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  • What’s the Nonpoint? Assessing Nonpoint Source Water Quality Threats Nationwide
Cover for the 'What's the Nonpoint?' article. The main image is a photo, taken in 2012, shows point source pollution of the Altamaha River in Georgia.
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What’s the Nonpoint? Assessing Nonpoint Source Water Quality Threats Nationwide

  • Article
  • Middle School
  • 1 Classroom Period
  • Pollution
  • Water
  • Nutrients
  • Sedimentation
  • Toxic Chemicals
  • Water Pollution
  • Water Quality
  • Watersheds
Cover for the 'What's the Nonpoint?' article. The main image is a photo, taken in 2012, shows point source pollution of the Altamaha River in Georgia.
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Nonpoint source water pollution comes from large areas or landscapes such as roadways, farms, and urban and suburban communities. Scientists know this type of pollution exists, but it is difficult to identify and control the sources. In this study, scientists were interested in determining how the threat from nonpoint source water pollution varies in watersheds across the United States.

 

What’s the Nonpoint? Assessing Nonpoint Source Water Quality Threats Nationwide

Jump To

  • Meet the Scientists
  • Thinking About Science
  • Thinking About the Environment
  • Introduction
  • Methods
  • How Do You Compare the Metric System With the U.S. Imperial System?
  • Findings
  • What Is the 100th Meridian?
  • Discussion

Meet the Scientists

Thomas Brown

Economist/Resource Economist

My favorite science experience happened before I was a scientist. I was a Peace Corps volunteer in rural Paraguay, in the heart of South America. I had grown up in... Read Full Bio

Pamela Froemke

Computer Specialist

Being constantly exposed to the great outdoors when I was young led me to love and appreciate the natural world. I always felt the best when I was outside. So,... Read Full Bio

What Kinds of Scientists Did This Research?

  • Computer specialist: Computer specialists provide help and advice to people and organizations using computer software or equipment.
  • Economist: This scientist studies economics. Economics is a social science that addresses the production, distribution, and use of goods and services. Goods
    and services include purchased items and services, such as clothes and car repair. Goods and services also include those that are difficult if not impossible to buy and sell, including for example, clean water, clean air,
    and pollination.

Thinking About Science

When scientists want to figure out the total impact of a number of unlike variables on another variable, they need a standard way to measure the variables. In this research, for example, the scientists wanted to know how a combination of variables might impact the level of water pollution risk in an area. These variables had different units of measurement. A unit of measurement is a standardized quantity of a physical property, such as inches, meters, degrees Celsius, etc. Different units of measurement cannot be added together. As an example, consider how we measure percentage of cloud cover and air temperature. Adding the percentage of cloud cover to the air temperature produces a senseless number.

 

In this research, the scientists divided the range of measurement for each variable into five equal categories. Each category represented 20 percent of the entire range of values. A category representing an equal percentage of the whole is called a percentile. Then, the scientists assigned a number from 1 to 5 for each measured value. A value in the lowest 20 percent of the range, for example, was given a score of 1. A measurement in the highest 20 percent of the range was given a score of 5 (figure 1). This process standardized the relative value of each variable so that the values could be compared and summed.

 

An illustration showing percentage of cloud cover and air temperature
Figure 1. The units of measurement for percentage of cloud cover and air temperature are not comparable. Placing each value within a percentile enables scientists to compare and sum measurements. Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer.

Thinking About the Environment

Congress passed the Federal Water Pollution Control Act in 1972. Since the act’s passage, water pollution coming from point sources has been reduced. Point sources of pollution are those that directly release pollution into a water source and may include factories and wastewater treatment plants. This reduction was possible because it is easy to identify point sources of pollution (figure 2).

 

A point source pollution in a river
Figure 2. Although point sources of water pollution have been reduced, they have not been completely removed. This photo, taken in 2012, shows point source pollution of the Altamaha (ȯl tə mə hä) River in Georgia. The pipe coming from an unseen factory is the source of the dark effluent. Photo courtesy of James Holland.

Nonpoint sources of pollution, in contrast, are not easily identified or controlled. These sources are not easily identified or controlled because nonpoint sources of pollution include things like farms, roadways, and urban and suburban communities (figure 3).

 

A highway of trucks and cars
Figure 3. This highway is a nonpoint source of water pollution. The pollution from cars and trucks is spread out over the entire highway, rather than coming from a few points. Photo courtesy of Babs McDonald

The scientists in this study were interested in better understanding the risk of water pollution from nonpoint sources across the entire United States.


Introduction

Nonpoint source water pollution still remains a problem in the United States, even decades following the passage of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972. Nonpoint source water pollution comes from large areas or landscapes. These areas include roadways, farms, and urban and suburban communities. Scientists know that nonpoint sources of pollution exist. It is difficult, however, to identify and control such diffuse sources of pollution.

 

The scientists in this study were interested in how the threat from nonpoint sources of water pollution varies in watersheds across the United States (figures 4 and 5).

 

Illustration of a watershed

Figure 4. A watershed is an area of land where
all the water on it or under it drains to the same place. Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer.

A map of the U.S. hydrologic regions

Figure 5. The scientists began with 18 watersheds identified by the U.S. Geological Survey. The scientists studied watersheds only in the 48 contiguous States. Those large watersheds each contain many smaller watersheds (figure 6). The scientists studied 15,272 watersheds contained within the 18 watersheds. Map by Lindsay Gnann.

An illustration of the Mississippi watershed

Figure 6. Each large watershed contains many smaller,
nested watersheds. Illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer.

 

With information based on regions of the country, scientists and managers will have a better idea what and where are the greatest threats to U.S. water quality.

What Is the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972?

The Federal Water Pollution Control Act is the primary Federal law in the United States governing water pollution. The Federal Water Pollution Control Act is commonly
referred to as the Clean Water Act. The act’s objective is to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological health of the Nation’s waters. Restoring and maintaining water quality is accomplished by limiting point and nonpoint pollution sources, by improving publicly owned wastewater treatment plants, and by maintaining the health of wetlands and watersheds.

Reflection Section

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Methods

The scientists studied three problems affecting water quality. These problems were sediment, nutrients, and toxic chemicals (figure 7). Then, scientists considered each of these problems and some of their contributing factors (figure 8).

Figure 7

The three problems of sediment, nutrients, and toxic chemicals are responsible for 60 percent of water quality problems in U.S. rivers and streams.
ProblemDescription
Sediment Sediment contains soil particles carried along in streams and rivers. Some particles settle to the bottom of streams, reservoirs, lakes, canals, and pipes. Some particles move with the current. All rivers naturally receive and carry sediment. Too much erosion, however, can cause too much sediment to enter waterways. Too much sediment decreases water clarity and may carry attached nutrients, toxic chemicals, and other pollutants. Too much sediment reduces drinking water quality and makes water more expensive to treat.
NutrientsNutrients found in water are primarily nitrogen and phosphorus. These nutrients are essential for aquatic plant life. If too much nitrogen and phosphorus are found in waterways, however, they begin to destroy water quality. Too much nutrient content causes too much algae growth and reduces water clarity. Too much nutrient content also reduces the amount of oxygen in the water, which fish and other organisms need to live.
Toxic ChemicalsThese chemicals cause damage to plants and animals. These toxic chemicals include heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium, and arsenic. Toxic chemicals may be contained in pesticides and herbicides, industrial chemicals, medical chemicals, and some acids. Mining and abandoned mines are often sources of toxic chemicals.
A table showing different water quality issues

Figure 8. Each water quality problem was associated with a number of contributing factors. In some instances, the same factor contributed to more than one problem. The scientists measured the contributing factors in all 15,272 watersheds.

