1. Teacher instructions No printing required, need piece of paper, pen or pencil, internet connection for video. After slide 3, have students share their observations/inferences. Question is that an observation or an inference? Do the same for slides 4 and 5.

2. 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 Observations & Inferences What are they?

3. Look at these two sets of animal tracks. On your piece of paper List 3 OBSERVATIONS and Make an INFERENCE

4. Now what do you think? Again make 3 OBSERVATIONS And an INFERENCE

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

6. On your sheet of paper divide it in half. Observation Definition: Inference Definition:

7. Observations Any information collected with the senses. 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 »Heard a loud “pop” The skill of describing scientific events

8. Inference Conclusions or deductions based on observations. 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 = ?

9. Write 3 observations and 3 inferences under the appropriate column.

10. With a partner… Verify that it is an observation using the definition of observation. Verify that it is an inference using the definition of inference.

11. What really happened? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp- H8e41fJIhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp- H8e41fJI Things are not always what they seem. Observations are useful in science but to make a valid inference requires going through the scientific method.

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