Science Activities for Elementary
Science: Observation,
Inferencing, and Predicting
Choice Board for Elementary
Contents
Science: Observation, Inferencing, and Predicting Choice Board ....................................................... 3
Erosion Hunt ............................................................................................................................................................... 4
Skittle Experiment ................................................................................................................................................... 5
Through the Looking Glass ................................................................................................................................... 7
Leaf Transpiration .................................................................................................................................................... 8
Moon Watch ............................................................................................................................................................... 10
Mighty Magnets ........................................................................................................................................................ 12
Rock Explorers ........................................................................................................................................................... 13
Magnifying Box Buddies ........................................................................................................................................ 14
Cloud Watch ............................................................................................................................................................... 15
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Science: Observation, Inferencing, and
Predicting Choice Board
Directions: Choose an activity from the menu below and find the worksheet that goes with it.
Read the full instructions and complete the science journal.
Erosion Hunt
Skittle Experiment
Through the Looking Glass
Look around your playground
or school grounds. Can you
find something that looks
worn away?
Create an experiment using
Skittles, warm water, and a
plate. You’ll be amazed!
With a hand lens, walk
through the field with your
teacher and classmates.
OBSERVE: Has it worn away
from weathering or erosion?
INFER: Explain why you
think this.
PREDICT: What do you think
will happen next?
OBSERVE: What happens to
the colors from the Skittles?
INFER: Why do you think
this happens?
PREDICT: What do you think
will happen if sugar is added to
the middle of the plate?
OBSERVE: Write down and
draw three things you look at
closely with the lens.
INFER: Why do you think
those things are there?
PREDICT: What do you think
will happen to them?
Leaf Transpiration
Moon Watch
Mighty Magnets
Set up your leaf transpiration
experiment. It works best
in the sunshine!
Watch the moon for seven days.
Before you start, predict what
you think it will look like.
Find a magnet in your classroom.
OBSERVE: Write down and
draw your observations.
INFER: Write down why you
think this happened.
PREDICT: What do you think
would happen if the bag was
left for longer?
OBSERVE: Write down and
draw your observations.
INFER: Write down why
you think this happened.
PREDICT: At the end, predict
what you think the moon will
look like for the next seven days.
OBSERVE: Describe the surfaces
the magnet attaches to.
INFER: Why does the magnet
attach better to some surfaces
than others?
PREDICT: Make a prediction
about five other surfaces around
the classroom. Test and record
the results!
Rock Explorers
Magnifying Box Buddies
Cloud Watch
Take a walk outside with your
teacher and classmates and
find a rock to investigate.
With a partner, walk around your
classroom, school, or playground
and search for five small items
to place in a magnifying box.
OBSERVE: Draw and
describe each item.
PREDICT: What would you see
with a strong magnifier?
Observe clouds outside your
classroom window each day
for one week.
OBSERVE: Describe and
draw your rock, then find
out what type it is.
PREDICT: What type of
rock do you think it is?
INFER: What makes you
think your rock is the type
you predicted?
INFER: Why does the
magnifying box help you learn
more about the items?
OBSERVE: Describe and draw
the clouds each day.
PREDICT: What type of weather
do you think you’ll have?
INFER: Is there a pattern
between the clouds and
the weather?
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Name .................................................................................. Date .....................................................................................
Erosion Hunt
Directions: Look around your playground or school grounds with your teacher and classmates.
Can you find something that looks worn away?
In your science journal…
OBSERVATIONS: Write down if you think it’s worn away from erosion or weathering. Draw a
picture or take a photo of your example.
INFERENCES: Explain why you think it’s worn away from erosion or weathering. You could add
labels to your drawing or photo to help with your explanation.
PREDICTIONS: What do you think will happen next? Draw a picture of your prediction. If you
can, go back and record your findings - describe any changes you notice and draw a picture (or
take a photo.
Erosion Hunt - Science Journal
OBSERVATIONS
Drawings/ pictures:
INFERENCES
PREDICTIONS
Drawings/ pictures:
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Name .................................................................................. Date .....................................................................................
