skill of observation

Akshat Tewari ([email protected])

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Teaching the ‘skill of distinctive observation’ through an activity

A simple activity which could be done for three or more days, for just 15-20 minutes a day. The activity

could be used to introduce the skill of distinctive observation or for children to realize the value of

recording precise and distinctive observations.

Day 1

Activity: Every child gets an object for which she/he is supposed to record her/his observation. Later

reading their recorded observations, they have to find their object.

Resources Required: Green chilies (or any other similar looking object)

The teacher introduces the activity to the children, where every child will get a green chili and they will

record observations describing ‘their chili’. Assuming children are sitting in groups (or any other seating

structure as per the class), the teacher distributes green chilies to every group, where every member of

the group has their own chili. Children get 5 -7 minutes to observe the chili and record their

observations. The norm being they cannot put any mark or make any changes in the chili for it to be

identified easily in a sample. For them, the objective is to record such observations, that their data is

sufficient to identify their object from a group of similar looking objects.

After children are done recording their observations the teacher mixes all the green chilies (of one group

in one place) and gives children another 3 minutes to find their chili using their recorded observations.

As children claim to have found their chili, they are being asked to read out their observations to the

class and see if their observation actually stands out and describes their chili perfectly or distinctively

from all the remaining chilies in that group. If it doesn’t, then they need to record observations in a

more precise or distinctive manner the next day, such that their recorded observation makes their

object stand out from all the rest of the similar looking objects.

Classroom Reflections:

While this was executed in the class, in every group there were around 6-7 children, and there were 8

such groups. Every child was given their own green chili. All children recorded their observations, but

none of the observations were distinctive or precise. (Some of the observations were like: ‘My chili is

green and long’ or ‘My chili is bent from the top’ or ‘My chili is little red in color’ etc.). Only one child

measured the length of the chili and thus his claim was declared the strongest. Many children claimed to

have found their chili, not because their observations were precise, but because they were able to

recognize their chili by looking at it from a small sample of just 8 more chilies. If they were being asked to

find their single chili from say 50 or 100 more similar looking chilies, they would have failed in doing so.

Or if their observations were given to their friend, she/he would have failed to identify their chili even

from a small sample, as their observations lacked distinctiveness.


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Day 2


reading their recorded observations, they have to find their object.

Resources Required: Leaves (or any other similar looking object)

The teacher introduces the activity to the children, where every child will get a leaf today and they will

record observations about ‘their leaf’. The teacher reiterates the objective of the activity and the

learning from the previous day, where children need to record distinctive observations.

Assuming children are sitting in groups (or any other seating structure as per the class), the teacher

distributes leaves to every group, where every group member has their own leaf. Children get 5 -7

minutes to observe their leaf and record their observations. The norm being the same, that they cannot

put any mark or make any changes in the leaf for it to be easily identified. For them, the objective is to

record such observations, that their data is sufficient to identify their object from a group of similar

looking objects, keeping in mind the last day’s activity how some of the claims were denied as they

lacked distinctiveness.

After children are done recording their observations the teacher mixes all the leaves (of one group in

one place) and gives children another 3 minutes to find their leaf, from their recorded observation. As

children claim to have found their leaf, they are being asked to read out their observations to the class

and see if their observation actually stands out and describes their leaf perfectly or distinctively from all

the remaining leaves in that group. If it doesn’t, then they need to record observations in a more precise

or distinctive manner the next day, such that their recorded observation makes their object stand out

from all the rest of the similar looking objects.


While the activity was executed in class, every child was given their own leaf. All children recorded their

observations and this time the children were more careful. Most of the children measured the length of

their leaf or the length of petiole to make their observations more precise. Some children, who could not

write, drew their leaf with certain identifications of their leaf like a black dot or color in some particular

part of their leaf. This time, children claimed their observations to be precise, as the measurement made

it distinctive from rest of the samples.

But, observations still lacked precision and showcased duplicity, as everyone had measured their leaves,

to make the observation look more precise. So for the next day, it was decided, that children will record

observations, but someone else will find their object from the sample after reading their observations


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Student Samples from Day 2:


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Day 3


reading their recorded observations, someone else will have to find their object.

Resources Required: Banana (or any other similar looking object)

The teacher introduces the activity to the children, where every child will get a banana today and they

will record observations about ‘their banana’. The only difference the activity has this time, is that

someone else will find their banana from the observations they will record.

Assuming children are sitting in groups (or any other seating structure as per the class), the teacher

distributes bananas to every group, where every group member has their own banana. Children get 5 -7

minutes to observe and record their observations. The norm being the same, that they cannot put any

mark or make any changes in the object for it to be identified easily. For them, the objective is to record

such observations, that their data is sufficient to identify their object from a group of similar looking

objects, keeping in mind that someone else will find their banana, from their recorded observations.

After children are done recording their observations the teacher mixes all the bananas and observation

sheets (of one group in one place). Children of some other group pick any one observation sheet and get

3 minutes to find the banana, referring to the observations given in the sheet. As children claim to have

found the banana, they are being asked to read out the observations to the class and see if the

observation actually stands out and describes that banana perfectly or distinctively from all the

remaining bananas in that group. The original owner of the banana could validate the claim.

Through this activity, children realize that in order to record precise or distinctive observations, one not

only needs to focus on the elements one sees in an object, but also on the elements that make the

object stand out from the rest of its species.


While this was executed in the class, children recorded observations and tried making them very precise,

as someone else was supposed to find their object today after reading their observations. Children again

measured the length of their banana, wrote the number of black spots, or marks present. Children also

drew an outline of their banana for it to be matched after reading the observation. Only few children

were able to find the bananas as mostly children had made errors in measurement or again observations

were generic and not distinctive. Some observations were precise but this time they were also dependent

on the seeker and on the fact that how well the seeker reads, understands and validates a recorded

observation.


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Student Samples from Day 3:

skill of observation

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