Skip to main content
Natural Inquirer - Homepage

Free Science Materials for K-12 Students

  • Bookmarks
  • Cart0
  • Account
  • Find Outdoors
  • USDA
  • USDA Forest Service logo.
Natural Inquirer - Homepage
  • About
    • About Natural Inquirer
    • Team
    • Partners
    • Press & Past Events
    • Contact Us
  • Resources
    • View All Resources
    • Grade Levels
      • PreK - 2nd Grade
      • Upper Elementary
      • Middle School
      • High School
      • All Grade Levels
    • Resource Types
      • Articles
      • Activities
      • Collector Cards
      • Coloring Books
      • Glossary
      • Lesson Plans
      • Scientists & Collaborators
      • Spotlights
      • Virtual Learning Adventures
      • All Types
    • Resource Topics
      • Wilderness
      • Wildlife
      • Water
      • Climate
      • Social Science
      • Fire
      • Agriculture
      • Recreation
      • Carbon
      • Insects
      • All Topics
    • Special Collections
      • Artemis Moon Trees
      • Experimental Forests & Ranges
      • Project Learning Tree Connections
      • Globe Connections
      • Smokey Bear
      • Spanish Editions
      • Woodsy Owl
      • World's Forests
      • All Special Collections
  • Order Materials
    • View All Products
    • Journals & Monographs
    • Readers
    • Collector Card Packs
    • Coloring Books
  • Educators
    • For Educators
      • Note to Educators
      • Educator Blog
      • Educator Newsletter
    • Classroom Ready Resources
      • Lesson Plans
      • Activities
      • Learning Modules
      • GLOBE Connections
      • Project Learning Tree
    • Get Involved
      • Volunteer Your Classroom
  • Virtual Learning Adventures
  • Bookmarks
  • Cart
  • Account
  • About
    • About Natural Inquirer
    • Team
    • Partners
    • Press & Past Events
    • Contact
  • Resources
        • View All Resources
        • By Grade
          • PreK - 2nd
          • Upper Elementary
          • Middle School
          • High School
        • By Type
          • Articles
          • Activities
          • Collector Cards
          • Coloring Books
          • Glossary
          • Lesson Plans
          • Learning Modules
          • Journals
          • Monographs
          • Readers
          • Scientists & Collaborators
          • Spotlights
          • Virtual Learning Adventures
          • All Types
        • By Topic
          • Agriculture
          • Carbon
          • Climate
          • Fire
          • Insects
          • Recreation
          • Social Science
          • Water
          • Wilderness
          • Wildlife
          • All Topics
        • Special Collections
          • Artemis Moon Trees
          • Experimental Forests and Ranges
          • GLOBE Connections
          • Project Learning Tree Connections
          • Smokey Bear
          • Spanish Editions
          • Woodsy Owl
          • World's Forests
          • All Special Collections
  • Order Materials
        • Download all resources - FREE!

          **Due to recent government funding changes, we currently are only able to process bulk orders.** We hope that we will be able to resolve this issue in the near future. In the meantime, please feel free to download our resources and explore the website for many great lesson plans and activities. Thank you!

          View All Products
        • Journals & Monographs

          Journals focus on a group of related articles, while monographs focus on one research article.

          Journals & Monographs
        • Collector Cards

          Learn about possible career opportunities in science!

          View All Card Packs
        • Readers

          For a PreK-2nd grade audience, each Reader focuses on one Forest Service scientist and their research.

          View All Readers
        • Coloring Books

          Learn more about science through our coloring books!

          View All Coloring Books
  • Educators
        • Overview
          • Educator Guide
        • Classroom Ready Resources
          • Learning Modules
          • Lesson Plans
          • Explore All
        • Order Materials
          • View All Free Products
          • Contact Us
        • For Educators
          • Educator Blog
          • Educator Newsletter
          • Project Learning Tree
        • Get Involved
          • Volunteer Your Classroom
  • Virtual Learning Adventures

Breadcrumb

  • Home
  • Resources
  • Inquiry 1: What Kind of Forests Grow on Earth and How Do They Differ?
Bookmark
Please login to bookmark Close

Please login to bookmark


Lost your password?

No account yet? Register

Inquiry 1: What Kind of Forests Grow on Earth and How Do They Differ?

  • Article
  • Middle School
  • Less than 30 minutes
  • Wilderness
  • Elevation
  • Latitude
  • Modified Natural Forest
  • Primary Forest
  • Productive Forest Plantation
  • Protective Forest Plantation
  • Rainfall
  • Semi-natural Forest
Front page of Inquiry 1: What Kind of Forests Grow on Earth and How Do They Differ? The bottom half of the page shows a world map hjighlighting different ecozones.
SHARE
  • Copy Link
  • Facebook
  • X (Twitter)
  • Pinterest
  • Email
  • Google Classroom

Across the planet, different types of forests are found. One reason different forest types exist is because they grow under different climates. Another reason is that human activities have changed some of the forests. To better understand the different types of forests found across Earth, the scientists had to
decide what was most important about those forest differences to study.

