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  • Hidden in Plain Sight – Vol. 1 No. 27
The cover of Hidden in Plain Sight. There is a city scape in the back featuring a body of water. Foreground shows moss growing on a tree.
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Hidden in Plain Sight – Vol. 1 No. 27

  • Monograph
  • High School
  • Middle School
  • Citizen Science
  • Air Pollution
  • Civic Science
  • Community Involvement
  • Environmental Careers
  • Environmental Protection Agency
  • GLOBE Observer
  • iTree
  • Pilot Program
  • Sample Collection
  • Sampling
  • Superfund Site
  • Urban
  • Urban Communities
  • Urban Forests
The cover of Hidden in Plain Sight. There is a city scape in the back featuring a body of water. Foreground shows moss growing on a tree.
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In the second monograph in the Moon Trees Series, learn about a civic science project where middle and high school students collected moss samples around industrial neighborhoods in Seattle, Washington. Researchers wanted to know whether the students' samples were accurate and precise enough to use in research studies, and they also wanted to know how participating in the project impacted the students themselves.

In addition, learn about Moon Trees from both the Apollo 14 and Artemis I missions, as well as some civic science tools: iTree and the GLOBE Observer app.

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Highlights

  • 1 Article
  • 5 Scientists
  • Second in the Moon Tree Series
  • 2 Activities
  • Glossary
  • Civic Science Tools: iTree and GLOBE Observer App
  • In this study, researchers worked with middle and high school students to collect moss samples around industrial neighborhoods in Seattle, Washington. They used the moss samples to both pinpoint pollution...

    Hidden in Plain Sight – Using Moss to Detect Air Pollution and Engage Civic Scientists

    • Article
    • High School
    • Middle School
    • 1 Classroom Period
    • 2-3 Classroom Periods
    • Pollution
    • Air Pollution
    • Civic Science
    • Community Involvement
    • Environmental Careers
    • Environmental Protection Agency
    • Moss
    • Pacific Northwest
    • Pilot Program
    • Sample Collection
    • Sampling
    • Seattle
    • Superfund Site
    • Urban Communities
    In this study, researchers worked with middle and high school students to collect moss samples around industrial neighborhoods in Seattle, Washington. They used the moss samples to both pinpoint pollution...
    Explore Article Download Article (PDF) Read Distraction Free
    Explore Article Download Article (PDF) Read Distraction Free

    Part Of

    Hidden in Plain Sight - Vol. 1 No. 27

  • In this FACTivity, you will make a graph of the Air Quality Index numbers for each of five major cities in the United States for November 2023. Materials: Blank graph...

    FACTivity – Hidden in Plain Sight

    • Activity
    • High School
    • Middle School
    • 1 Classroom Period
    • Pollution
    • Air Pollution
    • Air Quality
    • Creating Graphs
    • Environmental Protection Agency
    • Flag Program
    • Graphing data
    In this FACTivity, you will make a graph of the Air Quality Index numbers for each of five major cities in the United States for November 2023. Materials: Blank graph...
    Explore Activity Download FACTivity (PDF)
    Explore Activity Download FACTivity (PDF)

    Part Of

    Hidden in Plain Sight - Using Moss to Detect Air Pollution and Engage Civic Scientists

  • Test your understanding after reading “Hidden in Plain Sight.” Each of the following images represents something from the article. Explain what each image represents. You may write your explanation or...

    eyeChallenge – Hidden in Plain Sight

    • Activity
    • High School
    • Middle School
    • Less than 30 minutes
    • Citizen Science
    • Pollution
    • Social Science
    • Civic Science
    • Photo Activity
    • Sample Collection
    • Superfund Site
    Test your understanding after reading “Hidden in Plain Sight.” Each of the following images represents something from the article. Explain what each image represents. You may write your explanation or...
    Explore Activity Download Activity (PDF)
    Explore Activity Download Activity (PDF)

    Part Of

    Hidden in Plain Sight - Vol. 1 No. 27

  • Learn more about the past, present, and future of Moon Trees around the country!

