1. Evidence vs. Inference
Objective: Students will be able to distinguish between evidence and Inference in literature, advertising & scientific statements.
“I can” statement: I can make inferences based on observations and facts.

2. Definitions
Evidence: (noun) materials (or clues) that show that something is true
Inference: (noun) a conclusion reached based on evidence and reasoning
Infer: (verb) to make a conclusion based on evidence

3. Important vocabulary Words
Observation: (noun) recording information using the senses
Observe: (verb) to watch or use the other senses closely and make note of something
Hypothesis: (noun) proposed explanation based on facts
Hypothesize: (verb) to form a hypothesis

4. Words I think you already know
Information
Fact
Photo/photograph
Guess
Opinion
Prediction

5. Let’s Practice together
What are three pieces of evidence that we can see?
The garbage cans are tipped over.
The school bus is on the lawn.
There is an American flag hanging from the porch.

6. Let’s practice together
What can we infer about what happened to the bus?
The school bus driver fell asleep and crashed into the house.
It was a windy day causing the garbage cans to fall over.
The bus was empty at the time of the accident.

7. Table Time Practice What evidence can we observe?
There is snow on the road.
The car is off the road.
There is an advertisement for pizza on a billboard.
The sky is clear.
The road has two tire tracks where you can see the road.

8. Table Time Practice What can we infer based on the evidence?
The car slid of the road yesterday or before.
The driver got hungry and went to get pizza
The snow storm must have made the roads slick.

9. Let’s Practice Together
CAR OFF ROAD - This car slid off of the road along State Route 68 outside of Ogdensburg on Monday. The accident caused the passenger side, front tire to break off. Ogdensburg received the highest snow total from Sunday night’s snow event at four inches. Winds in Ogdensburg reached as high as 43 miles per hour on Monday. Written on Tuesday January 28,
What evidence do we learn in this paragraph?
Car slid off road on Monday.
Accident caused passenger side tire to break off.
Ogdensburg received four inches of snow.
Winds reached as high as 43 miles per hour.

10. Let’s Practice Together
CAR OFF ROAD - This car slid off of the road along State Route 68 outside of Ogdensburg on Monday. The accident caused the passenger side, front tire to break off. Ogdensburg received the highest snow total from Sunday night’s snow event at four inches. Winds in Ogdensburg reached as high as 43 miles per hour on Monday. Written on Tuesday January 28, 2014.
What can we infer based on the evidence?
Blowing snow made driving dangerous.
Ogdensburg doesn’t get as much snow as Utah.
The car hit something on the front passenger side.

11. Table Time Practice What evidence do we learn in this paragraph?
Jose is walking down the street during a rainstorm.  He sees a dog on the other side of the road dragging a leash behind him.  There is a cat in the tree near the dog.  Farther down the street there is a little girl crying.
What evidence do we learn in this paragraph?
Jose is walking during a rainstorm.
The dog is dragging his leash.
A cat is in a tree.

12. Table Time Practice What can we infer based on the evidence?
Jose is walking down the street during a rainstorm.  He sees a dog on the other side of the road dragging a leash behind him.  There is a cat in the tree near the dog.  Farther down the street there is a little girl crying.
What can we infer based on the evidence?
The dog belongs to the little girl.
The little girl is upset that her dog ran away.
The dog chased the cat into the tree.

13. Let’s Practice Together
What evidence do we observe in this graph?
Aluminum Cans were collected on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Four kilograms of cans were collected on Monday.
One kilogram of cans was collected on Wednesday.
Two kilograms of cans were collected on Friday.
The mass of aluminum cans was measured in kilograms.

14. Let’s Practice Together
What can we infer from this evidence?
People drink more soda on the weekend.
More people visit the place we collect cans from during the weekend.
Not as much soda is consumed at the beginning of the week.

15. Table Time Practice What evidence do we observe in this graph?
There are five plants being measured.
Each plant was given a different amount of water.
Each plant grew to different heights.

16. Table Time Practice What can we infer from this evidence?
7 ml per week of water is best for the growth of the plant.
You can overwater a plant.
If a plant isn’t given any water, it will not grow.

17. Table Time Task
We will now see a set of three images. Each image has part of it covered. After you view each image, your table will discuss what evidence can be observed in each image.
Record your evidence on the notes handout.
Do not make inferences until the entire image has been revealed.
Any questions?

18. Image #1: What evidence do you observe?

19. Image #2: What Evidence do you observe?

20. Image #3: What Evidence do you observe
Image #3: What Evidence do you observe? Once you have finished your observations, you may begin to make your inferences. Make at least three inferences.