Schools that purchase weather instruments for kids will find that they have a wonderful tool that can enhance earth science and geography classes, and have the potential to broaden their curriculum into environmental studies. Scholastic weather tools can help students improve their achievement in science and math, and in the use of computer and network technology.

School weather stations that are able to interface with computers (usually professional weather stations such as the Davis Vantage Pro2) offer the option of posting data to an internet and/or intranet web page. Students can use their internet skills to manage weather monitoring projects using data produced by these weather stations. New knowledge and skills can be obtained by introducing them to designing and uploading this data onto the school web site. In many cases, even the school's web cam can be displayed along with the weather data!

Monitoring real-time changes in the weather, along with collecting and analyzing the data itself, is fascinating to children. The advantage of having a digital weather station console indoors means that students can undertake weather measurement projects from the comfort of their classroom, an outdoor classroom weather station without having to go outdoors during inclement weather conditions.

Many educational weather instruments include or offer an optional data logger. This item features an internal memory that allows user-selectable intervals of data to be stored without being connected to a computer, even during periods when school is not in session. The data can then be downloaded to the computer when school's back in session, ready for display and analysis.

Data from school weather stations can also be transmitted to the GLOBE Program, a worldwide hands-on, primary and secondary school-based education and science program bringing together children of more than a hundred countries. For more information, visit the GLOBE Program web site.

For schools that want to offer a rich educational experience, scholastic weather tools are a great investment!

 

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