Observations & Inferences

Open Ended

Look at the image and write down 3 things you notice about the image.

Observation

​An observation is information gathered using our senses.

For example, we see people walking. We hear a bird chirping. We smell flowers.

Draw

Circle the OBSERVATIONS

Inference

An inference is a logical interpretation of an event based on observations & prior knowledge.

In any situation, you always make an

attempt to figure out what you're seeing, maybe based on something you know or have seen before.

Draw

Circle the Inferences

We do this all of the time!

We use our observations to help us interpret the world around us, so we can make choices.

Poll

You walk outside and observe this.. what is your response?

• Go back in and get an umbrella

• Go grab a jacket

• Do nothing

Lets Practice!

Draw

Draw a line from the observation to the matching inference

Multiple Choice

Observation or Inference: The cat is scared.

• Observation

• Inference

Multiple Choice

Observation or Inference: This Doxie is so small he fits inside a hotdog bun!

• Observation

• Inference

Multiple Choice

A scientist discovers the body of an unknown species of frog in the rain forest of Brazil.  She writes several statements in her journal about the animal shown above.  Which of the following is an observation about the frog?

• The frog might be poisonous because it is very brightly colored.

• It has a mass of 22.4 grams.

• The frog is probably a tree climber because it has large, round toe pads.

• I think the frog is a species of poison dart frog because of its size and color.

Multiple Choice

A student placed 50 mealworms in the middle of an aquarium containing a light, a cardboard tube and a water dish.  He waited five minutes and then recorded the data for the first trial in the table above.  The student repeated this procedure two more times, and recorded the results.  Read the results of all three trials.  Which inference could you make about mealworms based on the results.

• The mealworms probably prefer the darkness of a cardboard tube.

• There were 6 mealworms under the light in trial 2. 

• Mealworms love water. 

• There were 36 more mealworms in the cardboard tube versus the light in trial 3.

There are 2 types of observations

observations are descriptive qualities and characteristics that are not numerical.

Qualitative

observations are numerical observations and measurements, typically made with measurement tools.

Quantitative

​The pandas are black & White.

There are 2 pandas

Open Ended

Make QUALITATIVE observations about this photo

Multiple Choice

Data that is descriptive, using qualities or characteristics, and your 5 senses is called...

• quantitative

• qualitative

• non-scientific

• hypothesis

Multiple Choice

When scientists collect data that is measurable with numbers, we call it...

• qualitative

• quantitative

• hypothetical

• graphable

Open Ended

Make QUANTITATIVE observations about this picture.

Open Ended

Make an INFERENCE about this photo

Multiple Choice

Qualitative or Quantitative: We bought 3.4 pounds of fruit.

• Qualitative Observation

• Quantitative Observation

Multiple Choice

Qualitative or Quantitative: I hear a rush of wind, loud yells, and metal banging together.

• Qualitative Observation

• Quantitative Observation

Multiple Select

Select ALL of the qualitative observations.

• The squirrel has 2 arms.

• The squirrel has gray fur.

• The squirrel is wearing a Superman outfit.

• The squirrel is going to save the world.

Multiple Select

Select ALL of the QUANTITATIVE answers below.

• There are 10 meerkats.

• The meerkats love each other!

• There are 20 eyeballs.

• There must be a predator somewhere.

Multiple Choice

If your teacher asked you to make qualitative observations about the class’s pet hamster, which group of words might be used?

• A  mass of 3 kg, 11 cm long, age of 16 months

• A  mass of 3 kg, 11 cm long, cute

• A  long hair, white and brown colored, soft

• A  temperature, length, weight

Multiple Choice

Which group of words only have quantitative observations about the class’s pet hamster?

• A  mass of 3 kg, 11 cm long, age of 16 months

• A  mass of 3 kg, 11 cm long, cute

• A  long hair, white and brown colored, soft

• A  temperature, length, weight

Poll

You got it?