In addition to the basic tools listed under Manipulatives, measuring tools such as meters and balances are essential. Meters, including spectrometers, ph meters, and thermometers, are vital to the timely and accurate completion of scientific experiments. Since time is a precious resource in the classroom, it is important that students have access to meters that are easy to use, adaptable, and reliable. Balances are used by students to determine the mass of different objects. Using balances, students will be able to discover concepts like density - equal volumes of different materials have different masses, therefore different densities.
Students develop an understanding of measurement by feeling and comparing objects directly.
Students can build an awareness of the appropriate size of a standard unit through activities in which they find objects with a length of one meter, a mass of one gram, a capacity of one liter, a temperature of one degree, etc. The sophistication of meters and balances will increase as students progress through school. Students should use each of the meters listed above at some point in their education, although spectrometers and ph meters may not be appropriate until high school. Digital meters should be used wherever possible and interfaced with computers to assist with analysis. These include seeds, aquariums, mini-greenhouses, and incubators, just to name a few.