Case Files

INVESTIGATION #1

Detective:

Case File: Bees

Where are the Bees?

Honeybees are very important. They fly to flowers and help fruits and vegetables grow. But today, many bees are disappearing. This is a big problem.

One cause is that bees are losing their homes. People are building more houses and farms. The wild flowers that bees need are being paved over. So, the bees have no place to find food.

Another cause is the chemicals people use on plants. These chemicals make the bees feel sick. As a result, the bees cannot find their way back to their hives.

When there are fewer bees, it affects humans too. Because there are no bees to help the plants, fewer crops will grow. This means our food will cost more at the store.

Clues Found

The Cause (The Why)

1.

2.

The Effect (The What)

1.

2.

Case Files

INVESTIGATION #2

Detective:

Case File: Volcanoes

The Big Eruption

Deep inside the Earth, it is very hot. The rock melts into a liquid called magma. This magma is full of gas. This creates a lot of pressure, like a soda bottle that has been shaken up.

When the Earth's surface cracks, the magma is pushed up. This causes a volcanic eruption. Once magma comes out of the volcano, it is called lava.

An eruption can have many effects. First, thick ash fills the air. This ash can block the sun for days. So, the temperature around the volcano gets much colder. It can also be hard for animals and people to breathe.

But eruptions are not all bad. Over time, the old lava and ash turn into dirt. This special dirt has a lot of vitamins for plants. Because the dirt is so good, plants and crops grow very well there.

Lab Report

1. What is the CAUSE of a volcanic eruption?

A Bad Effect:

A Good Effect:

Case Files

INVESTIGATION #3

Detective:

Case File: Plastic

The Plastic Problem

The ocean has a big problem with plastic trash. There is so much trash that it looks like a giant floating island! But where does it all come from?

Most plastic ends up in the sea because people do not throw it away correctly on land. Wind and rain carry the trash from streets into rivers. The rivers then carry the trash into the ocean.

This pollution has bad effects on sea animals. Turtles often think that a plastic bag is a jellyfish. Jellyfish are a turtle's favorite snack! If they eat the plastic, they can get very sick.

Plastic does not ever go away. It just breaks into tiny pieces. Small fish eat these tiny pieces. So, the plastic moves through the ocean and can end up in the food that humans eat too.

Quick Quiz

1. Why does plastic end up in the ocean?

Fish pull the trash into the water.

Wind and rain carry it from the streets.

2. What happens when a turtle eats a plastic bag?

It helps the turtle grow big.

The turtle can get very sick.

Cause and Effect Detectives

Detective Slides

Case Files Passages

Investigator Answer Key

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