Skittle Experiment
Directions: Set up your skittle experiment at home or in your classroom and observe what
happens to the colors of the Skittles. If you don’t have what you need for the experiment, you
can watch it happening in this video. You can find more detailed instructions here.
You’ll need:
•
•
•
A bag of Skittles (other colored candy like M&Ms will work too)
A plate
Warm water.
Instructions:
1. Arrange the Skittles in a circle around the outer edge of the plate (you may like to
alternate the colors to create a rainbow pattern).
2. Carefully, pour the warm water into the center of the plate. Pour enough so that the
sweets are half submerged.
3. Wait… Then watch to see what happens to the Skittles!
Don’t forget to write down your first prediction before you start the experiment!
Next steps… Try the experiment again, but this time, put a small pile of sugar into the middle of
the plate, then very carefully pour the warm around the sugar (don’t pour any onto the sugar).
What do you think will happen this time?
In your science journal…
PREDICTIONS:
Before you start - What do you think will happen to the Skittles?
After the experiment - What do you think will happen if sugar is added to the middle of the
plate?
OBSERVATIONS: Write down what happens to the colors from the Skittles. You could add a
drawing to show what happens and add color with colored pencils or crayons.
INFERENCES: Write down why you think the colors move as they do. Why do you think the
colors don’t mix with each other?
FINDINGS: If you carry out the second experiment, write down your observations. Was it how
you predicted?
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Skittle Experiment - Science Journal
PREDICTIONS
Before you start:
After the experiment:
FINDINGS
INFERENCES
OBSERVATIONS
Drawings/ pictures:
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Name .................................................................................. Date .....................................................................................
Through the Looking Glass
Directions: Taking a hand lens with you, walk through your recess field with your teacher and
classmates. Look around the field, then find at least three things you can look at more closely
with the hand lens. You can also do this in your garden or local park (taking an adult with you) if
you’re completing this for homework.
In your science journal…
OBSERVATIONS: Write down what you notice about the three things you observed. Are they
natural or manmade? Draw your observations and add labels to your drawings.
INFERENCES: Why do you think those things were there?
PREDICTIONS: What do you think will happen to the things you found? Write down your
predictions.
Through the Looking Glass - Science Journal
PREDICTIONS
INFERENCES
OBSERVATIONS
Drawings/ pictures:
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Name .................................................................................. Date .....................................................................................
Leaf Transpiration Experiment
Directions: Set up your leaf transpiration experiment in your school grounds, or at home in your
garden. This works best in sunny weather, with plants that are in the sun!
You’ll need:
•
•
•
A plant with leaves
A clear plastic bag
A rubber band (or sticky tape)
Instructions:
1. Carefully, cover the leaf with the plastic bag
2. Using the rubber band, seal the bag tightly around the branch
3. Leave the bag for at least an hour, then come back to see what’s happened!
Don’t forget to write down your first prediction before you start the experiment!
In your science journal…
PREDICTIONS:
Before you start - What do you think will happen to the inside of the bag?
After the experiment - What do you think would happen if the bag was left for longer?
OBSERVATIONS: Write down what you can see on the inside of the plastic bag. Draw what you
see.
INFERENCES: Write down why you think this happened, and what causes the changes inside
the bag. Why do you think this works better if the plant is in the sun?
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Leaf Transpiration Experiment - Science Journal
PREDICTIONS
Before you start:
After the experiment:
INFERENCES
OBSERVATIONS
Drawings/ pictures:
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Name .................................................................................. Date .....................................................................................
Moon Watch
Directions: Watch the moon for seven days. Observe how it looks each night. Write down and
draw what you see, and think about why it looks that way. At the end of the seven days, think
about what it might look like over the next seven days.
In your science journal…
OBSERVATIONS: Write and draw what you see when you look at the moon each night. Has it
changed or does it look the same.
INFERENCES: Why do you think it looks like it does? If you cannot see it one day, why do you
think that has happened?
