Observation Circles
Indiana Expeditions Show:
Life Science
Overview:
Students will use their senses and a variety of tools to make observations. They will use
their observations to describe and identify various objects and will complete a detailed
observation data card that can be used by other students to pick out a specific object.
Background information:
In order to conduct meaningful investigations, scientists must constantly make
observations about the world around them. Scientists use all five senses (sight, hearing,
touch, taste, and smell) when making observations. Through habit, many of us rely
primarily on our sense of sight to make observations. However, it is important to
remember that our other senses can also be helpful when making observations. (Safety
note: Students should understand that tasting some things can be very dangerous.
It is a good idea to establish a “no tasting” rules for your classroom.)
Scientists may also use a variety of tools when making observations. For example, hand
lenses, microscopes, and telescopes can make it easier to see some things. Rulers and
balances allow scientists to make precise observations. Other testing equipment can
provide additional data (observations) to enable scientists to learn about the world. Thus,
students should be encouraged to use available tools when making their observations.
Scientists use both qualitative and quantitative observations to record data. Qualitative
observations describe the details and characteristics of something without using numbers.
Most commonly, qualitative observations include adjectives. For example, to say that
something is long would be a qualitative observation. Quantitative observations use
numbers to describe something. A simple mnemonic device to remember the difference
is that quantitative has an “n” in it for number! For example, to say that something is
3cm long would be a quantitative observation. Because they use numbers or amounts,
quantitative observations are more precise and easier to compare to one another.
Connections to the Indiana Academic Standards for Science:
3.1.2, 3.1.3, 3.1.4, 3.1.5, 3.2.3, 3.2.4, 3.2.6, 3.2.7, 3.5.1, 4.1.3, 4.1.5, 4.2.1, 4.2.4,
4.2.5, 4.2.7, 5.2.4, 6.1.2, 7.1.2, 7.1.3
Science Process Skills:
 Communicating
 Estimating
 Measuring
 Observing
Estimated Time Requirement
One or two forty-five minute sessions
Materials:
 One “Observation Card” handout per student.
 One ruler per student
 One hand lens per student
 One paper bag per student
 Several balances
Objectives:
Students will be able to
1. demonstrate the ability to make a variety of detailed observations
2. differentiate between qualitative and quantitative observations
Procedure:
Anticipatory set:
 Divide the students into pairs. Instruct each pair of students to stand facing each
other somewhere in the room. Tell the students you are going to give them one
minute to carry on a conversation about what observations are and how we make
observations. At the end of one minute instruct the students to stand back to
back and then ask them a series of three or four questions to determine if they
practiced any observation skills while they were talking to their partners about
observations. Be sure to emphasize that they may not turn back around to check
on any of their answers until you tell them to. Here are some sample questions
you might ask:
 What color of shirt is your partner wearing?
 Is your partner wearing shoes that tie or slip on?
 Does your partner’s hair have a part? If so, what side is it on?
When you have finished, allow the students to check on their answers by turning
back around to look at their partner.
Lesson sequence:
 Explain to the students that scientists must make detailed observations about
their experiments in order to gather data and draw conclusions.
 Ask students what senses scientists use to make observations. Ask questions to
get students to state that scientists use their senses of sight, hearing, smell,
touch, and taste to make observations. List the senses on the board as students
say them. This is a great time to discuss the safety aspect of making
observations, particularly the “no taste” rule.
 Hold up an object from your classroom and ask students to state different
observations they can make about the object and to tell what sense they used to
make the observation. Note: Be sure to point out the difference between an
observation (something you can observe with your senses) and an interpretation
or inference. For example, to say that a penny is scratched and dented or that it
has the date 1978 on it is an observation. To say that it is old is an inference or
interpretation based on those observations. Place a checkmark next to the name
of a sense each time it was used. Take several more observations about the
same object and then do the same process for two or three additional objects.
 Examine the senses that were used. Most of the time, the sense of sight is the
most often used sense when making observations. Discuss ways to use the other
senses when making observations.
 Point out that scientists often use a variety of tools for making observations.
Ask the students what some of those tools might be (rulers, balances,
microscopes, telescopes, hand lenses, graduated cylinders, etc.) and list them on
the board.
 Provide students with a ruler, access to a balance, and an object about which to
make observations. Ideally every student should have the same object. For
example, perhaps they could all make observations about their science book.
Have students write and draw their observations on a sheet of paper or in a
science journal.
 Ask students to share their observations and write them on the board. However,
when writing them on the board, list the observations in two columns: one for
qualitative observations and one for quantitative observations. DO NOT
identify the two columns as qualitative and quantitative yet! Again, be sure to
emphasize the difference between an observation (something you can observe
with your senses) and an interpretation or inference. For example, to say that a
penny is scratched and dented or that it has the date 1978 on it is an observation.
