Scientific research and inquiry is based on the power of observation. Our observations often lead to more questions. Our attempt to answer our questions based on our observations, past experience, knowledge and reasoning is an educated guess, or hypothesis.
To test to see if our hypothesis is true, we need to create an experiment or make more observations to gather more information. Once that is complete, we analyze our data from our observations to get our conclusion. Did our hypothesis hold true or do we now have another hypothesis?
This is the scientific method. Notice, it is based on observations. Without correct observations, the entire scientific method is compromised.
Teaching our students to observe is so important. Those powers of observation will come in handy throughout their lives – not just in science class. But how do we teach observation skills?
Observation Activities
Memory Game – I remember playing this party game growing up. Place 15 or 20 small household items on a cookie sheet. Allow your kids to observe them for 30 seconds, then take the cookie sheet away. Have them list as many items on the cookie sheet as they can recall.
What is different? – Choose a room of the house where you and the kids spend a lot of time. Do an activity in the room unrelated to the observation lesson. Then, have them leave the room. Quickly, move pillows or a chair, bring something new into the room….make a change to the room. It can be large or subtle. Invite the kids back into the room and ask them what is different. Can they tell? Do the activity again, but this time give them a moment to observe the room before they leave and you do your rearranging. Was there a change in the kids’ observation skills?
Journaling
Journaling is a great way for students to record their observations and build their observation skills. Whether they are recording a science experiment or a walk in the woods. Older students can write down their observations and younger students can draw theirs. It can be fun to keep a notebook dedicated to observations. Let the students decorate it and make it their own.
Observation Worksheets
Sometimes, students need a little guidance when it comes to making good observations. Worksheets, such as this printable Nature Observation Notebook, can help. These particular worksheets ask questions about various aspects of nature to spark good observations. Such worksheets can be found or created for any observational study.
Creating Observation Opportunities
Try to work some of these fun observation projects into your schedule this week. You might want to go somewhere new so the kids have lots to observe, or you can challenge them to find something new or look at something in a new way in their everyday environment.
It really is important to develop powers of observation, I agree so much. I need to work on this with my kids, but it’s hard to do when they’re just as ADD as I am………
Observation skills are so important to build, especially in the early years. Great post!
Thanks. I’m really hoping to build more observation opportunities into our homeschooling this year.
Observation is as good as powerful memory and most people who have good obervation power have good memory power and they are deemed to be intelligence. It is very good for everyone to develop his power of observation and it is a good thing to train the youth.
this has nothing to do with the post. I just saw a hilarious video on youtube and a thought occurred to me: I would gladly donate $1 to the uploader for the entitraenment I received from watching the video. Given that the kid had 1.2 million views, even if only 0.1% of his viewers wanted to give $1, he'd still have a good payoff. Have you guys thought of implementing a voluntary donation webapp? Make it link to paypal accounts or something. Also, you could collect 10% from every donation. It presents you with a new source of cash flow while likely incentivizing uploaders to upload better quality clips.
Didn’t feel the earthquakes down here, but ironically I thought we were having one on Wed nite. So not my favorite thing and something I will never get used to as a native Californian. Let’s go with the belief that small quakes allow pressure to escape preventing larger ones!
Morning Vicky, Ooh, what a gorgeous card, she makes doing the laundry look like fun! I love how you have coloured her and matched her so perfectly to the papers…one of her pieces of washing co-ordinated perfectly with the spotty paper 🙂 Love how you used the border die and as always, your layout and design are fab…Have a great day hun and so look forward to tonight's TV…yep, I wonder how Rylan will get on this week?! Big Hugs, Teresa xxx