Post on 17-Jan-2016
Catalyst (Left Page) Observations & Inferences
Make at least 5 observations about the picture on the left & set up your Cornell notes.
Observations & Inferences
Set up your Cornell Notes for today’s notes (right page)!
Observations & Inferences 08.26.2008
How is Science is a Process?
Scientists ask questions about how the world works
We discover pieces of the answer
What we know CHANGES
How is Science is a Process?
Science = Process
- Scientists ask question, discover pieces of answer- What we know changes
Scientific Inquiry
Way for scientists to answer all those questions about the world
Way to investigate an observable event and getting new knowledge, as well as for correcting and integrating previous knowledge
How is Science is a Process?
Science = Process
Scientific Inquiry
- Scientists ask question, discover pieces of answer- What we know changes
- Way to answer questions & investigate observations
Scientific Inquiry
Make an Observation
Ask a question
Construct a Hypothesis
Test the Hypothesis
Analyze the Data
Draw a Conclusion
Observations vs. Inferences
Science = Process
Scientific Inquiry
- Scientists ask question, discover pieces of answer- What we know changes
- Way to answer questions & investigate observations- a.k.a. scientific method
Observation
Information you gather using one of your five senses
Factual information that describes an object
Observations vs. Inferences
Science = Process
Scientific Inquiry
Observations
- Scientists ask question, discover pieces of answer- What we know changes
- Way to answer questions & investigate observations- a.k.a. scientific method
- Information using @ least one of the senses- FACTS (sight, sound, touch, smell, taste)
Observations
The plant is green.
The piece of metal is orange.
It is raining outside.
The car alarm is beeping.
The wall has cracks in it.
The room feels humid.
Observations vs. Inferences
Science = Process
Scientific Inquiry
Observations
- Scientists ask question, discover pieces of answer- What we know changes
- Way to answer questions & investigate observable event- a.k.a. scientific method
- Information using @ least one of the senses- FACTS (sight, sound, touch, smell, taste)- Examples: 1. The plant is green. 2. The car alarm is beeping.
What do you observe in the classroom?
In your notebook (left side), make 5 observations about the classroom
Remember, observations use one of the five senses:– Sight - Taste – Hearing - Smell – Touch
Inference
A conclusion drawn using observations and reasoning
NOT a fact you can detect using one of the five senses
An explanation
Observations vs. Inferences
Science = Process
Scientific Inquiry
Observations
Inferences
- Scientists ask question, discover pieces of answer- What we know changes
- Way to answer questions & investigate observable event- a.k.a. scientific method
- Information using @ least one of the senses- FACTS (sight, sound, touch, smell, taste)- Examples: 1. The plant is green. 2. The car alarm is beeping.
- Conclusion/explanation from observation & reasoning- NOT FACT
Inferences
The table looks like it is made of wood.
The piece of metal is red, so it must be hot.
The plant is green, so it must be healthy.
The room is dark, so the light bulb must not be on.
Andrea is studying, so she probably does well in school.
The street is wet, so it must have rained.
Observations vs. Inferences
Scientific Inquiry
Observations
Inferences
- Way to answer questions & investigate observable event- a.k.a. scientific method
- Information using @ least one of the senses- FACTS (sight, sound, touch, smell, taste)- Examples: 1. The plant is green. 2. The car alarm is beeping.
- Conclusion/explanation from observation & reasoning- NOT FACT- Example: 1. The piece of metal is red, so it must be hot.
Influences
Several things can influence our observations and our inferences– Experience
– Knowledge
– Emotion
– Attention to detail.
Observations vs. Inferences
Observations
Inferences
Influences
- Information using @ least one of the senses- FACTS (sight, sound, touch, smell, taste)- Examples: 1. The plant is green. 2. The car alarm is beeping.
- Conclusion/explanation from observation & reasoning- NOT FACT- Example: 1. The piece of metal is red, so it must be hot.
- Experience, knowledge, emotion, detail attention affect observations/inferences
Example
I observe that I see a swimming pool
I observe that my dog feels wet
I infer that my dog jumped in the water
Example
I observe that Nick is yawning
I observe that Nick has his head on his desk
I infer that Nick did not get enough sleep last night
OBSERVATIONS
That plant is extremely wilted.
The car stopped running
INFERENCES
That plant is extremely wilted due to a lack of water.
The car stopped running because it was out of gas.
Observations vs. Inferences
Inferences
Influences
Obs. Vs. Inf.
- Conclusion/explanation from observation & reasoning- NOT FACT- Example: 1. The piece of metal is red, so it must be hot.
-Experience, knowledge, emotion, detail attention affect observations/inferences
The car stopped running. (Obs.)The car stopped running b/c it was out of gas. (Inf.)
Observation or Inference?
The child has a blue block
Observation or Inference?
The child playing with the car is smiling.
Observation or Inference?
The child is happy because she is playing with a car.
Observation or Inference?
The grass is wet, so it must have rained last night.
What do you observe?
In your notebook (left page), write 3 observations
What do you infer?
In your notebook (left page), write 3 inferences based on your observations
Draw an inference.
You hear a yell. You hear a crash. You walk into the next room and see a
baseball on the floor next to a broken lamp.
What do you infer (left page)?
Go back to the 5 observations you made in your catalyst– Were your observations purely
observations?– Did you have any that were actually
inferences? How do you know?
Summary
Take 3 minutes to work on your
summary
Reminders & Rest of Period
• HW Packet #2 due Friday• Quiz #2 Friday• Quiz #1 parent signature by
Wednesday!