The scientists used existing data to represent each contributing factor. These data had been collected and recorded by other scientists. For example, the U.S. Census Bureau collects information about the number of housing units per square mile for census regions. The Census Bureau posts this information on its Web site. When necessary, the scientists changed these and other data from the U.S. imperial system to the metric system. You can see, however, that these contributing factors did not have the same measured value (see figure 8).

 

The scientists changed the contributing factor measurements to a common unit of value for each watershed. For each contributing factor in figure 8, the scientists divided the range of value into five equal categories, with each category representing 20 percent of the range. (See “Thinking About Science” for more information.) The scientists assigned a number from 1 to 5 for each measurement, depending into which of the 5 percentiles the measure fell. This number gave the scientists a common measure for all contributing factors. In this way, the scientists were able to compare and combine the contributing factors with one another.

 

The scientists calculated a single score for all the contributing factors in the 15,272 watersheds. This single score enabled the scientists to identify the water pollution risk level, based on all the contributing factors, for each of the 15,272 watersheds.

How Do You Compare the Metric System With the U.S. Imperial System?

This chart will help you understand how the metric system
compares with the U.S. imperial system. Scientists take and
report their measurements using the metric system.

 

A table showing metric conversions

Reflection Section

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Findings

The scientists created a map showing the threat to water quality for each contributing factor in the 15,272 watersheds across the United States. They also combined all the contributing factors and created a map showing the overall threat to water quality for the 15,272 watersheds in the 48 contiguous States (figure 9).

A map of the U.S. showing risk levels for watersheds to be affected by pollution
Figure 9. The overall threat to water quality across 15,272 watersheds in the 48 contiguous States in the United States. Map by Pam Froemk.

The scientists observed that water quality threats are greater in the Eastern United States than in the Western United States. The East, however, does contain some low-threat areas. These eastern low-threat areas include Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Minnesota’s northern lake country, northern Maine, and the Florida Everglades. (Locate these areas in figure 9 or on another United States map.)

 

The West contains some high-threat areas. Most of the West, however, has a low water quality threat. Western areas with high threat include large agricultural areas, urban areas, and places with a combination of urban and
agricultural land. (Locate and identify one western urban area in figure 9.) The scientists observed that the United States’ water-quality threat level is roughly divided at the 100th meridian.

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What Is the 100th Meridian?

The 100th meridian is an imaginary line with a longitude of 100° west. Imaginary lines are drawn between the north and south poles of Earth to indicate longitude (figure 10). Longitude is measured from 0 to 180° east and 0 to 180° west of the prime meridian. The prime meridian runs through Greenwich (grə nich), United Kingdom.

A graphic showing the globe and the meridian
Figure 10. Longitude consists of imaginary lines and provides a way to identify exact locations east and west across the planet. Longitude is measured from the Prime Meridian, located in the United Kingdom. The Prime Meridian has a longitude of 0. Illustration by Samantha Bond.

In the United States, the 100th meridian passes through North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Roughly half of the country lies east of the 100th meridian and half lies west. The 100th meridian has traditionally been considered the dividing line between the moist eastern half of the United States and the dry western half. The 100th meridian is also the rough dividing line between the more populated Eastern United States and less populated Western United States.


Discussion

The scientists noted the importance of the division at the 100th meridian. When colonists settled the United States, the wetter, gentler topography of the Eastern United States was more supportive of human habitation and livestock grazing than other parts of the United States. Over time, a larger population led to greater demand for electricity and other resources, and to increased acid rain. These demands for natural resources, as well as urban growth and changing land uses, created more nonpoint source threats to water quality in the Eastern United States.

 

The much steeper and drier Western United States was less supportive of human habitation. Fewer people, along with less water and steeper topography, created an opportunity to protect large areas of western land. These protected areas include national forests, national parks, wildlife refuges, and other Federal and State-owned lands (figure 11). Steep topography, limited water, and large areas of protected land further limited population growth. Lower human population density resulted in fewer demands on natural resources and therefore in lower nonpoint source water pollution threats in the West.

