1. The nature of science. Scientific knowledge is the product of observation and inference. Observations and Inferences

2. Take a good look at this picture

3. Question 1 Are there cars parked on the sides of the road?

4. Question 2 What color is the pickup truck driving in the road?

5. Question 3 Any minivans around?

6. Question 4 What does the blue sign say?

7. Question 5 What's the speed limit?

8. Question 6 Are there any pedestrians on the road?

10. Answers 1. Yes 2. Blue 3. Yes 4. Yard Sale 5. 35 mph 6. No

12. OBSERVATIONS AND INFERENCES Essential Question How do scientists use observations and inferences? Do Now Look at the drawing. What do you notice?(observation) What do you think happened?(inference

13. Observations lead to inferences  An observation may lead you to infer what might have happened.  Example: you observe that a container of chicken broth left uncovered spoils  You infer that something in the air is getting into the broth to make it spoil.  Can you gather evidence to support this?  You have now made a hypothesis

14. Observation vs Inference  On the next slide, state whether the statement is an observation or an inference.

15. 1. There is a representation of a face on one side of the coin. 2. The Latin word "Dei" means "God." 3. The coin was made by deeply religious people. 4. The date 1722 is printed on one side of the coin. 5. The coin was made in 1722. 6. The face on the coin is a representation of the nation's president.

16. Inferences lead to hypothesis  You inferred that something in the air is getting into the broth  This is a hypothesis if it can be tested and has some measurable outcome  How can you test this hypothesis?  What will you look to observe for measurement?  Will the measure be qualitative (sensory) or quantitative (numerical)?

17. Hypothesis supported or disproved  A hypothesis cannot be proved.  It can only have observations that support or disprove it  There is always the possibility observations may lead to a different conclusion

18. So, what is a theory?  A theory is a collection of many hypotheses that have been supported by observations in many separate experiments  Theories develop over decades or centuries  Theories can be refined and strengthened in discovery of new evidence through hypothesis testing. They are dynamic.  Scientists accept both theories and laws to be true

19. What is a Law, then?  These are observations that have been shown through time to be simple, true, absolute, and universal. Always the same, all the time, everywhere.  Objects fall to earth, every time  Matter cannot be created or destroyed, but may only undergo physical or chemical changes  Energy can’t be created or destroyed but only changes form (potential to kinetic, etc.)

20. How does your story change? Observation? Inference? Observations and Inferences

21. How does your story change? Observation? Inference? Observations and Inferences

22. What do you observe? What do you infer? Compare what you think now to your earlier written accounts. Observations and Inferences

23. What do you observe? What do you infer? Compare what you think now to your earlier written accounts. Observations and Inferences

24. Write one observation. Write one inference.

25. Write one observation. Write one inference.

26. Write one observation. Write one inference.

27. Write one observation. Write one inference.

28. Write one observation. Write one inference.

29. Quantitative / Qualitative Observation  Quantitative observations are ones that are based on a QUANTITY.  These would be measurements.  Weight  Height  Length  Qualitative Observations.  These are based on characteristics.  Color  Size  Texture

30. Scientific Method  Scientists do two main types of studies. Experimental Observational Control, Test Study, Observe, analyze

31. Experimental Study  To answer a question or solve a problem through a test. Probably what you learned in middle school.  Problem  Background information  Hypothesis  Experiment  Analyze data  Conclusion

32. Observational Study  Can’t always test so scientist will OBSERVE and try to learn that way. Common in earth science.  Why can’t you always test?  Example: What kind of life is in a pond ecosystem?  Observation: Go out into the pond and make observations and collect specimens.  Analyze data: Study specimens.  Conclusion: Talk about what you learned.

33. Observations and Inferences  Scientific knowledge is developed from a combination of both observations and inferences.  Observations are made from information gathered with the five senses, often augmented with technology.  Inferences are logical interpretations derived from a combination of observation and prior knowledge.  Together, they form the basis of all scientific ideas.

34. Summary  What is the difference between an observation and an inference.  What is the difference between a quantitative observation and a qualitative observation.  How can people have different inferences about the same observations.  What is an observational study?

35. How many legs does the elephant have?

36. What do you see?

37. Who is in this picture?  Do you see former President Bill Clinton and Al Gore?  Actually, it’s Clinton’s face twice with 2 different hair cuts!

38. What do you see? Hint: There are 3 images. 1.An old lady 2.A young woman 3.A man with a big brown mustache

39. Take a very close look at the 2 vertical lines. Is one line is longer than the other? They are the SAME length!

40. Compare this picture to the next one…

41. What’s the difference?

42. What do you see?

43. Can you build these shelves?

44. Does the square have curved sides?

46. Read this sign

47. What do you see?

48. Can you stack these blocks?

49. What animal do you perceive? A Duck, Bunny, or BOTH?

50. This image contains a picture and a word. Do you see both of them?

52. Where are those dots coming from?! Your brain!

53. Look at the chart and say the color, NOT the word Your right brain tried to say the color, but your left brain was reading the word.

54. Read across..

55. What images do you see?

56. Can you pick the tallest soldier? They are all the same height!

57. What do you see? The Landscape of Faces

58. Do you see the face on Earth? How about now?

59. These circles are not moving, your brain is making them appear to move. Try focusing on one circle. It will stop moving.

60. Are these dots moving?

61. Does this image appear to be moving?  It’s NOT!  Just kidding, this one is actually moving