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.