    Spotlight – Moon Trees!

    • Spotlight
    • Middle School
    • Less than 30 minutes
    • Citizen Science
    • Artemis
    • Civic Science
    • Moon Tree
    Learn more about the past, present, and future of Moon Trees around the country!
    Explore Spotlight Download Spotlight (PDF)
    Explore Spotlight Download Spotlight (PDF)

    Part Of

    Hidden in Plain Sight - Using Moss to Detect Air Pollution and Engage Civic Scientists

  • There are many ways to be involved in data collection as a civic scientist. The Forest Service has an online suite of free tools, called iTree, for assessing the value...

    Spotlight – iTree

    • Spotlight
    • High School
    • Middle School
    • Less than 30 minutes
    • Citizen Science
    • Pollution
    • Social Science
    • Civic Science
    • Ecosystem Services
    • GLOBE Observer
    • Observation
    • Tree Benefits
    There are many ways to be involved in data collection as a civic scientist. The Forest Service has an online suite of free tools, called iTree, for assessing the value...
    Explore Spotlight Download Spotlight (PDF)
    Explore Spotlight Download Spotlight (PDF)

    Part Of

    Hidden in Plain Sight - Vol. 1 No. 27

Glossary

View All Glossary
  • atomic weight

    (ǝ tä mik wāt): The mass of one atom of an element.

  • biomass

    (bī ō mas): The amount of living matter (in a unit area or volume of habitat).

  • forceps

    (fȯr sǝps): An instrument for grasping, holding firmly, or exerting traction upon objects, especially for delicate operations.

  • pilot program

    (pī lǝt prō gram): A trial program designed to test a new program design, often the first version of a program.

  • replicate

    (re plǝ kǝt): (noun) One of several identical experiments, procedures, or samples.

  • under-resourced

    (ǝn dǝr rē sȯrsd): Not provided with enough money, staff, materials, services, etc. as are needed.

Classroom Review Board

Cheryl Roberts-Prior’s 7th & 8th Grade Science Classes

  • James F. Doughty Middle School
  • Bangor, ME
Cheryl Roberts-Prior’s 7th & 8th Grade Science Class holding up Natural Inquirer editions in their classroom

Editorial Review Board Comments

  • “The most important thing I learned was the EPA protects certain sites.”

  • “They could make some words more understandable.”

  • “The community and scientists can get the kids involved, too.”

  • “I think they have great ideas for the problem, like collecting data from trees.”

  • “The most important thing I learned is that you have to take multiple samples of the same thing to see if they’re correct.”

  • “I learned that with proper training and guidance and the right environment, non-experts can be successful at sample collection and preparation.”

  • “I like the ‘Did You Know’ parts and all the maps and drawings.”

  • “I thought this was a very nice thing to learn about. I had no idea moss could absorb bad pollutants from
    air.”

  • “The charts, drawings, and maps are easy for me to understand.”

View All Classrooms
  • Portrait of Dale Blahna

    Dale Blahna

    Social Scientist

    My favorite science experiences are working and sharing social science study results with managers who understand biology and natural sciences well but are not trained at all in the social...
    View Profile
  • Weston Brinkley taking measurements on a tree in a forest

    Weston Brinkley

    Social Scientist

    My favorite science experience was working with a huge diversity of partners to conduct genuinely community-led research. I enjoyed designing and carrying out a project that met the needs of...
    View Profile
  • Monika Derrien stands outside next to a tall stake supporting a seedling she has planted.

    Monika Derrien

    Social Scientist

    My favorite science experience is figuring out creative ways of collecting data that can help us understand interactions between people and nature. I enjoy working with people who have different...
    View Profile
  • Dr. Jovan stands beside a tree on a city street taking a moss sample.

