Investigations
Alex was in a hurry to get to work. He was driving over the speed limit, when suddenly, he heard a siren and saw flashing lights, "No! Please not now!" he thought.
Q1: What do you think is happening?
Q2: How do you know?
Q1: A police officer is pulling Alex over and he will get a speeding ticket.
Q2: Police cars have sirens and flashing lights. Police officers drive police cars and stop people who are breaking the law.
I have a face, but no eyes. I have hands, but no arms.
What am I?
A clock.
If I have a new classmate who came to the school halfway through the year, then I could infer that s/he feels...
The new classmate was nervous on their first day.
Justin hit the ball out of the diamond and began to run around the bases. The opposing team scrambled to return the ball to the catcher. As he approached the second base, Justin stopped. “Safe!”, said the umpire.
Q1: What has just happened?
Q2: How do you know?
Q1: Justin is playing baseball. He hit the ball and safely made it to the second base.
Q2: He ran to the second base and the referee said he was safe.
The door opened automatically when I approached it. I took a cart and headed to the dairy section. I picked up a bottle of milk and placed it in the cart.
Where am I?
Supermarket.
There is a big storm today, and it's going to last until tomorrow. Jimmy is supposed to pick up his friend Lily from the airport. Jimmy's phone was ringing and he saw Lily's name on the phone's screen. He picked up the phone and after Lily had said something he said, "Okay. Just let me know when you're going to be arriving. Take care and be safe."
Q1: What do you think Lily said to Jimmy?
Q2: How do you know?
Q1: Lily told Jimmy that her flight was delayed due to the storm and that the plane won't be able to fly until after the storm passes.
Q2: Planes don't fly when there are bad storms. The text says that there is a big storm. Jimmy asks her to tell him when the plane is rescheduled for.
I can be hot, I can be cold, I can run and I can be still or sparkling, I can be hard and I can be soft.
What am I?
Water.
If I studied very hard for my math test and I received a good grade, then I can infer that...
I received a good grade because I studied hard for it.
The room was dark and quiet. We heard Carl and his mother talking as they came in through the front door. I heard two girls in the corner giggle nervously. Another girl whispered at them to be quiet. I hid behind the table where the cake and presents were set out. The tension in the room grew as we waited for them to open the living room door.
Q1: What is going on?
Q2: How do you know?
Q1: A surprise birthday party for Carl.
Q2: There is a cake. They are in a dark room. Everyone is hiding and trying to be quiet.
The sun was shining and I was dripping wet, eager to get my towel and dry off. I walked quickly around the edge as the sign nearby read “No running”. As I picked up my towel, a person wearing red and white blew their whistle and yelled “No diving at this end!”.
Where am I?
The swimming pool.
Tia is starting to feel tired, but she told herself she could do it. She only needs to overtake one more person to win. "I can do this!", she said as she pedaled even faster.
Q1: What is Tia doing?
Q2: Why do you think so?
Q1: Tia is competing in a bicycle/cycling race.
Q2: Bicycles have pedals that, when pedalled harder/faster the bicycle moves faster. Tia said that she needed to overtake someone to win. In a race, people are trying to be the first person to finish.
I can fly but I have no wings. I can cry but I have no eyes. Wherever I go, darkness follows me.
What am I?
A cloud.
If 4th grade students are supposed to bring their laptops home with them each day from school, and I go to use my laptop after dinner and can’t find it, then I could infer that…
I have left my laptop at school.
Cassie rolled over in her bed as she felt the sunlight hit her face. The beams were warming her nose when she slowly realized that it was a Tuesday. Struggling to open her eyes, she looked up at the clock. “9:48am!”, she shouted. “Holy cow!” Cassie jumped out of bed and threw on her uniform, brushed her teeth in two swipes, threw her books into her bag and ran out the door.
Q1: What is going on?
Q2: How do you know?
Q1: Cassie is late for school.
Q2: It's a Thursday. It's after 9am. She quickly put on her uniform, got ready and ran out the door.
The man next to me asked for a pound of smoked ham. I was standing there with my numbered ticket waiting for my turn. “Number 11!”, said the lady behind the counter.
Where am I?
The deli/butcher
Beep! Beep! It was raining hard and some of the drivers were losing their patience. "I wonder why there is so much traffic...", Valerie thought. As she drove, she saw an ambulance and police cars.
Q1: What is causing the traffic?
Q2: How do you know?
Q1: There was a car accident ahead of Valerie.
Q2: When car accidents occur, and people need to be helped by emergency services, this often causes traffic near the accident to slow down. Valerie sees the ambulance and police cars and the traffic near the accident has become congested and slow.
I am all around you, but you cannot see me. I have no throat, but you can hear me. Valued during summer, but despised in the winter.
What am I?
Wind.
If my friend came to school very tired this morning, then I could infer that...
They did not get enough sleep last night/they went to bed very late last night.
Ellen pressed the button and after a few seconds the door opened. She stepped inside and pressed another button that had the number '10' on it. The door closed. Then, she felt the floor moving up.
Where was Ellen?
She was in an elevator/lift.
I was sitting in the dark with popcorn ready to fuel me for the next two hours of my life. The curtains in front of me opened and as the screen lit up and the speakers began to make sound, the crowd of people sitting around me hushed and everyone began paying attention.
Where am I?
The movies.
It is raining outside and a woman has walked into the shopping center soaking wet. It can be inferred that...
The woman has forgotten to bring an umbrella.
I have keys but no doors, I have space but no rooms, I allow you to enter but you are never able to leave.
What am I?
A keyboard.
If I see my teacher drinking tea each day at school, then I can infer that...
My teacher likes tea.
Anna and her dad were finishing up a project in the shed together. "Can we paint the roof red?", asked Anna. "Sure", said Anna's dad. "Then, when the paint dries, can we find a place to hang it in the backyard that the birds will like?"
Q1: What do you think Anna and her dad were making?
Q1: Why do you think this?
Q1: Anna and her dad were making a bird house.
Q2: They wanted to hang their project in the backyard in a place that the birds will like. Birds like to visit bird houses. Bird houses have roofs. They wanted to paint the roof red.
I slid in front of the opposing player and stole the ball from them. I dribbled the ball down the field with my foot and weaved past two more players. All that was left was one more opposing player between me and scoring.
What am I playing?
I'm playing soccer.