1. Observations and Inferences
Using your senses and making sense of your observations

2. What are Observations? Observations are made using your senses
Are made during an experiment
Need to be recorded
Observations are FACTUAL

3. What senses do you use? Sight Sound Smell Taste Touch What do you see?
What do you hear?
Smell
What are you smelling?
Taste
What does it taste like?
Touch
How does it feel?

4. Examples of Observations
The grass is green
The ice took 10 minutes to melt
Water is wet
The apple turned brown
There are bubbles in the liquid
The temperature increased

5. Qualitative vs. Quantitative Observations
Qualitative use senses to describe something.
Quantitative observations use NUMBERS and or measurements
The box is 10 cm. long
There are 12 trees in the picture
It took the plant 3 months to sprout

6. Qualitative vs. Quantitative Observations
A Qualitative observation is remarking on the quality of something, as opposed to its quantity.
For example, saying a cloud is grey is a qualitative observation
saying that you can see three clouds on the horizon is a quantitative observation.

7. What are Inferences? Are your OPINION
Inferences are a conclusion you come to
based on your observations
Are NOT facts

8. Examples of Inferences
Dogs are cute
The cat is soft
Math is the best subject
Everyone likes pizza
Spiders are scary

9. What are Qualitative Observations?
Observations that describe what you are observing
Uses adjectives (descriptive words)
Gives you some description
Helps you visualize what you are observing

10. Qualitative Observations
The house is green
The tree is tall
The temperature is hot
The ball is round

11. What are Quantitative Observations?
Observations that have a number with it
Gives you specific details

12. Quantitative Observations
There are three chairs
The temperature was 90o
The house had two levels
The girl had 20 pairs of shoes

13. Watch this!!
Teacher Tube Videos - Observation vs Inference