What you can really see

What you can really see

Pencil and paperOnline interactive
Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
Working with Students
Further Resources
This task is about what you can see and what you might know but can't see.

Question Change answer

black-bird-PK-340.jpg
a)  Look at this picture.
Put the sentences that are about what you can see and what you can’t see from the picture into the boxes below.
This bird is singing.
This bird is black.
This bird has feathers.
This bird has a beak.
This bird can fly.
This bird eats worms.
I can see this in the picture
I can’t see this in the picture

Question Change answer

cow-PK-340.jpg
b)  Look at this picture.
Put the sentences that are about what you can see and what you can’t see from the picture into the boxes below.
This cow has an udder.
This cow eats grass.
This cow has a tail.
This cow makes milk.
This cow has 4 legs.
This cow is tired.
I can see this in the picture
I can’t see this in the picture

Question Change answer

bumblebee-PK-340.jpg
c)  Look at this picture.
Put the sentences that are about what you can see and what you can’t see from the picture into the boxes below.
This bumblebee is old.
This bumblebee has wings.
This bumblebee makes honey.
This bumblebee has legs.
This bumblebee has a furry body.
This bumblebee can fly.
I can see this in the picture
I can’t see this in the picture
Task administration: 
This task can be completed online or with pencil and paper. If students do the task on paper they could work in pairs to compare their ideas and decide on which idea/s provide/s the best evidence.
 
Downloadable pencil and paper assessment.
 
Copyright: 
All images copyright to PhotoKete are used with permission and can be freely used for educational purposes in New Zealand Aotearoa.
 
black-bird
 
cow
 
bumblebee
Levels:
1, 2
Curriculum info: 
Science, Investigating in science, Living World
Key Competencies: 
Thinking
Keywords: 
observation, inference, evidence
Description of task: 
Task: Make careful observations of a picture to decide what you can see and what you might know but can't see.
Curriculum Links: 
Science capabilities
The capabilities focus is brought about by the conversations students have and the questions they ask.
 
Capability: Gather & interpret data
Science knowledge is based on data derived from direct, or indirect, observations of the natural physical world. An inference is a conclusion you draw from observations e.g., the meaning you make from observations. Understanding the difference is an important step towards being scientifically literate.
 
This resource provides opportunities for students to make observations in order to answer questions about what is evidence and what is inference.  
Science capability: Gather and interpret data (TKI)
 
 
Science capabilities: 
Gather and interpret data
Answers/responses: 
  Correct responses
a)  
 What-you-can-really-see-bird-correct-responses.PNG
b)  
What-you-can-really-see-cow-correct-responses.PNG
c)  
What-you-can-really-see-bee-correct-responses.PNG
Based on a sample of 57 Year 1 and 2 students completing the assessment online.
Teaching and learning: 
The key ideas in this resource are about:
  • making observations e.g., what can be seen (evidence)
  • making inferences e.g., a conclusion you draw from observation.
 
Diagnostic and formative information: 
 
Questions  Student observations
Bird
a) Put the sentences about what you can see and what you can't see from the picture into the boxes.
  • Nearly all the students were able to correctly identify the three things that can be seen in the picture e.g., evidence.
  • Nearly all the students were also able to identify 'this bird is singing' as something that can't be seen in the picture e.g., an inference.
  • However, half of the students were not able to correctly identify 'this bird eats worms' and 'this bird can fly' the other two inferences in the picture. 
Cow
b) Put the sentences about what you can see and what you can't see from the picture into the boxes. 
  • Over 80% of students correctly identified the three things that can be seen in the picture e.g., evidence. The most common incorrect response was not identifying 'this cow has an udder' as something that can be seen. These students could be asked why they responded this way e.g., did they understand what an udder is?
  • Nearly all the students were also able to correctly identify 'this cow is tired' as something that can't be seen in the picture e.g., an inference.
  • However, over half of the students were not able to correctly identify 'this cow makes milk' and 'this cow eats grass' the other two inferences in the picture. 
Bumblebee
c) Put the sentences about what you can see and what you can't see from the picture into the boxes. 
  • Nearly all the students correctly identified the three things that can be seen in the picture.
  • Nearly all the students were also able to correctly identify 'this bumblebee is old' as something that can't be seen in the picture e.g., an inference.
  • However, half of the students were not able to correctly identify 'this bumblebee can fly' and 'this bumblebee makes honey the other two inferences in the picture.  
Based on a sample of 57 Year 1 and 2 students completing the assessment online.
 

 
Next steps: 
This assessment is about the capability of gathering and interpreting data. Science knowledge is based on data derived from direct, or indirect, observations of the natural physical world. In this resource students are asked to differentiate between observation and inference.  An inference is a conclusion you draw from observations e.g., the meaning you make from observations. Understanding the difference is an important step towards being scientifically literate.

This assessment asks students about the difference between what is seen e.g., observation/evidence and what is not seen e.g., inference. To help students differentiate between observation and inference, students could be asked:

  • Is it something we can see, hear, smell, touch, or taste? Is it measurable? (observation)
  • What did you see? (observation); What might that mean? (inference).
Students in the trial were able to more easily identify what could be seen but found it much harder to identify inferences. Exceptions were:
  • this bird is singing
  • this cow is tired
  • this bumblebee is old
If students placed these inferences correctly ask them why they answered this way. They may find it easy to identify an inference which is clearly not observable e.g., the bird's beak was not open (assumption: so it was not singing) or the inference related to states e.g., old and tired.        
For students who found it difficult to correctly identify inferences ask them why they answered this way. They may be mistaking what they know as something that can be seen in this specific photograph. 
 
To support students to differentiate clearly between observation and inference you could give them opportunities to:
 
1. make observations, e.g.,  
  • List the features of animals they can see in a picture/photograph e.g., feathers, wings etc
  • List what they can really say is happening in a picture/photograph e.g., when the focus is on actions such as running, flying etc
This may seem pedantic (we all know that bees can fly). However, in more complex contexts, things we think we "just know" can lead us astray. This capability is about building the habit for making direct observations. 
 
2. explore inference, e.g.,
  • What do their observations in the picture/photograph mean?
  • What do they already know rather than what they see?
3. share with their peers so they build on others' ideas
  • Find pairs of pictures that show animals in action and at rest. Ask students what is the same and what is different in th pictures. 
  • Create their own resource or work as a pair to make a statement or statements about what can be seen and what can't be seen in a picture/photograph and ask a peer to trial their resource.
Other Science resources at Level 1: