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Inquiry 1: What Kind of Forests Grow on Earth and How Do They Differ?
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?
Glossary
View All Glossaryaxis
(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.
Standards addressed in this Article:
Social Studies Standards
- 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.
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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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
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:... -
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
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...
Education Files
Related Resources from the Natural Inquirer
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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
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,...