This simple activity is a quick way to introduce students to the concept of becoming observant. Begin by explaining to students that they have three minutes to observe the classroom. Encourage students to look at all of the walls and objects around them. Then ask every child to put their heads down on their desks. Change around 15 things in the room. For example, swap out a pillow, turn a chair around, move objects to a different location or flip things over. Then ask students to raise their heads. Explain that they have 30 seconds to write down anything that they have observed is different. The person with the most correct changes listed can receive a small reward. Repeat the activity, giving students another chance to work on their skills.
There is an assortment of textbooks and games that ask students to hunt for differences in two pictures. Put a spin on this idea by creating pairs of pictures that students can observe. Use a computer program to change five things in various pictures of the students. For example, use red eye reduction to change the color of someone's eyes or Photoshop to shrink or eliminate an object. Students will enjoy looking at pictures that relate to them while observing the differences between the pairs of photos.
Help students become strong observers with the use of a journal. Each student should have his own journal to use for writing observations about the world around him. Try various activities, such as a scavenger hunt, an experiment in which they have to observe the results or a habitat study. At the end of the year, students will have something to reflect on when they take time to review their entire journal.
Give students another way to use observation skills with a weather-watching activity. Begin by placing an easy-to-read thermometer outdoors. Explain to students that they will record the temperature and daily conditions on a chart for the next two weeks of school. After the two weeks are up, ask students to create a line graph of the temperature to make viewing the fluctuations easier. Students enjoy working outside for this activity and it helps them build key observation skills.