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

2. What is an observation? Any information collected with the senses. Your five senses are smell, taste, sight, touch, and sound. The skill of describing scientific events. An observation is a statement describing a fact.

3. Observations 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

4. Qualitative vs. Quantitative Qualitative (not measureable) –The cute, fuzzy, tan colored lion has sharp teeth and a long tail. Quantitative (measurable) – The 500 kg lion has 6 cm long claws at the end of each of its 18 toes.

5. Qualitative or Quantitative The candy was sour The bug was 5 cm long The flower is red The mass of the beaker was 122 g My fingernail is 2 cm long The slug was slimy That laptop is white She is 150 cm tall His hair is black You have three sisters

6. Observation In the space below, record 5 observations about our classroom. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

7. Inference A statement based on your interpretation of the facts. Cannot be directly observed. 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 = ?

8. Inference You get up in the morning, look up at the sky and: 1.observe dark clouds, 2.observe the air is cool and humid, and 3.observe puddles on the ground....you might infer that it has recently rained. Note: you did not see rain; you decided that it rained based on your observations.

9. Inference Observation: The grass on the school’s front lawn is wet. Possible inferences: –It rained. –The sprinkler was on. –There is dew on the grass from the morning. –A dog peed on the grass!

10. List 3 inferences about the classroom 1. 2. 3.

11. In your science journal..

12. Look at these two sets of animal tracks. List 3 OBSERVATIONS Make an INFERENCE

13. Now what do you think? Make 3 OBSERVATIONS Make an INFERENCE

14. Now what do you think? Make 3 OBSERVATIONS Make an INFERENCE

15. Conclusion In your journal, write 2-3 sentences about what you learned from Mystery Footprints

16. Activity Page www.middleschoolscience.com/footprints-isn.pdf In your science notebook, write your conclusion.

17. Source of graphic: http://bob.nap.edu/html/evolution98/evol6-e.html http://bob.nap.edu/html/evolution98/evol6-e.html