Sorting the Facts: A Guide to Analyzing Statements
In science, history, and everyday decision-making, we constantly process incoming information. However, people often confuse what they can directly observe with what they assume happened. This activity challenges your group to sort a set of fifteen statement cards into three distinct categories: Observation, Interpretation, and Question.
Understanding the Categories
Before opening your team envelope, review the criteria for each category:
- Observation: A direct, factual statement based strictly on measurable or observable evidence gathered through the senses. An observation avoids opinion, assumption, or explanation. For example: "The silver bicycle has rust along the chain and flat tires." Anyone looking at the bicycle would agree on these visible physical traits.
- Interpretation: An inference, explanation, or conclusion drawn from evidence. Interpretations attempt to explain why or how something occurred, but they are not directly proven by the surface facts alone. For example: "The owner abandoned the bicycle because they moved away." While this explanation might seem plausible, the physical condition of the bicycle cannot prove the owner's motive without additional evidence.
- Question: An inquiry seeking missing information, clarification, or further proof. Questions often arise when an observation is confusing or when an interpretation lacks support. For example: "How long has this bicycle been sitting in the rain?"
Group Roles
- criteria:
- Standards or rules used to make a judgment or classification.
- inference:
- A conclusion reached by considering facts and logical reasoning rather than direct observation.
- plausible:
- Reasonable, believable, or likely to be true based on the circumstances.
- motive:
- The reason or cause behind a person's specific action or decision.
- inquiry:
- An act of asking for information, investigation, or clarification.
- consensus:
- A general agreement reached by all members of a group.
- debriefing:
- A guided discussion conducted after an activity to review and reflect on results.
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Reading-skill questions, word work and writing prompts — all built from this text.
Main Idea
Identify the central idea and explain how important details develop it.
Summarize
Select, organize, and restate the most important information without adding opinion.
Purpose
Analyze what the author aims to do and how choices serve audience and purpose.
Structure
Analyze how sections and organizational choices build the text's ideas or effects.
Vocabulary
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Writing Prompts
Use the passage as a springboard for short written responses, from personal reflection to evidence-based arguments.
Fix the Sentence
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1Why is it important to distinguish between an observation and an interpretation during this activity?
- 2How does the passage define an observation?
About this instructions passage for 7th Grade
“Sorting the Facts: A Guide to Analyzing Statements” is a instructions reading passage about Card Sorting Activity on Observations, Interpretations, and Questions, written for 7th Grade. It takes about 4 minutes to read (661 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.