    Sarah Jovan

    Ecologist

    My favorite science experience was conducting field work in Interior Alaska where moss and lichens rule the land. The sheer size and diversity of these organisms in that landscape was...
    View Profile
  • Portrait of Chris Zuidema in front of a body of water

    Chris Zuidema

    Public Health Scientist

    My favorite science experience was while I was a student during a study abroad program. (A study abroad program is a program where students go to another country to attend...
    View Profile

Jump To

  • Education Standards
  • Educator Guide
  • Project Learning Tree

Standards addressed in this Monograph:

Social Studies Standards

Social Studies Standards are educational guidelines outlining the essential knowledge, skills, and concepts students should learn in subjects such as history, geography, civics, and economics, aiming to provide a comprehensive understanding of societal structures, historical events, and global perspectives.
  • People, Places, and Environments
  • Science, Technology, and Society
  • Time, Continuity, and Change

Note To Educators

The Forest Service's Mission

The Forest Service’s mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. For more than 100 years, our motto has been “caring for the land and serving people.” The Forest Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), recognizes its responsibility to be engaged in efforts to connect youth to nature and to promote the development of science-based conservation education programs and materials nationwide.

USDA and Forest Service Logos

What Is the Natural Inquirer?

Natural Inquirer is a science education resource journal to be used by students in grade 6 and up. Natural Inquirer contains articles describing environmental and natural resource research conducted by Forest Service scientists and their cooperators. These scientific journal articles have been reformatted to meet the needs of middle school students. The articles are easy to understand, are aesthetically pleasing to the eye, contain glossaries, and include hands-on activities. The goal of Natural Inquirer is to stimulate critical reading and thinking about scientific inquiry and investigation while teaching about ecology, the natural environment, and natural resources.

Natural Inquirer bee sitting at a desk with paper and pencil

  • Meet the Scientists

    Introduces students to the scientists who did the research. This section may be used in a discussion about careers in science.

  • What Kinds of Scientist Did This Research?

    Introduces students to the scientific disciplines of the scientists who conducted the research.

  • Thinking About Science

    Introduces something new about the scientific process, such as a scientific habit of mind or procedures used in scientific studies.

  • Thinking About the Environment

    Introduces the environmental topic being addressed in the research.

  • Introduction

    Introduces the problem or question that the research addresses.

  • Method

    Describes the method the scientists used to collect and analyze their data.

  • Findings & Discussion

    Describes the results of the analysis. Addresses the findings and places them into the context of the original problem or question.

  • Reflection Section

    Presents questions aimed at stimulating critical thinking about what has been read or predicting what might be presented in the next section. These questions are placed at the end of each of the main article sections.

  • Number Crunches

    Presents an easy math problem related to the research.

  • Glossary

    Defines potentially new scientific or other terms to students. The first occurrence of a glossary word is bold in the text.

  • Citation

    Gives the original article citation with an internet link to the original article.

  • FACTivity

    Presents a hands-on activity that emphasizes something presented in the article.


Science Education Standards

You will find a listing of education standards which are addressed by each article at the back of each publication and on our website.


We Welcome Feedback

  • Contact

    Jessica Nickelsen
    Director, Natural Inquirer program

  • Email

    Contact us here.

Project Learning Tree

If you are a trained Project Learning Tree educator, you may use “Air We
Breathe,” “Pollution Search,” and “Improve Your Place” as additional resources.

Related Resources from The Natural Inquirer

  • In “Grow Where You’re Planted,” students will learn about how different planting elevations can affect Jeffrey and ponderosa pines’ survival, growth, and bud development timing. As part of the Moon...

    Grow Where You’re Planted – Vol. 1 No. 24

    • Monograph
    • Middle School
    • Wilderness
    • Apollo 14
    • Artemis I
    • Bud Development
    • Climate Change
    • Computer Model
    • Diameter at Breast Height (DBH)
    • Forest Restoration
    • Genotype
    • Jeffrey pine
    • Native Range
    • Ponderosa Pine
    • Seed Extractory
    • Seed Germination
    • Seeds
    • Smokejumper
    • Tree growth
    • Tree Survival Rates
    In “Grow Where You’re Planted,” students will learn about how different planting elevations can affect Jeffrey and ponderosa pines’ survival, growth, and bud development timing. As part of the Moon...
    Explore Monograph Download Monograph (PDF)
    Explore Monograph Download Monograph (PDF)
  • People across the world are helping scientists collect data to answer important research questions. Learn how citizens are getting involved in science, from counting birds and lionfish to reporting earthquakes.

