In this activity, students explore the use of nonstandard units of volume and calculators to estimate the number of peas it would take to fill a class room.

This activity assesses students' knowledge and understanding of uncertainty and significant figures.

The Cosmic Background Explorer, or COBE, satellite began its space mission in November of 1989. Its task was to measure radiation levels from the early stages of the universe. This site explains the mission goals, COBE's specialized...

Standards and learning outcomes are given for all content areas at this resource. In addition, instructional guides, performance standards, results and sample AIMS (Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards) tests are included.

Lesson explore sensors focusing on ones that measure humidity. Young scholars work in teams to design, build, test, and evaluate a hygrometer which was made out of everyday materials to measure humidity levels.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provides a photo library of severe weather formations and the instruments that measure them. Here you can find a photograph of a solar-powered Surface Automated Measurement (SAM) site....

Over a period of two weeks learners will use their class-made instruments to measure and record weather data. Students will also compare their data to online weather data. The final activity involves analyzing the collected data to look...

Use real-time data to study factors that affect weather and climate, create weather instruments, and share data with students around the world.

Use a thermometer to measure the air temperature in several places around the school.

Help your middle school student learn how satellites help make weather forecasts more accurate and how the COSMIC satellites collect data about the atmosphere by measuring bending radio waves.

This lesson plan allows students to learn about the layers of the atmosphere and to learn how to graph real atmospheric data.

If you're studying the weather, this is an excellent project for students to develop their understanding of how weather is measured. They will use real time data from their location as well as from around the world to learn about weather...

Students learn how engineers navigate satellites in orbit around the Earth and on their way to other planets in the solar system. In accompanying activities, they explore how ground-based tracking and onboard measurements are performed....

A bolometer is an instrument used to measure radiant energy. Learn about its history, its advantages, how it works, some different types, and its important applications.

From superstitions to satellites, find out how weather instruments have helped people predict drought conditions through time.

A short biography about Arnold Orville Beckman, once considered to have revolutionized the study of chemistry and biology with his work in bioscience instruments.

Find out how scientists have improved hurricane tracking technology through new aircraft and advanced instruments.

This tutorial illustrates how a galvanometer, an instrument that detects and measures small amounts of current in an electrical circuit, works. (Java tutorial)

After discovering the nature of electrical resistance, scientists devised instruments like this one to measure and control it. (Java tutorial)

[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Describes the various instruments that scientists use to measure weather conditions, including advanced tools like satellites and radar.

Make a wind vane, rain gauge, and barometer and learn how to measure wind direction, rainfall, and air pressure.

The difference between accuracy and precision is explained, with a precautionary note about being aware of possible bias in the measuring instrument.

A really nice distinction here in this longish piece from the Bellevue Community College. It's not just accuracy vs. precision, but also error vs. uncertainty. This is a necessary additional consideration for any paper on the topic.

From the Smithsonian, this site offers lessons and resources on currency, its use (in the form of gold dust, salt, or metal objects) as an instrument of trade in historic Africa, and its requirements as an instrument of trade in the...