Science: Observations vs Inferences
Telling facts from ideas based on clues
Science: Observations vs Inferences
Telling facts from ideas based on clues
Science - Grade 2-3
- 1
A student says, "The leaf is green." Is this an observation or an inference? Explain your answer.
An observation is something you notice with your senses.
This is an observation because the student can see that the leaf is green. - 2
A student sees puddles on the sidewalk and says, "It rained last night." Is this an observation or an inference? Explain your answer.
The student did not see the rain happen.
This is an inference because the student is using the puddles as clues to make an idea about what happened. - 3
Write one observation you could make about an apple using your eyes.
One observation is that the apple is red, green, or yellow, depending on the apple. This is something you can see. - 4
Write one observation you could make about an apple using your sense of touch.
Think about how the apple feels in your hand.
One observation is that the apple feels smooth. This is something you can notice by touching it. - 5
A dog is barking at the door. A student says, "The dog wants to go outside." Is this an observation or an inference? Explain your answer.
This is an inference because the student is using the dog's barking as a clue to guess what the dog wants. - 6
A cup of cocoa has steam rising from it. Which statement is an observation: "The cocoa is hot" or "Steam is rising from the cup"?
Choose the statement that tells exactly what someone can see.
"Steam is rising from the cup" is an observation because it is something you can see. - 7
A student hears thunder and says, "A storm is nearby." Is this an observation or an inference? Explain your answer.
Hearing thunder is an observation, but saying what it means is an inference.
This is an inference because the student uses the sound of thunder as a clue that a storm may be nearby. - 8
Circle the observation: A. The rock is heavy. B. The rock came from a volcano. Explain your choice.
A is the observation because you can feel that the rock is heavy. B is an inference because it is an idea about where the rock came from. - 9
A student says, "The classroom lights are off." Is this an observation or an inference? Explain your answer.
Look for a statement that can be checked with the senses.
This is an observation because the student can see that the lights are off. - 10
A plant has droopy leaves and dry soil. A student says, "The plant needs water." Is this an observation or an inference? Explain your answer.
This is an inference because the student uses the droopy leaves and dry soil as clues to decide that the plant needs water. - 11
List two observations about a pencil.
Use your senses, such as sight or touch.
Two observations could be that the pencil is yellow and that it has an eraser. These are things you can see. - 12
A student sees cookie crumbs on the table and says, "Someone ate a cookie here." Is this an observation or an inference? Explain your answer.
The crumbs are the observation. The idea about someone eating is the inference.
This is an inference because the student uses the crumbs as clues to make an idea about what happened. - 13
Read the sentence: "The flower smells sweet." Is this an observation or an inference? Explain your answer.
This is an observation because the smell of the flower can be noticed with the nose.