Observation vs Inference

Observation or Inference?

​Did I use my senses or

did I use my brain?

Review - We observe with our senses.

• Our body has sense organs.

• These sense organs send messages to our brain.

• The messages help our brain learn about the world.

• In Science, we call these messages about what we sense "observations."

Multiple Choice

Information from our 5 senses are called ____.

• Matter

• Organs

• Observations

• Inferences

Match

Match the sense organ to its name!

Ear

Tongue

Hand

Nose

Eyes

• Ear

• Tongue

• Hand

• Nose

• Eyes

Match

Match the sense organ to its function!

Hear

Taste

Touch

Smell

See

• Hear

• Taste

• Touch

• Smell

• See

Match

Match the sense to an example.

• See

• Hear

• Smell

• Taste

• Touch

The wall is white.

The TV is loud.

The garbage is stinky.

The lemon is sour.

The ball is heavy.

• The wall is white.

• The TV is loud.

• The garbage is stinky.

• The lemon is sour.

• The ball is heavy.

Match

Match the observation to the sense organ.

• The cat is black.

• The cat is soft.

• The cat is saying, "Meow."

• The cat is stinky.

I saw it with my eyes.

I felt it with my fingers.

I heard it with my ears.

I smelled it with my nose.

• I saw it with my eyes.

• I felt it with my fingers.

• I heard it with my ears.

• I smelled it with my nose.

Match

Match the word to the part of speech.

• Observe

• Observation

• Observable

Verb

Noun

Adjective

• Verb

• Noun

• Adjective

Review​

Observations can be Quantitative or Qualitative.

Dropdown

Quantitative Observations use​

Select answer

, but Qualitative Observations use ​ ​

Select answer

.

Dropdown

Scientists make ​

Select answer

observations, which use numbers.

Most people make ​

Select answer

observations, which use adjectives.

Multiple Choice

The most important reason scientists use Quantitative observations is ___.

• It helps them make predictions.

• It makes them sound smarter.

• The government says they have to.

Categorize

Options (20)

Today is windy.

The wind is 25 mph.

It feels so hot today.

The temperature is 19 degrees Celsius.

Uses adjectives

Uses numbers

The air feels very dry today.

The humidity is 7%.

The eggs are hot.

The eggs cooked at 175 Celsius.

The eggs are fresh.

The eggs smell delightful.

The eggs are perfectly cooked.

The eggs have a smooth texture.

The eggs weigh 60 grams each.

There are 12 eggs in the carton.

The eggs were cooked for 10 minutes.

The eggs have a shelf life of 3 weeks.

Made by most people

Made by scientists

Classify these observations into the right category.

Qualitative

Quantitative

Match

Match the word to the part of speech.

• Predict

• Prediction

• Predictable

Verb

Noun

Adjective

• Verb

• Noun

• Adjective

​Review - Metric System

• ​In Science class, we use the metric system to make quantitative observations.

• ​We measure length in meters using a meter stick.

• ​We measure mass in grams using a scale.

• ​We measure volume in Liters using a graduated cylinder.

Match

Match the tool to its name.

Graduated Cylinder

Scale

Meter Stick

• Graduated Cylinder

• Scale

• Meter Stick

Match

Match the tool to its property.

Volume

Mass

Length

• Volume

• Mass

• Length

Match

Match the tool to its units.

Liters (L)

grams (g)

meters (m)

• Liters (L)

• grams (g)

• meters (m)

Match

Match the property to its units.

• Volume

• Mass

• Length

Liters (L)

grams (g)

meters (m)

• Liters (L)

• grams (g)

• meters (m)

​Observation vs. Inferences

• ​We make observations with our five senses.

• ​We make inferences with our brain.

• ​Inferences are things we think.

Dropdown

We make observations with our​

Select answer

, but we make inferences with our ​

Select answer

.

Multiple Choice

Maybe it's a hot day.

• Observation

• Inference

Multiple Choice

The ice cream is melting.

• Observation

• Inference

Multiple Choice

Maybe there is a skunk in the kitchen.

• Observation

• Inference

Multiple Choice

The woman is holding her nose.

• Observation

• Inference

Categorize

Options (12)

The sky is dark.

Maybe it will rain.

The leaves are falling from the trees.

The ground is wet.

People are wearing jackets.

There are clouds in the sky.

Birds are flying south.

It seems like winter is approaching.

It might be a good idea to bring an umbrella.

Maybe it will snow tomorrow.

It seems like we should stay inside.

Maybe it rained yesterday.

Sort the statements.

Observation

Inference

Open Ended

Make one observation and one inference.

"I observe that ____, but I infer that ___."