To say that it is old is an inference or interpretation based on those observations.
 After you have obtained several observations of both types, ask the students
what they notice about the two columns. Once students have identified that one
of the columns has numbers and the other doesn’t, label the columns
appropriately as either qualitative or quantitative.
 Discuss the difference between qualitative and quantitative observations and
elicit from students that quantitative observations are more precise and easier to
compare to one another.
 Provide students with a ruler, a hand lens, and some paper or their science
journal and take your students outside to write and draw several observations of
some natural objects. Prior to coming back into the classroom, ask them all to
collect one sample of the same type of object, for example, a twig or rock. For
younger students, you might want to let them choose varied objects rather than
the same types of objects.
 Distribute one “Observation Card” to each student. Give students time to write
and draw observations on their observation card about their specific object.
Remind students, by asking leading questions, to try to use all of their senses
except taste (for safety reasons). Sample questions might be: Does your object
have an odor? Does your object have any scratches or bulges? Is your object
rough or smooth or something else? What noise does your object make when it
is dropped? Also remind students to try to include an assortment of qualitative
and quantitative observations.
 Once everyone has had a chance to write and draw their observations, divide the
students into groups of five or six and ask each group to form a circle on the
floor. Students should bring their observations tools, object, and observation
card to the circle.
 Instruct students to place their observation tools and cards on the floor behind
them.
 Tell students that they will be passing their objects around their circle and that
each student will have a few moments to observe each object before it is passed
along. Before each object is passed along, ask each student in the circle to share
an observation about the object he or she is holding. Once each student has
shared an observation, make the next pass of the objects and sharing of
observations. Continue in this manner until each student gets his or her original
object back.
 Tell the students that they are going to do the activity again. But this time,
before they begin, have each student place his or her object in a paper bag.
Inform students that they will not be allowed to look in the bag. They should
carefully reach into the bag and make observations using all of their other senses
except their senses of sight and taste.
 Students should observe, share an observation, and pass the objects on until they
get their own object back.
 For the last part of the activity, students remove their objects from the paper bag
and place all of them on the floor in the center of their circle. Students should
also place their observation cards in a pile on the floor in the center of their
circle.
 Instruct students to each randomly choose a card from the pile of observation
cards. If a student gets their own observation card back, they should trade with
another student within their circle.
 Decide which student will begin in each circle. That student will read the
observation card they are holding and if the card has illustrations, will hold up
the card for everyone in the circle to see. The other students in the circle, except
the student reading the card and the student to whom the card belongs, should
try to pick out the object the card refers to. Once the object has been correctly
identified, return the object to the middle of the circle, mixing it in with the
other objects, and repeat the same process until all students have had a chance to
read the card they are holding and all of the objects have been identified based
on the observation cards.
Closure
 Do a quick share of student observations of anything in the classroom. The
students should state the observation, the sense used to make the observation,
and whether or not the observation is a qualitative observation or a quantitative
observation.
Suggested Student Assessment:
Objective #1:
Provide students with an object and an observation card and ask them to complete
the card by writing and drawing their observations of the object. Assess the
students’ use of all of their senses (except taste) and their use of both qualitative
and quantitative observations.
Objective #2:
Provide students with a list of several observations. Be sure to include both
qualitative and quantitative observations mixed together in the list. Ask students
to sort the observations into those that are qualitative observations and those that
are quantitative observations.
Extending the Lesson:
 Have students complete an observation card for the shoes they have on. Collect
one shoe and the observation card from each student in the class. Pile the shoes
in the middle of the classroom floor and hold a “find the right shoe” event by
distributing one observation card to each student. Students must then find the
shoe described on the card they have, observe their classmates’ feet (each of
whom should still be wearing one shoe), and return the shoe to its owner.
 Challenge students to design and conduct a scavenger hunt for objects within the
classroom. However, instead of listing the objects to be collected, the students
should list clues for the objects by writing qualitative and quantitative
observations about the objects.
Source of Lesson:
Rick Crosslin
Educator - M.S.D. Wayne Township
School Liaison for Science Learning - The Children's Museum of Indianapolis
The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, ScienceWorks Unit of Study
http://www.childrensmuseum.org/teachers/unitsofstudy/scienceworks/index.htm
Deb Sachs,
Director, Office of Professional Development
School of Education
University of Indianapolis
Observation Card
Name________________________________________________________
Observation
Sense used
to make the
observation
Type of
observation:
qualitative (L)
or quantitative
(N)
Use the back for illustrations.