Full Throttle Model: Using Scientific Models to Quickly Assess Water Quality
Read about efforts to model changes to land use within watersheds to help identify and prioritize watersheds with low water quality which need restoration.
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The question you will answer in this FACTivity is, “How might fish and other aquatic life be affected by turbidity?” You will answer this question by building a model to...FACTivity – Full Throttle Model
The question you will answer in this FACTivity is, “How might fish and other aquatic life be affected by turbidity?” You will answer this question by building a model to...
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Nonpoint source pollution is pollution coming from widely developed areas, such as farms or cities. However, nonpoint source pollution can also be an issue in natural areas, such as forests....Spotlight – Time Warp: Full Throttle Model
Nonpoint source pollution is pollution coming from widely developed areas, such as farms or cities. However, nonpoint source pollution can also be an issue in natural areas, such as forests.... -
In 1908, the Forest Service established a system of experimental forests and ranges (EFRs) to be set aside for environmental research. More than 100 years later, 80 of these areas...Spotlight – Fernow Experimental Forest
In 1908, the Forest Service established a system of experimental forests and ranges (EFRs) to be set aside for environmental research. More than 100 years later, 80 of these areas...
Glossary
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Titus Seilheimer
My favorite science experience was working on all five Great Lakes. I got my feet wet in all of them in graduate school when I studied fish habitat in coastal...View Profile -
Charles “Hobie” Perry
My favorite science experience is interacting with international scholars. We have hosted scholars at our laboratory in Minnesota, and I have visited scientists on every continent across the globe, except...View Profile
Standards addressed in this Article:
Next Generation Science Standards
- MS-ESS2-4Develop a model to describe the cycling of water through Earths systems driven by energy from the sun and the force of gravity.
- MS-ESS3-2Analyze and interpret data on natural hazards to forecast future catastrophic events and inform the development of technologies to mitigate their effects.
- MS-ESS3-3Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.
- MS-ESS3-4Construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in human population and per-capita consumption of natural resources impact Earths systems.
- MS-LS2-1Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem.
- MS-LS2-2Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across multiple ecosystems.
- MS-LS2-4Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.
- MS-LS2-5Evaluate competing design solutions for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services.
Social Studies Standards
- Culture
- Global Connections
- Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
- People, Places, and Environments
- Power, Authority, and Governance
- 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.
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.
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Meet the Scientists
Introduces students to the scientists who did the research. This section may be used in a discussion about careers in science.
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What Kinds of Scientist Did This Research?
Introduces students to the scientific disciplines of the scientists who conducted the research.
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Thinking About Science
Introduces something new about the scientific process, such as a scientific habit of mind or procedures used in scientific studies.
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Thinking About the Environment
Introduces the environmental topic being addressed in the research.
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Introduction
Introduces the problem or question that the research addresses.
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Method
Describes the method the scientists used to collect and analyze their data.
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Findings & Discussion
Describes the results of the analysis. Addresses the findings and places them into the context of the original problem or question.
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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.
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Number Crunches
Presents an easy math problem related to the research.
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Glossary
Defines potentially new scientific or other terms to students. The first occurrence of a glossary word is bold in the text.
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Citation
Gives the original article citation with an internet link to the original article.
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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
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Contact
Jessica Nickelsen
Director, Natural Inquirer program -
Email
Lessons
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This lesson plan encourages students to think about a particular research topic across time, including past, present, and future. Students will compare and contrast the historical research with a more...Lesson Plan – Time Warp Monograph Series
This lesson plan encourages students to think about a particular research topic across time, including past, present, and future. Students will compare and contrast the historical research with a more... -
In this lesson plan, students will read a Natural Inquirer or Investi-gator article and create “thin” and “thick” questions while filling out a graphic organizer. This lesson plan can be...Lesson Plan – Thin and Thick
In this lesson plan, students will read a Natural Inquirer or Investi-gator article and create “thin” and “thick” questions while filling out a graphic organizer. This lesson plan can be...
Education Files
Project Learning Tree
If you are a trained Project Learning Tree educator, you may use “Pollution Search,” “400-Acre Wood,” “We Can Work It Out,” and “Watch On Wetlands” as additional resources.