Students should be required to use approved eye, hand, and clothing protection where materials or objects are manipulated in a way that could result in splashing, burning, steam, shattering, dust, or other possible hazards.

C. Educators should inquire into allergy, sensitivity and lung problems among students and establish an alternate plan, activity and/or location for those with peanut, latex or other allergies when such materials will be used in any TOPS activity.

D. Students who might conceivably ingest or inhale materials inappropriately, or insert them into ears, nose or eyes, should be supervised closely.

E. Though we will screen user contributions and ideas for obvious safety risks, we may not have tested these submissions ourselves, and will not be held liable for unforeseen problems that may arise.

4. User submissions, content, and ownership

We welcome your original ideas, drawings, photographs and written material that might enhance and broaden the educational experiences of others. Please do not submit copyrighted or commercially-sold material unless you are the copyright holder and specifically permit the use of the material on this site, with the understanding that teachers and students will be allowed to use it without financial compensation to you. We will review all submissions before posting them, and may edit or reject submissions in part or in full. We will credit the originators of the submissions with full name or initials, location, and email contact, as you wish. It may be desirable to protect the privacy of minors by limiting identification.

If at some point this site includes a chat room or bulletin board, contributors are responsible for the accuracy and civility of posted comments and materials. TOPS reserves the right to remove any content that we deem to be inaccurate, offensive, or in violation of your obligations under these Terms.

User comments and contributions published in this site are unsolicited beyond our general invitation. We assume that all such material sent to us is available for TOPS to use in good faith, without limitation, and royalty-free.

If at any future date we want to incorporate an original activity or idea designed, developed and contributed by a user into a curriculum that we expect to publish for sale, we may, at our discretion, contact the contributor and offer a modest one-time payment or royalty.

Contributors should bear in mind, however, that TOPS is a small company on a small budget, and we set our prices as low as will permit us to simply stay in business, and therefore such payment or royalty will not significantly enlarge contributors’ financial status. Further, while intellectual property and original expression is open to copyright, creative ideas sometimes evolve rapidly, blurring original authorship. Please consider your contributions to be for the common good, and know as well that we will not intentionally steal your ideas.

5. Disclaimer and limitation of liability

Our good-faith intention is to provide accurate and up-to-date information of value to the educational community, and we encourage users who find any errors or other problems to bring these to our attention as soon as possible.

While we intend to offer a safe, friendly, and reliable website, TOPScience.org can not guarantee that this site will operate without error. Our web server employs current technology to protect our website and our shopping cart service from disruptive or illegal activity, and remain free from computer viruses. Our site may offer links that we can not verify to be as diligent; therefore, users must access those links with the understanding that our trust in those other businesses and organizations does not guarantee your safety. TOPS will not be liable for any interruption, servicing or replacement of equipment or data that arises from using provided links. In no event, nor as the result of any legal action, will TOPS’ liability exceed $1.

In Summary:

Users of this site, of the downloads offered herein, and of materials purchased through TOPS Learning Systems agree to the terms above. If you do not agree to the general intent or specific provisions, do not use this site.