 

A map of the U.S. showing different federal lands
Figure 11. Federal lands, found mostly in the Western United States, are in a natural condition with limited human development. Map by Lindsay Gnaan.

The threat of nonpoint source water pollution is expected to rise if human population continues to rise. The human need for agriculture, housing, roads, and livestock feeding and grazing raises the importance of addressing nonpoint source water pollution threats. The Clean Water Act recognized that both point source and nonpoint source pollution are threats to water quality. The act, however, only requires the control of point source pollution. The scientists noted that progress on controlling nonpoint source pollution will require more effort and energy, and may even include more direction from Congress.

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Adapted from Brown, T.C.; Froemke, P. 2012. Nationwide assessment of nonpoint source threats to water quality.
Bioscience. 62: 136–146. http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_other/rmrs_2012_brown_t001.pdf.

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Glossary

View All Glossary
  • aquatic

    (ǝ kwä tik): Growing or living in or often found in water.

  • contiguous

    (kən tig yə wəs): (1) being in contact or adjoining; (2) touching or connected in an unbroken series.

  • density

    (den(t) sə tē): (1) The quantity per unit of volume, unit of area, or unit of length; (2) the average number of individuals or units per unit of space.

  • deposition

    (de pə zi shən): The act or process of laying down matter by a natural process.

  • diffuse

    (di fyüs): Poured or spread out; not concentrated.

  • effluent

    (ə flü ənt): Liquid (such as sewage or industrial by-products) discharged as waste.

  • emission

    (ē mi shǝn): Something emitted or discharged, usually into the air.

  • erosion

    (i rō zhǝn): The process of deteriorating or disappearing by wearing away.

  • habitation

    (ha bə tā shən): The act of inhabiting or living in a place.

  • herbicide

    ((h)ər bə sīd): A substance used to destroy or slow plant growth.

  • land cover

    (land kə vər): Data that documents how much of a region is covered by forests, wetlands, impervious surfaces, agriculture, and other land and water types, like wetlands or open water.  Definition from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA).

  • pesticide

    (pes tə sīd): A substance that is used to kill animals or insects that are harmful to humans or human activities (like agriculture).

  • pollutant

    (pə lü tənt): Something that pollutes.

  • reservoir

    (re zǝ vwär): An artificial lake where water is collected and kept in quantity for use.

  • standardize

    (stan dǝr dīz): To compare with or make agree with a standard; to bring into conformity with a standard especially in order to assure consistency and regularity.

  • suburb

    (sə bər bən): A smaller community close to a city.

  • topography

    (tǝ päg rǝ fē): The shape and height and depth of the features of a place.

  • variable

    (ver ē ə bəl): (1) A factor, trait, or condition that can be changed or controlled; (2) a quantity that may assume any one of a set of values.

  • Dr. Tom Brown running on a beach

    Thomas Brown

    Economist/Resource Economist

    My favorite science experience happened before I was a scientist. I was a Peace Corps volunteer in rural Paraguay, in the heart of South America. I had grown up in...
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  • Photo of Pamela Froemke steering a boat and holding a silver travel mug.

    Pamela Froemke

    Computer Specialist

    Being constantly exposed to the great outdoors when I was young led me to love and appreciate the natural world. I always felt the best when I was outside. So,...
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Standards addressed in this Article:

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are a set of K-12 science education standards emphasizing inquiry-based learning, real-world applications, and integrating engineering practices, aiming to deepen understanding of science while promoting critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
  • ESS2.C-M1
    Water continually cycles among land, ocean, and atmosphere via transpiration, evaporation, condensation and crystallization, and precipitation, as well as downhill flows on land.
  • ESS3.A-M1
    Humans depend on Earth’s land, ocean, atmosphere, and biosphere for many different resources. Minerals, fresh water, and biosphere resources are limited, and many are not renewable or replaceable over human lifetimes. These resources are distributed unevenly around the planet as a result of past geologic processes.
  • ESS3.C-M1
    Human activities have significantly altered the biosphere, sometimes damaging or destroying natural habitats and causing the extinction of other species. But changes to Earth’s environments can have different impacts (negative and positive) for different living things.
  • ESS3.C-M2
    Typically as human populations and per capita consumption of natural resources increase, so do the negative impacts on Earth unless the activities and technologies involved are engineered otherwise.
  • ESS3.D-M1
    Human activities, such as the release of greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels, are major factors in the current rise in Earth’s mean surface temperature (global warming). Reducing the level of climate change and reducing human vulnerability to whatever climate changes do occur depend on the understanding of climate science, engineering capabilities, and other kinds of knowledge, such as understanding of human behavior, and on applying that knowledge wisely in decisions and activities.
  • LS2.A-M1
    Organisms, and populations of organisms, are dependent on their environmental interactions both with other living things and with nonliving factors.
  • LS2.A-M2
    In any ecosystem, organisms and populations with similar requirements for food, water, oxygen, or other resources may compete with each other for limited resources, access to which consequently constrains their growth and reproduction.
  • LS2.A-M3
    Growth of organisms and population increases are limited by access to resources.
The Common Core Standards are educational benchmarks in the United States that outline clear expectations for what students should know and be able to do in English language arts and mathematics from kindergarten through 12th grade, aiming to ensure consistency and coherence in education nationwide.
  • Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts.
  • By the end of grade 8, read and comprehend science/technical texts in the grades 6-8 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
  • Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; provide an accurate summary of the text distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.
  • Follow precisely a multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks.
  • Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 6-8 texts and topics.
  • Analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text, including how the major sections contribute to the whole and to an understanding of the topic.
  • Analyze the author's purpose in providing an explanation, describing a procedure, or discussing an experiment in a text.
  • Integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text with a version of that information expressed visually (e.g., in a flowchart, diagram, model, graph, or table).
  • Distinguish among facts, reasoned judgment based on research findings, and speculation in a text.
  • Compare and contrast the information gained from experiments, simulations, video, or multimedia sources with that gained from reading a text on the same topic.
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
  • Power, Authority, and Governance
  • Production, Distribution, and Consumption
  • Science, Technology, and Society
  • Time, Continuity, and Change

What Is a Natural Inquirer Journal?

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A Natural Inquirer journal is a collection of 4-8 articles on a related science topic. Journals are written for a middle school audience, but they can also be adapted for both high school students and advanced upper elementary students. Some journals are particularly suited to high school students; you can find our grade level recommendations in the tags on the product page or by filtering journals by grade level.

Journals include:

  • Four to eight articles based on published, peer-reviewed research papers; the articles keep the research paper format (see more below) but are written in language students can understand.
  • A FACTivity for each article, which is an activity to complete after reading the article. The FACTivity helps reinforce major science concepts from the article. These activities are designed to be easy to implement, with few material requirements and options for adapting them for your audience or available resources. Some articles in a journal may have two FACTivities.
  • A short “Welcome to the journal” article about key background information and science concepts that unify the articles included in the journal
  • A glossary of new terms for each article and the introductory materials.
  • A list of related Natural Inquirer publications for each article as well as outside references.
  • Standards correlations, including Next Generation Science Standards, addressed in the articles and the FACTivities.

Journals may also include additional essays (called spotlights), other activities (like crossword puzzles or vocabulary challenges), and more.

 

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Journals are available in three different formats:

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  • The “Read Distraction Free” option allows the individual articles to open in their own window, without the rest of the website being visible. These articles can be found under the “Articles” tab. This version allows readers to scroll to particular sections of the article using the sidebar menu on the left side of the screen. This version also has interactive Reflection Sections and Number Crunches. Students can enter their answers, submit them, and then receive the correct answers to double-check their work. Submitted answers are not saved on the website and will disappear once the window is closed.

