observations, inferences, and hypothesis writing

Observations, Inferences, and Hypothesis Writing

In your science notebook, answer

these questions: How did your story differ from the true

story?

Did you use only FACTS in your story or did you make some assumptions?

Do Now: Use a yellow highlighter to go back through

your paragraph. Highlight the FACTS that you used in your paragraph. What is a fact?

What is an observation?

A. When you observe, you become aware of something using one of your senses. Your five senses are smell, taste, sight, touch, and sound. In an observation you simply describe something as it appears. An observation is a statement describing a fact. These are “qualitative observations”.

Observation Describing something using your

five senses.

Another word for a fact.

You can not dispute an observation. It is true.

Examples: The sky is blue. It is sunny out. The item in container 3 weighed

5 grams.

Qualitative Observation

Sometimes scientists must make very careful observations. Often their senses are not good enough. There are some things that cannot be observed using just your senses. (Examples: radiation, sound waves, planets, cells, etc.)

Can you think of ways that scientists have solved this problem? How can scientists extend their senses?

Microscopes, Telescopes, satellites, etc.

Quantitative Observations

These types of observations involve using #’s. Such as time, dates, distance, amounts.

ObservationsOn a sheet of paper, record 3 observations about someone

in your science classroom.

1.

2.

3.

What is an inference?

When you infer, you make a mental judgment based on observations. Inferences cannot be directly observed. They require thought. For example, if you get up in the morning, look up at the sky and observe dark clouds, observe the air is cool and humid, and observe puddles on the ground, you might infer that it has recently rained.

Note: You did not see rain; you decided that it rained based on your observations. An inference is a statement based on your interpretation of the facts.

InferencesOn your sheet of paper, record 3 inferences

about someone in your science classroom.

1.

2.

3.

Inference A judgment using prior

knowledge that explains an observation.

Could be called an opinion.

Not always true!

Examples: I saw Jake yawn; therefore, he is

tired It is sunny, so it must be hot

outside. Object 3 rolled, so it must be a

bouncy ball.

ExamplesObservations

That plant is extremely wilted.

The car stopped running.

The White Sox are leading their division.

Inferences

That plant is extremely wilted due to a lack of water.

The car stopped running because it was out of gas.

The White Sox are leading their division because they are playing well right now.

What observations and inferences can you

make about the following pictures?

Do Now: Go back to the paragraph you wrote about the airplane. Look

at what you thought were “facts.” Are those really facts, or are they inferences?

Make a T-Chart in your notes and record your observations and inferences from your story!

Observations

Inferences

Hypothesis Writing Turn and talk to your neighbor about:

What three words are in ALL hypothesis statements.

What three variables you learned about.

Step 1Melissa raises crickets at her pet store that she sells for reptile food. She thinks that crickets chirp more often when the temperature gets warmer. She decides to conduct an experiment to prove her theory.

Identify the variables.

Variable Name ID

Independent

Dependent

Control

Step 1Melissa raises crickets at her pet store that she sells for reptile food. She thinks that crickets chirp more often when the temperature gets warmer. She decides to conduct an experiment to prove her theory.

Identify the variables.

Variable Name ID

Independent Temperature

Dependent

Control

Step 1Melissa raises crickets at her pet store that she sells for reptile food. She thinks that crickets chirp more often when the temperature gets warmer. She decides to conduct an experiment to prove her theory.

Identify the variables.

Variable Name ID

Independent Temperature

Dependent Times the crickets chirp

Control

Step 1Melissa raises crickets at her pet store that she sells for reptile food. She thinks that crickets chirp more often when the temperature gets warmer. She decides to conduct an experiment to prove her theory.

Identify the variables. Variable Name ID

Independent Temperature

Dependent Times the crickets chirp

Control Time measured, crickets

Step 2 Based on the variables you identified write your “If”

statement. “If” tells the reader what will be changed. What variable is changing? 3rd person only!!!!!

Write your statement.

Variable Name

ID

Independent Temperature

Dependent Times the crickets chirp

Control Time measured,

crickets

Step 2 Based on the variables you identified write your “If”

statement. “If” tells the reader what will be changed. What variable is changing? 3rd Person only!!!

If the temperature of a crickets cage is changed, Variable

NameID

Independent Temperature

Dependent Times the crickets chirp

Control Time measured,

crickets

Step 3 Based on the variables you identified write your “then”

statement. “Then” tells the reader what will happen because of the

change What variable is “happening” or being measured? 3rd Person only!!!

Write your statement… Variable Name

ID

Independent Temperature

Dependent Times the crickets chirp

Control Time measured,

crickets

Step 3 Based on the variables you identified write your “then”

statement. “Then” tells the reader what will happen because of the

change What variable is “happening” or being measured? 3rd Person only!!!

If the temperature of a crickets cage is changed, then crickets will chirp more often when the temperature gets warmer,

Variable Name ID

Independent Temperature

Dependent Times the crickets chirp

Control Time measured, crickets

Step 4 Based on the variables you identified write your

“because” statement. “Because” tells the reader how you know this will occur. 3rd Person only!!!

Write your statement….Variable Name ID

Independent Temperature

Dependent Times the crickets chirp

Control Time measured, crickets

Step 4 Based on the variables you identified write your

“because” statement. “Because” tells the reader how you know this will occur. 3rd Person only!!!

If the temperature of a crickets cage is changed, then crickets will chirp more often when the temperature gets warmer, because the crickets are uncomfortable and are making it known to their owner.

Variable Name ID

Independent Temperature

Dependent Times the crickets chirp

Control Time measured, crickets

Step 5 Reread the hypothesis and check it for spelling/grammar.

If the temperature of a crickets cage is changed, then crickets will chirp more often when the temperature gets warmer, because the crickets are uncomfortable and are making it known to their owner.

You Try #2