Name ______________________________
Period ______
Observation vs. Inference Notes
Use the Power Point presentation to complete the observations vs. inferences notes.
Observation
 Using one or more of your five ___________________ to gather information
 Noting and recording ____________________ about an experience
Types of Observations
 Qualitative Observation: A quality or property of an experience or object being
observed that does ________________________________________________.
 Quantitative Observation: A quality or property of an experience or object that
can be __________________________________________________________.
The insect has many bristles on its legs.
The average length of the insect is 14 mm.
The insect is known to have lived through
temperatures as low as seven degrees
below zero.
The insect has circular wings and equal
numbers of legs on each side of its body.
Quantitative or Qualitative
Quantitative or Qualitative
Quantitative or Qualitative
Quantitative or Qualitative
Inferences
 Conclusions based on ______________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
 Inferences are used to help explain ___________________________________.
 Inferences are often ____________________ when new observations are made
 Observation: The rose bush grew 17 inches in one year. Possible Inferences:
 Second Observation: A gardener put a white powder near the base of the rose
bush. Possible Inference:
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Name ______________________________
Period ______
Photo Study - 1
Question
Answer
Type of Answer
A
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
B
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
C
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
D
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
E
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
F
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
Photo Study - 2
Question
A
B
C
D
E
F
©2013 teachforteach.com
Answer
Type of Answer
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
Name ______________________________
Period ______
Photo Study - 3
Question
Answer
Type of Answer
A
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
B
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
C
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
D
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
E
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
F
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
Photo Study - 4
Question
A
B
C
D
E
F
©2013 teachforteach.com
Answer
Type of Answer
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
Name ______________________________
Period ______
Observation vs. Inference Notes
Observation
 Using one or more of your five senses to gather information
 Noting and recording facts about an experience
Types of Observations
 Qualitative Observation: A quality or property of an experience or object being
observed that does not use numbers.
 Quantitative Observation: A quality or property of an experience or object that
can be measured or expressed in numbers.
The insect has many bristles on its legs.
The average length of the insect is 14 mm.
The insect is known to have lived through
temperatures as low as seven degrees
below zero.
The insect has circular wings and equal
numbers of legs on each side of its body.
Quantitative or Qualitative
Quantitative or Qualitative
Quantitative or Qualitative
Quantitative or Qualitative
Inferences
 Conclusions based on evidence from observation and reasoning.
 Inferences are used to help explain observations.
 Inferences are often changed when new observations are made
 Observation: The rose bush grew 17 inches in one year. Possible Inferences:
 Second Observation: A gardener put a white powder near the base of the rose
bush. Possible Inference:
©2013 teachforteach.com
Answer Key
Observation vs. Inference
Observation
 Using one or more of your five senses to gather information
 Noting and recording facts about an experience
Types of Observations
 Qualitative Observation: A quality or property of an experience or object being
observed that does not use numbers.
 Quantitative Observation: A quality or property of an experience or object that
can be measured or expressed in numbers.
The insect has many bristles on its legs.
The average length of the insect is 14 mm.
The insect is known to have lived through
temperatures as low as seven degrees
below zero.
The insect has circular wings and equal
numbers of legs on each side of its body.
Qualitative
Quantitative
Quantitative
Qualitative
Inferences
 Conclusions based on evidence from observation and reasoning.
 Inferences are used to help explain observations.
 Inferences are often changed when new observations are made
 Observation: The rose bush grew 17 inches in one year. Possible Inferences:
(Answers will vary.)
 It rained a lot during the year.
 The rose bush got a lot sunlight during the year.
 Very few insects attacked the rose bush during the year.
 Second Observation: A gardener put a white powder near the base of the rose bush.
Possible Inference: (Answers will vary.)
 The rose bush grew 17 inches in one year because a fertilizer was used
around the bush.
©2013 teachforteach.com
Photo 1 – Answer Key
Question
A
B
C
D
E
F
Answer
Type of Answer
Two – Quantitative Observation
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
Camouflage – Qualitative Observation
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
Military (answers can vary) Inference
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
Green – Qualitative Observation
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
Four – Quantitative Observation
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
A school (answers can vary) - Inference
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
Photo 2 – Answer Key
Question
A
B
C
D
E
F
Answer
Days of the week – Qualitative Observation
K-3 (answers may vary) - Inference
2 – Quantitative Observation
August (answers may vary)- Inference
R,S,T,U,V,W,X,Y & Z – Qualitative Observation
10 – Quantitative Observation
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Type of Answer
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
Photo 3 – Answer Key
Question
A
B
C
D
E
F
Answer
Type of Answer
Yellow – Qualitative Observation
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
Branch of leaves – Qualitative Observation
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
12 – Quantitative Observation
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
3 – Quantitative Observation
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
Space command for defense and spying
(answers may vary) - Inference
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
Answers will vary - Inference
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
Photo 4 – Answer Key
Question
A
B
C
D
E
F
Answer
Two – Quantitative Observation
Two – Quantitative Observation
Orange - Qualitative Observation
Radishes - Qualitative Observation
Giving change after a purchase (answers may
vary) - Inference
Farmers Market (answers may vary) Inference
©2013 teachforteach.com
Type of Answer
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference
Qualitative Observation
Quantitative Observation
Inference