LOVE IT!

I've used a modified version in 7th grade and my students just loved it. They thought the Earthlets book was funny (even though there were some that were too cool, the whole bodily functions... See More

I've used a modified version in 7th grade and my students just loved it. They thought the Earthlets book was funny (even though there were some that were too cool, the whole bodily functions humor got the better of them!). I used it to review observations/interpretations and what the difference is. We then could go back to a very memorable lesson each time we needed to discuss the difference. Many had heard the Seven Blind Mice story but this brought a new twist to what we were trying to look at that carried throughout the year. If students weren't being thorough or hadn't looked at data from a different perspective, I would say things like, "Are you sure you aren't thinking it is a spear when it is an elephant?" or if they weren't working together and collaborating to combine evidence, I'd say, "Make sure you are being the White Mouse". We even posted the Mouse Moral on the wall for a while!

Good practice for upper elementary

The authors clearly explain the difference between observations and inference. Making observations and inferences are important science process skills and understanding how the two contribut... See More

The authors clearly explain the difference between observations and inference. Making observations and inferences are important science process skills and understanding how the two contribute to scientific knowledge is critical to understanding the nature of science. The authors provide a variety of assessment tools that help students demonstrate such an understanding in both their own day-to-day experiences and in their science investigations. Because it is important for students to see the role and importance of both observations and inferences in scientists' work, it is critical for teachers to discuss this explicitly with students. Literature connections are especially useful for elementary teachers.