PREDICTIONS:
Before you start - Predict what you think the moon will look like for the seven days - will it
always look the same?
At the end of the seven days - Look at your results, and predict what you think the moon look
like for the next seven days. Will it be the same or different?
Moon Watch - Science Journal
PREDICTIONS
Before you start:
At the end of the seven days:
OBSERVATIONS
Day 1:
Day 2:
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Day 3:
OBSERVATIONS
Day 4:
Day 5:
Day 6:
INFERENCES
Day 7:
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Name .................................................................................. Date .....................................................................................
Mighty Magnets
Directions: Find a magnet in your classroom. Think about where you found the magnet and why
it attaches to that surface. Make a prediction and choose five other things you think the magnet
will attach to. Test your prediction and describe your results. Were your predictions correct?
Why? Why not?
In your science journal…
OBSERVATIONS (STAGE 1): Describe what the magnet is attached to when you find it.
PREDICTIONS: Make a prediction about five other surfaces around the classroom, whether the
magnet will attach itself to them or not. Write down your predictions.
FINDINGS: Describe your results. What happens when you try the magnet on the five things
you chose to test? Which surfaces does it attach to? Were your predictions correct?
INFERENCES: Why do you think the magnet attaches to some surfaces better than others?
Drawings/ pictures:
INFERENCES
FINDINGS
PREDICTIONS
OBSERVATIONS
Mighty Magnets - Science Journal
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Name .................................................................................. Date .....................................................................................
Rock Explorers
Directions: With your teacher and classmates, walk outside around your school grounds (or
around your local area with an adult if this is homework!). Find a rock to investigate. Observe it
with a hand lens, make predictions about what type of rock you think it is, and test your
predictions. Come up with at least three tests to try on your rock. For example, the scratch test,
the float test, or the fizz test.
In your science journal…
OBSERVATIONS: Look closely at your rock using a hand lens. Describe and draw what you can
see.
PREDICTIONS: Predict what kind of rock you think it is - sedimentary, metamorphic, or igneous?
FINDINGS: What makes you think your rock is the type you predicted?
INFERENCES: Test your rock. Write about the results - was your prediction correct?
Drawings/ pictures:
FINDINGS
INFERENCES
PREDICTIONS
OBSERVATIONS
Rock Explorers - Science Journal
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Name .................................................................................. Date .....................................................................................
Magnifying Box Buddies
Directions: With a partner, walk around your classroom, school, or playground and search for
small items to place in a magnifying box.
In your science journal…
OBSERVATIONS: Find five items to observe. Draw and describe each item.
INFERENCES: Explain why you think a magnifying box helps you learn more about these small
objects.
PREDICTIONS: Predict what you think you’d see with a stronger magnifying glass or microscope.
Magnifying Box Buddies - Science Journal
PREDICTIONS
INFERENCES
OBSERVATIONS
Drawings/ pictures:
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Name .................................................................................. Date .....................................................................................
Cloud Watch
Directions: Observe clouds outside your classroom window each day for one week. Think about
what type of clouds they might be and what kind of weather you might expect to get that day.
Over the next seven days, make your predictions and observations each day. At the end of the
week, think about if there was a pattern between the clouds you observed and the weather you
experienced each day.
In your science journal…
You may like to divide your journal page into seven or have seven copies of the journal page, one
for each day.
OBSERVATIONS: Each day, describe and draw the clouds you can see out of your classroom or
bedroom window. What type of cloud do you think it is?
PREDICTIONS: Predict what you think the weather will be like that day. Describe and draw the
type of weather you think you’ll have.
FINDINGS: Describe and draw the weather you had that day. Were your predictions correct?
INFERENCES: At the end of seven days, did you notice a pattern between the clouds and the
weather you observed? Describe the pattern if you noticed one.
Cloud Watch - Science Journal
PREDICTIONS
Before you start:
At the end of the seven days:
OBSERVATIONS
Day 1:
Day 2:
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Day 3:
OBSERVATIONS
Day 4:
Day 5:
Day 6:
INFERENCES
Day 7:
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