• Hold the thermometer gently but securely near the 20-degree Celsius mark. If you are measuring air temperature, don't hold the thermometer at the red end, as that would give a false reading. Your skin temperature is generally warmer than the air temperature.
  
• Take the thermometer to where you want to measure the air temperature. Hold it or hang it up (there is a loop at the top of the instrument) on a wall or a tree, for instance, for at least five minutes before taking a reading.
  
• Return the thermometer to its protective cardboard case when you have finished.
  

Do's and Don'ts

	Don't leave the thermometer near the edge of a table. It can easily roll off and break.
	Don't hold the thermometer by the very end. It is much easier to drop, that way. It is not baton for conducting the orchestra.
	Don't leave the thermometer in the sun for a long period of time.
	Clean up any breakages just as you would glass, and notify your teacher and/or your science coordinator.