K20 LEARN
The Cold, Hard Truth
Things are really getting heated in the lab! Science scholars scope out the facts about heat energy transfer using a simple lab from the K20 Center. Groups collaborate to observe temperature changes between hot metal and water, then use...
Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation
How Do Pictures Tell the Story of Angel Island?
Young historians learn more about the history of Angel Island Immigration Station through their analysis of primary source images. Guided by a list of inferential questions, scholars learn how to make and record observations on a...
Towson University
Looking Into Lactase: Structured Inquiry
Why is lactase important? Biology scholars explore enzyme function in a structured inquiry lab. The activity tasks lab groups with observing how temperature and pH affect enzyme activity, as well as determining which milk products...
Teaching for Change
Selma in Pictures: Socratic Seminar
Photographs from the freedom movement in Selma, Alabama serve as the basis of two Socratic Seminars. Class members prepare for the seminars by closely observing the images, form a hypothesis, and use evidence from photo to support a...
Curated OER
Frost Depth Study
Students complete activities to study the frost and frost depth. For this frost study lesson, students use frost tubes to study and measure the frost at their school. Students measure the frost in the tube and enter their data online to...
NOAA
What Little Herc Saw
See the underwater world through a different pair of eyes! Middle school marine biologists identify deep-sea organisms by examining images taken by an ROV from the Okeanos Explorer. After determining what creatures lie beneath the...
Curated OER
The Museum as a Time Capsule: Mongolian Example
High schoolers make defensible inferences based on observation of perceived evidence. They use observation and inference to recognize the validity of alternative approaches or solutions.
Curated OER
Scientific Thinking
Students participate in four different activities which reinforce an understanding of they way scientists think about the world. They make careful observations of two different pennies, write the procedure for making a peanut butter and...
Curated OER
Asha's Village
Students compare and contrast their own culture with an Indian girl named Asha. In this culture lesson plan, students read, look at pictures, and make inferences.
Curated OER
Testing Foods
Learners perform an experiment using brown paper bags to determine which foods have oil in them. This task assesses student's abilities to make simple observations and inferences from them.
Curated OER
Colors, Characters, & Clues
Students investigate inferences. They define inference, view a Powerpoint presentation, answer questions about a picture book, and identify clues throughout the story as examples of inferences.
Curated OER
Colors, Characters, & Clues: White Socks
Young scholars examine the process of making inferences. They define inference, view a Powerpoint presentation, and as a whole group locate clues in the pictures of a short story, locating written clues to reinforce their conclusions.
Curated OER
Colored Drops
Students examine the properties of a liquid that contains water and food coloring and a liquid that contains water, food coloring and a liquid detergent. They interpret their data, describe properties, and make reasonable explanations...
Curated OER
Crickets Guided Discovery
Sixth graders investigate insect anatomy by analyzing a live cricket. For this insect science lesson, 6th graders discuss their knowledge of insects and describe their characteristics from memory. Students observe live crickets in...
Curated OER
Clouds and the Weather
Fourth graders analyze the relationship of clouds and local weather. Students also observe and record cloud data and weather conditions daily as they research different cloud types. The data is analyzed looking for trends in daily...
Curated OER
The Amazing Apple
Students analyze an apple. In this lesson about developing inquiry skills, students do an experiment with an apple. Students make several observations about the apple. Students answer questions to help them improve and practice their...
Curated OER
The Milk Bottle Quiz
For this scientific statements worksheet, learners identify statements as an observation, inference, question, prediction, or factual. This worksheet has 7 matching questions.
Curated OER
Red, Green, and Blue Mystery Liquids! Hypothesis or Inference?
Eighth graders are actively involved in the scientific method and inquiry as they form quick hypotheses based upon a teacher set of mystery liquids. They determine the need to make additional observations of the liquids.
Curated OER
Weather Observation Journal
Students research weather patterns. In this weather instructional activity, students read Chester Noongwook's Rules of Weather Observation and keep a weather journal for one month. Students observe the weather patterns throughout the month.
Curated OER
Traditional Weather Observations
Students explore traditional methods of weather observation. In this weather lesson plan, students interview grown-ups regarding wind. Students learn how winds can help forecast weather.
Curated OER
Decidedly Different
Fifth graders inquire as to why scientists use observable characteristics, how they sort the characteristics, and why they do so. They write journal entries to be used throughout this unit.
Curated OER
QuickPlan: Mystery Boxes
Primaries explore the concepts of observation and inference. Given a set of six sealed boxes, children lift, tip, or gently shake in order to make observations about what is inside. The lesson plan gives preparation instructions in...
Curated OER
Veggie Chop and Data Analysis
First graders chop vegetables into fractions. In this fractions lesson, 1st graders cut vegetables, collect data about favorite vegetables and create a bar graph using the information. Students make inferences about the data and record...
California Academy of Science
Human Evolution
As the great and hilarious Tim Minchin once said, "Science is simply the word we use to describe a method of organizing our curiosity." Science is more than just a guess; it is based on questions, observations, and evidence. High...