Observations
Observation- using one or more of your five senses to gather information. Your senses include sight,
hearing, touch, taste, and smell. Sometimes technological devices, like microscopes, are used to help.
Thoughtful observation is clear and detailed and it takes practice. Observations can be either quantitative or
qualitative.
Quantitative observations- involve numbers, or an amount. Seeing that you have 2 text messages on
your phone is a quantitative observation.
Qualitative observations- involve descriptions that cannot be expressed with numbers. Noticing that a
bike is blue or that a grape tastes sour are qualitative observations.
Inferences
When you explain the things you observe, you are inferring, or making an inference. Inferences are based
on reasoning from what you already know. You make inferences all the time. Because your brain processes
observations and other information so quickly, you may not even realize when you have made an inference.
For example, if you see your friend smile after getting back a test, you might infer that she got a good grade.
Inferences are not always correct, however. Your friend’s smile may have nothing to do with the test.
Write 2 observations for this picture:
1.
2.
Make an inference based on your two
observations:
Write 2 observations for this picture:
1.
2.
Make an inference based on your two
observations:
Practice with Observations and inferences!
Directions: Read the following observations. Then make inferences that explain each observation.
Remember there may be more than one logical explanation.
1. Observation 1: You observe that the sky is getting dark at noon.
Inference: _________________________________________________________________________________
2. Observation 2: The principal interrupts class and calls a student from the room.
Inference: _________________________________________________________________________________
3. Observation 3: All 5th grade students are bringing lunch from home.
Inference: _________________________________________________________________________________
4. Observation 4: A former rock band member has poor hearing.
Inference: _________________________________________________________________________________
5. Observation 5: You leave a movie theater and see that the street is wet.
Inference: _________________________________________________________________________________
6. Observation 6: During a handshake, you notice the person’s hand has blisters.
Inference: _________________________________________________________________________________
7. Observation 7: The classroom lights are off.
Inference: _________________________________________________________________________________
8. Observation 8: A siren is heard going past the school.
Inference: _________________________________________________________________________________
9. Observation 9: Mrs. Terelle has a panda bear poster in her room:
Inference: _________________________________________________________________________________
10. Create your own observation (in our classroom):
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Ask a classmate to make an inference and record their response:
__________________________________________________________________________________________