Earth Science: Geology, the Environment, and the Universe

Chapter 21: Fossils and the Rock Record

Problem of the Week

Fact or Inference (Inference, What’s That?)

This simple problem addresses two important critical thinking skills—skills used by scientists, which are important in our everyday lives, too. Helping students to hone these skills will help them to analyze any situation.

Note: You can use the photograph in this activity, and divide students into groups to do the activity as described. Another option is to collect your own photos, split your class up into groups, and give each group a different photo. Then, each group can share with the class, and the class can critique the outcome of each group’s work.

Let’s Practice:

Students will usually list items such as cars, video games, houses, etc.

The age of most of these items will be judged using the external features or characteristics. Using the observations made about the object, a judgment or inference can be made about its age. This is how relative age is determined.

Try It:

In the picture, students can see three firefighters standing near a forest fire.

You may want to take a few minutes and have them collect the facts as seen in the picture, and then discuss these facts as a class. Eliminate any facts that can’t be directly observed.

Before moving on to the making inferences practice, reiterate that an inference is an assumption based on observations—it cannot be directly observed.

Then, give your students time to make inferences about what might have been occurring as that photo was taken. As a group, have the class discuss the inferences that are shared. Emphasize good examples, and discount any that cannot be made based on the observable facts.

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