    Citizen Science – Vol. 19 No. 1

    • Journal
    • Middle School
    • Citizen Science
    • Social Science
    • Wildlife
    • Bird Song
    • Earthquakes
    • Invasive Species
    • Lionfish
    • Mobile Devices
    • Monarch Butterfly
    • Phenology
    • Sparrow
    • Weather
    People across the world are helping scientists collect data to answer important research questions. Learn how citizens are getting involved in science, from counting birds and lionfish to reporting earthquakes.
    Explore Journal Download Journal (PDF)
    Explore Journal Download Journal (PDF)
  • What are urban forests? Urban forests are the trees and other plants that grow where people live, go to school, work, and play. Even if you live in a rural...

    Urban Forest – Vol. 6 No. 1

    • Journal
    • Middle School
    • Climate
    • Pollution
    • Recreation
    • Social Science
    • Carbon Cycle
    • Economics
    • Fossil Fuels
    • Freshwater
    • Photosynthesis
    • Recreation
    • Urban parks
    • Urban trees
    What are urban forests? Urban forests are the trees and other plants that grow where people live, go to school, work, and play. Even if you live in a rural...
    Explore Journal Download Journal (PDF)
    Explore Journal Download Journal (PDF)
  • In the Natural Inquirer Freshwater edition, you will learn many new things about Earth’s freshwater. As you read each article, think about your daily water use. You use clean freshwater...

    Freshwater – Vol. 18 No. 1

    • Journal
    • Middle School
    • Water
    • Adaptation
    • Biodiversity
    • Conservation
    • Ecosystem Changes
    • Groundwater
    • Lakes
    • Mollusks
    • Nutrients
    • Pollution
    • Sedimentation
    • Soil Erosion
    • Streamflow
    • Water Cycle
    • Water Quality
    • Water Temperature
    • Watersheds
    In the Natural Inquirer Freshwater edition, you will learn many new things about Earth’s freshwater. As you read each article, think about your daily water use. You use clean freshwater...
    Explore Journal Download Journal (PDF)
    Explore Journal Download Journal (PDF)

Additional Resources

  • USDA Forest Service: “Seattle Students Study Heavy Metals with the Forest Service”

    Learn more about how Forest Service scientist explored the effects of air pollution on environmental and human health – and how those effects impact different communities disproportionately through a community science project with the Duwamish River Community Coalition.
    Visit Website
  • USDA Forest Service: “Moss Study Helps Identify Pollution Hotspots”

    Read more about how a moss study helped to identify pollution hotspots.
    Visit Website
  • USDA Forest Service: Conservation Education

    Through Conservation Education, the Forest Service provides a variety of educational resources and programs for individuals of all ages to learn about the environment and our nation’s forests and grasslands. Through these hands-on, interactive learning opportunities, students, educators, and parents can explore how to become a responsible steward of our natural resources. There are also a variety of resources for teachers and parents to engage youth in environmental education and for exploring careers in conservation.
    Visit Website
  • FIND Outdoors

    Our story is rooted in education about the forest. Our passion is to help people become inspired. Our goal is to help people connect with nature. Our drive is to help people learn through discovery. Through forest-inspired nature discovery, we help people FIND Outdoors.
    Visit Website
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  • Natural Inquirer - Homepage
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  • USDA
  • USDA Forest Service logo.

The Natural Inquirer program produces a variety of science education materials for PreK through grade 12. Natural Inquirer products are produced by the USDA Forest Service, FIND Outdoors, and other cooperators and partners.

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