Teacher instructions

• No printing required, need piece of paper, pen or pencil, internet connection for video.

• After slide 3, have students share their observations/inferences. Question is that an observation or an inference? Do the same for slides 4 and 5.

modified by Liz LaRosa www.middleschoolscience.com 2009, from original posted at:www.science-class.net/PowerPoints/Observation_Inference_8th.ppt

Observations & InferencesWhat are they?

Look at these two sets of animal tracks.

On your piece of paper

List 3 OBSERVATIONS

and

Make an INFERENCE

Now what do you think?

Again make 3 OBSERVATIONSAnd an INFERENCE

Now what do you think?

Make 3 OBSERVATIONSMake an INFERENCE

On your sheet of paper divide it in half.

ObservationDefinition:

InferenceDefinition:

Observations• Any information collected with the senses.

• Quantitative – measureable or countable» 3 meters long» 4 marbles» 50 kilograms» 35 degrees Celsius

• Qualitative – describable, not measureable » red flowers» smells like fresh baked cookies» Tastes bitter» Heard a loud “pop”

• The skill of describing scientific events

Inference• Conclusions or deductions based on observations.• The process of drawing a conclusion from given evidence.

Practice: • Observations:

• I hear people screaming• I smell cotton candy, popcorn, and hamburgers• I see a lot of people

• Inference = ?

Write 3 observations and 3 inferences under the appropriate column.

With a partner…

• Verify that it is an observation using the definition of observation.

• Verify that it is an inference using the definition of inference.

What really happened?

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp-H8e41fJI

• Things are not always what they seem.• Observations are useful in science but to

make a valid inference requires going through the scientific method.

Source of graphic:

http://bob.nap.edu/html/evolution98/evol6-e.html