What's in a Natural Inquirer Article?

Here, we'll go into more detail about the parts of a Natural Inquirer article and give you some ideas about how they can be used.
  1. Meet the Scientists

    This section introduces the scientists (and others) who worked on the study. In their own words, they each share a memorable science experience, a favorite research project, or something they learned during the course of their education or research.

    Use this section to:

    • Introduce kids to the variety of people who work in science
    • Introduce kids to the variety of scientific fields and give brief descriptions of science-related jobs
    • Explore ways that people interact with science every day

    Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) applications:

    • Science and Engineering Practices
    • Crosscutting Concepts: Influence of Science, Engineering, and Technology on Society and the Natural World

    Note that specific standards for this particular monograph are linked on this educator guide tab.

    Other resources:

    Many of the scientists and engineers featured in this section are also featured on our collector cards. Learn more about their work, how they got interested in their fields, and interesting projects they worked on. Cards can be printed as posters, too.

    A sample Meet the Scientists page, showing four different scientists
  2. Thinking About Science

    This section briefly describes a concept about science or scientific research. This overview can touch on topics like

    • study type (longitudinal study, quantitative vs. qualitative data),
    • behaviors of scientists (conducting literature reviews, collaborating with other specialists, replicating earlier studies),
    • the practice of science (the scientific method, engineering design, data collection, randomization, controls and variables),
    • or other aspects of science (bias, correlation vs. causation).

    Use this section to:

    • Reinforce steps in the scientific method and the process of science
    • Encourage students to think about the practice of science and what it can and cannot tell us
    • Consider the many types of scientific study and what information each type can provide

    Next Generation Science Standards applications:

    • Science and Engineering Practices
    • Life Science Disciplinary Core Ideas (depending on topic)
    • Most Crosscutting Concepts (depending on topic)

    Note that specific standards for this particular monograph are linked on this educator guide tab.

    Other resources:

    You can use key words to search for other or related scientific topics on our website (e.g. “longitudinal study,” “bias,” or “sampling”).

    A sample Thinking About Science page from a recent monograph
  3. Thinking About the Environment

    This section provides a brief overview of a topic or concept in environmental/life science. The topic or concept is directly related to the research study that follows. Examples of topics include the carbon cycle, the water cycle, habitat fragmentation, phenology, biodiversity, and ecosystem services.

    Use this section to:

    • Provide important background information to help students understand the research study
    • Serve as a quick reference during reading or class instruction
    • Connect the research article with other activities or media on the same topic

    Next Generation Science Standards applications:

    • Life Science and some Earth Science Disciplinary Core Ideas (depending on topic)
    • Most Crosscutting Concepts (depending on topic)

    Note that specific standards for this particular monograph are linked on this educator guide tab.

    Other resources:

    You can use key words to search for more resources on life or earth science topics on our website (e.g. “habitat,” “carbon,” or “genetics”).

    A sample "Thinking About the Environment" section from a recent monograph
  4. Introduction

    This section begins the scientific article format. Much like the published, peer-reviewed study this article is based on, the introduction provides background information for the study – what is currently known and what remains unknown. The introduction culminates in the question(s) the study hopes to answer.

    The introduction is also the first section with a Reflection Section. This section includes two or three questions to help kids reflect on what they’ve just learned in the Introduction. If they are using the online distraction-free reading mode, they can answer these questions directly on the website.

    Use this section to:

    • Review important background information that kids need to understand the study
    • Connect the study to the concepts addressed in the Thinking About Science and Thinking About the Environment sections
    • Understand research questions and hypotheses, including generating their own hypotheses given what they already know

    Next Generation Science Standards applications:

    • Life Science and some Earth Science Disciplinary Core Ideas (depending on topic)
    • Most Crosscutting Concepts (depending on topic)

    Note that specific standards for this particular monograph are linked on this educator guide tab.

