OBSERVATIONS, INFERENCES, and PREDICTIONS

Observations - Facts Observation: something noticed using your five senses. (color, texture, odor, temp etc….) –If it can’t be heard, felt, tasted, smelled, or seen it is NOT an observation –Anything that you “think” is NOT an observation!!!! Two types –Qualitative (look): a description without numbers or measures. Simple description, most common, less useful Ex: that person is tall, it is hot outside –Quantitative (number): a description with numbers or measures, detailed description, less common, most useful Ex: That person is 6 foot 7 inches tall, it is 103 degrees F

Point of view / perspective Observations of the same event may be different because of where or when or how you observed the event. –Baseball pitches (ump vs. crowd) –Accident (crowd, officer, witness, participant) In order to get the best picture of what happened you must piece together multiple observers stories. –Police officers (detectives) –Teachers (multiple assignments / questions)

Inferences - Opinions When we do an experiment we automatically know we need to do what? –Answer a ? By Take observations or notes on what is happening –They can be based on measurement (quantitative) or the five senses (qualitative) What do we do once we have those observations? Are we finished? –No, we have not answered anything yet

Cont…. Observations are just direct evidence (a description) we need to think about what it showed us. We need to take a guess at what caused it to happen –This guess is called an inference.

Example Melvin observed a candle burning and listed the following observations. –The candle shrunk by 2 cm in 10 minutes –When the candle burns it drips wax down the candle –I see smoke rising into the air Melvin without thinking (as we all do) tries to explain what he saw. This is making an inference –The candle shrunk because it melted the wax –The wax moved because of gravity and when it was liquid there was nothing holding it up –Some of the wax must turn into smoke

Another example Observation: –an insect released a dark, sticky liquid,from its mouth Inference: –the insect released a dark, sticky liquid from its mouth because it is upset and trying to defend itself.

Practice Observations: 1 Water comes out of the faucet when I turn the handle. 2 My marker didn’t come off of the dry erase board. 3 Mr. Warren smiled as we came into class. Inference 1 When I turned the faucet it must unblock the water. 2 My marker must have been permanent. 3 Mr. Warren must be giving a pop quiz.

A special kind of inference Sometimes we use an observation to try to tell the future. Observation: –It is very cloudy outside Inference:??? –It is going to rain This is called a Prediction

Practice making a prediction Observation: –1. Jimmy answered all questions in class correct –2. I left my water outside in the snow –3. Derrick Rose made 6 three pointers in a row Prediction (inference) –1. Jimmy will get an A on the quiz –2. My water is going to freeze –3. D. Rose will score 50 points tonight

In review An observation: something that is measured or noticed using your 5 senses –Mr. Warren teaches science An inference: a guess about why an observation happened –Mr. Warren must like science because he teaches it A prediction: A guess at what will happen later based on an observation –Mr. Warren will be a world famous scientist someday, and the greatest science teacher in history.

Remember Observation: something actually felt, heard, seen, tasted, or smelled Inference: guesses about right now or the past based on an observation –Key words: is, did, was doing, may have Prediction: guesses about the future based on an observation –Key words: will, could happen, do

Directions: Label the following statements as either observation (O) or inference (I). 1. When I rang the doorbell, no one answered. ___________ 2. The hamburger was hot. ___________ 3. Jamal must be very popular. ___________ 4. The rabbit uses fur from her stomach to build her nest. ___________ 5. That must be a mean dog.___________ 6. The rock feels like it was kept with ice cubes. ___________ 7. Those clouds look like a mountain. ___________ 8. The beaker contains 250 ML of water. ___________ 9. The bark on the birch tree was white. ___________ 10. A gas was formed when I mixed the liquid and solid. ___________

Directions: Label the following statements as either observation (O) or inference (I). 1. When I rang the doorbell, no one answered. –______O____QUAL 2. The hamburger was hot. –______O____QUAL 3. Jamal must be very popular. –______I_____ 4. The rabbit uses fur from her stomach to build her nest. –______O____QUAL 5. That must be a mean dog. –______I_____ 6. The rock feels like it was kept with ice cubes.. –______I_____ 7. Those clouds look like a mountain. –______O_____QUAL 8. The beaker contains 250 ml of water. –______O____QUAN 9. The bark on the birch tree was white. –______O____QUAL 10. A gas was formed when I mixed the liquid and solid. –______O____QUAL

Lets try a quick Observation Test Open your Green Sci Plus book to page 18 Observe the school supplies at the bottom of the page for 15 seconds Now list, in as much detail as possible, all the items from the page. STOP: open back up to page 18 and check your answers

Practice with Observation, Inferences, and Predictions Write an inference and a prediction for each observation. 1)The traffic light is red 2)Mike’s headphones were too loud 3)Mr. Warren is sad

Observation “Eye Spy” Activity Number your paper from 1 to 3 skipping about 6 lines in-between WITHOUT LEAVING YOUR SEAT –Pick any 3 items in the room –For each item list 3 qualitative observations –For each item list 2 quantitative observations

Observation Game From your seat select any 3 objects in the room. (3 QUAL and 2 QUAN) FOR EACH OBJECT You must collect at least 3 Qualitative Observations –(using your 5 senses) AND 2 Quantitative observations –(numbers or measurements) THESE WILL BE SHARED DURING THE GAME

Homework Homework on observations, inferences, Tonight I want you to come up with 5 qualitative and 5 quantitative observations. Also come up with at least 3 inferences based on your observations of household items (tv, toaster, computer etc….) as well as 1 prediction.