Inquiry 1: What Kind of Forests Grow on Earth and How Do They Differ?

Part Of

The World's Forests - Vol. 11 No. 1

Explore Full Journal
SHARE
  • Copy Link
  • Facebook
  • X (Twitter)
  • Pinterest
  • Email
  • Google Classroom
Download PDF
Download PDF

Glossary

View All Glossary
  • axis

    (ak səs): A straight line about which a body or geometric figure rotates.

  • classify

    (kla sǝ fī): To arrange in a group, set, or kind that shares common attributes.

  • climate

    (klī mǝt): The average weather conditions of a particular place or region over a period of years.

  • conservation

    (kän(t) sər vā shən): A careful preservation and protection of something, especially planned management of a natural resource to prevent exploitation, destruction, or neglect.

  • conserve

    (kǝn sǝrv): To avoid wasteful or destructive use of something.

  • ecological

    (ē kə lä ji kəl): Of or relating to the environments of living things or to the relationships between living things and their environments.

  • ecosystem

    (ē kō sis tǝm): A system made up of an ecological community of living things interacting with their environment especially under natural conditions.

  • environmental services

    The collection of environmental processes that provide benefit to life on Earth.

  • equator

    (i kwā tər): An imaginary circle around the middle of Earth at an equal distance from the North Pole and the South Pole.

  • latitude

    (la tǝ tüd): Distance north or south from the equator measured in degrees.

  • native

    (nā tiv): Living or growing naturally in a particular region.

  • species

    (spē sēz or spē shēz): A category of living things that ranks below a genus, is made up of related individuals able to produce fertile offspring, and is identified by a two-part scientific name.

Jump To

  • Education Standards
  • Educator Guide
  • Lesson Plans
  • Education Files

Standards addressed in this Article:

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.
  • Global Connections
  • Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
  • 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.

Lessons

  • A guided reading lesson plan that breaks down each section in this article. There are activities for each part to have students practice the knowledge learned within the article. Materials:...

    Lesson Plan – Inquiry 1 World’s Forests Edition

    • Lesson Plan
    • Middle School
    • 1 Classroom Period
    • Wilderness
    • Class Discussion
    • Graphic Organizer
    • Guided reading
    • Map Activity
    A guided reading lesson plan that breaks down each section in this article. There are activities for each part to have students practice the knowledge learned within the article. Materials:...
    Explore Lesson Plan Download Lesson Plan (PDF)
    Explore Lesson Plan Download Lesson Plan (PDF)

    Part Of

    The World's Forests - Vol. 11 No. 1

  • A set of 8 lesson plans to walk your students through the entirety of the World’s Forest edition. There is a lesson plan/guided reading activity for each section in the...

    Lesson Plan – World’s Forests 1

    • Lesson Plan
    • Middle School
    • 2-3 Classroom Periods
    • Wilderness
    • Graphic Organizer
    • Guided reading
    A set of 8 lesson plans to walk your students through the entirety of the World’s Forest edition. There is a lesson plan/guided reading activity for each section in the...
    Explore Lesson Plan Download Lesson Plan (PDF)
    Explore Lesson Plan Download Lesson Plan (PDF)

    Part Of

    Inquiry 1: What Kind of Forests Grow on Earth and How Do They Differ?

Education Files

Jump To

  • Related from Natural Inquirer

Related Resources from the Natural Inquirer

  • In this edition of Natural Inquirer, you will learn about the world’s forests. Every 5 years the Food and Agriculture Organization, or FAO, publishes a report about the world’s forests,...

    The World’s Forests 2 – Vol. 15 No. 2

    • Journal
    • Middle School
    • Wilderness
    • Wildlife
    • Adaptation
    • Biodiversity
    • Carbon Cycle
    • Climate
    • Climate Change
    • Forest management
    • Forest Products
    • Genetic Diversity
    • Greenhouse Effect
    • Greenhouse Gases
    • Primary Forest
    • Sustainability
    • Wilderness Benefits
    In this edition of Natural Inquirer, you will learn about the world’s forests. Every 5 years the Food and Agriculture Organization, or FAO, publishes a report about the world’s forests,...
    Explore Journal Download Journal (PDF)
    Explore Journal Download Journal (PDF)

Additional Resources

Back to Top
  • Natural Inquirer - Homepage
  • Find Outdoors
  • 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.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.
* denotes mandatory fields
Loading
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • X, formerly Twitter
  • YouTube
  • About Natural Inquirer
  • Team
  • Partners
  • Press & Past Events
  • Contact Us
  • Accessibility Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Shipping Policy
© 2025 - Natural Inquirer | Website Credit