    Other resources:

    Use one of the guided reading lesson plans to help kids follow the format of a scientific paper.

    A sample introduction page from "Hidden in Plain Sight"
  5. Methods

    This section is the nuts and bolts of the study design – the who, what, when, where, why, and how of the research. Contained within the Methods section are usually maps of the study location or the set-up of study plots, as well as details about what data was collected and how.

    The Methods section also ends with a Reflection Section – two or three questions to help students think through what they just read. These questions are interactive on the distraction-free reading mode.

    Use this section to:

    • Show students how experiments and studies are designed and carried out
    • Explore sampling methods and randomization
    • Introduce various data collection tools (e.g. camera traps, surveys, insect collection tools, weather stations, etc.)
    • Explain bias and how studies are designed to remove bias
    • Help students gain experience with map reading

    Next Generation Science Standards applications:

    • Life Science and some Earth Science Disciplinary Core Ideas (depending on topic)
    • Most Crosscutting Concepts (depending on topic)

    Note that specific standards for this particular monograph are linked on this educator guide tab.

    Other resources:

    Many Methods and Findings sections contain Number Crunches, which are simple math exercises designed to help students interact with the data from the study.

    A sample methods section of a monograph article showing a map
  6. Findings

    This section summarizes the data collected during the study. The Findings section usually includes data tables or graphs and highlights the significant data points from the study. This section often mentions statistical analysis or the use of computer programs to model or analyze the data, though these methods are only discussed generally.

    The Findings section also ends with a Reflection Section – two or three questions to help students think through what they just read. These questions are interactive on the distraction-free reading mode.

    Use this section to:

    • Have students practice reading and interpreting graphs and tables
    • Compare results between variables and controls
    • Explain the concept of statistical significance
    • Discuss how no data or negative results still provide valuable information

    Next Generation Science Standards applications:

    • Life Science and some Earth Science Disciplinary Core Ideas (depending on topic)
    • Most Crosscutting Concepts (depending on topic)

    Note that specific standards for this particular monograph are linked on this educator guide tab.

    Other resources:

    Search the website for “map” or “graph” to find activities where students can practice making and reading maps and graphs.

    The beginning of a Findings section featuring a large data table
  7. Discussion

    This section concludes each article. In it, we summarize the main findings of the scientists’ study. Additionally, we present the scientists’ ideas about the limitations of their study, the big-picture impacts of their research, and the scientists’ plans for future study or action.

    The Discussion section ends with a Reflection Section – two or three questions to help students think through what they just read, especially general take-aways from the study. These questions are interactive on the distraction-free reading mode.

    Use this section to:

    • Discuss what conclusions can and cannot be drawn from the available data
    • Explain the difference between correlation and causation
    • Explore study limitations and opportunities for further study
    • Brainstorm ways the study findings could be applied to real-world situations

    Next Generation Science Standards applications:

    • Life Science and some Earth Science Disciplinary Core Ideas (depending on topic)
    • Most Crosscutting Concepts (depending on topic)

    Note that specific standards for this particular monograph are linked on this educator guide tab.

    Other resources:

    Use the “Designing Your Own Study” resource page for videos of scientists discussing their own research studies. The page also includes educator resources to help students plan their own scientific studies.

    The beginning of the conclusion of "Hidden in Plain Sight"

Additional Resources on the Website

A screenshot of the product tabs for an NI monographOn the website, we pair each journal with a variety of other resources, as well. Use the tabs on the product page to browse through the following:

  • Related activities, including the FACTivity for each article
  • An “About” essay that gives some larger context for the research the scientists conducted or more information about the science topic from the journal
  • A glossary of all boldfaced terms from the journal
  • A “Scientists and Collaborators” page that lists the people involved in the studies in the journal; click on a researcher to reach their bio page and see what other articles they might be featured in
  • A “Related Content” page that lists both Natural Inquirer resources about similar topics and also outside reference materials

Article Selection and Review

Natural Inquirer partners with the USDA Forest Service, so we source research studies by Forest Service scientists that have been peer-reviewed and published in reputable journals. Some of our articles have also been created in collaboration with scientists from other Federal agencies, such as U.S. Geological Survey and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, universities, and other non-profits.

All journal articles are reviewed by scientists who conducted the original research study to verify scientific accuracy. Journals are also reviewed by student editorial review boards of middle or high school students before publication. Additionally, all journals are reviewed by the Forest Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture before publication.

A screenshot of the citation for "Lights, Camera, Tracks"Every journal article includes a citation of its source study. Many educators pair the original research paper with our article to help more advanced students learn how to read formal research papers. The journal article then serves as adapted primary literature, bridging the two articles.

Lessons

  • PDF preview of Freshwater lesson plan.
    In this lesson, students will create a storyboard to graphically represent the main points from the research article they read. This lesson plan can be used with any Natural Inquirer...

    Lesson Plan – Storyboard

    • Lesson Plan
    • High School
    • Middle School
    • 2-3 Classroom Periods
    • Active Forest Management
    • Agriculture
    • Carbon
    • Citizen Science
    • Engineering and Forest Products
    • Fire
    • Insects
    • Pollinators
    • Pollution
    • Recreation
    • Social Science
    • Water
    • Wilderness
    • Wildlife
    • Creative
    • Guided reading
    • Story Telling
    In this lesson, students will create a storyboard to graphically represent the main points from the research article they read. This lesson plan can be used with any Natural Inquirer...
    • Explore Lesson Plan
    • Download Lesson Plan (PDF)
    • Explore Lesson Plan
    • Download Lesson Plan (PDF)

    Part Of

    Freshwater - Vol. 18 No. 1

  • PDF Preview of Reading a Natural Inquirer Article Lesson Plan
    This lesson plan introduces students to the different sections of a Natural Inquirer article. Additionally, it helps the students understand the content of the article through the use of graphic...

    Lesson Plan – Reading a Natural Inquirer Article – FACELook

    • Lesson Plan
    • Middle School
    • 2-3 Classroom Periods
    • Graphic Organizer
    • Guided reading
    • Reading for Information
    • Scientific Article Format
    This lesson plan introduces students to the different sections of a Natural Inquirer article. Additionally, it helps the students understand the content of the article through the use of graphic...
    • Explore Lesson Plan
    • Download Lesson Plan (PDF)
    • Explore Lesson Plan
    • Download Lesson Plan (PDF)

    Part Of

    FACELook! Exploring the Relationship Between Carbon, Photosynthesis, and the Roots of Trees

  • PDF preview of the Letter to a Scientist Lesson Plan.
    In small groups (or individually), students will read a Natural Inquirer or Investi-gator article and write a letter to the scientist, asking for clarification on at least four questions. This...

    Lesson Plan – Letter to a Scientist

    • Lesson Plan
    • Middle School
    • Upper Elementary
    • 2-3 Classroom Periods
    • Active Forest Management
    • Agriculture
    • Carbon
    • Citizen Science
    • Engineering and Forest Products
    • Fire
    • Insects
    • Pollinators
    • Pollution
    • Recreation
    • Social Science
    • Water
    • Wilderness
    • Wildlife
    • Guided reading
    • Letter Writing
    • Questioning
    • Scientist
    In small groups (or individually), students will read a Natural Inquirer or Investi-gator article and write a letter to the scientist, asking for clarification on at least four questions. This...
    • Explore Lesson Plan
    • Download Lesson Plan (PDF)
    • Explore Lesson Plan
    • Download Lesson Plan (PDF)

    Part Of

    Wildland Fire 2 - Vol. 13 No. 1

Education Files

Project Learning Tree

If you are a trained Project Learning Tree educator, you may use “Pollution Search” and “Watch on Wetlands” as additional resources.

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  • Natural Inquirer - Homepage
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  • 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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