QFocus Prompts for Every AP Environmental Science Unit

Science Outside
1 day ago
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One of the hidden superpowers of the Question Formulation Technique (QFT) is that it makes teachers shine during classroom observations.

Administrators love seeing students actively thinking and engaging, not just passively receiving information. QFT shows students generating their own questions, authentic real-time inquiry and curiosity, and student ownership of learning. It shifts the focus from “teacher telling” to “students thinking.”

QFT taps into analysis, evaluation, and synthesis—all top levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. It Encourages Collaboration and Discourse. Observers will see students thinking, talking, and writing. So dial up this blog post as you prepare for your next observation, or when an unannounced observer enters the classroom.

QFocus prompts, or Question Focus prompts, are a key part of the Question Formulation Technique (QFT) developed by the Right Question Institute (https://rightquestion.org/). They serve as the starting point or stimulus for generating student questions. They are usually a short statement, image, quote, graph, or data set—basically anything that provokes thinking and curiosity—that students will respond to by asking their own questions.

QFocus prompts are designed to:

Stimulate curiosity and critical thinking
Encourage students to generate questions, not answers
Provide a neutral, open-ended focus (not leading or biased)
Tie directly to curriculum content or learning objectives

Steps to Use QFocus in QFT

1. Present the QFocus

Show students your chosen image, graph, data set, or statement written on the board. Don’t explain it—just let them observe and react.

2. Students Ask Questions

Ask the students In small groups or individually to:

Write down as many questions as possible
Don’t stop to answer, judge, or edit
Focus on generating questions only

3. Students Classify Questions

Students:

Label each question as open-ended or closed-ended
- Closed-Ended Questions can be answered with a single word, a number, or a yes/no. They often have one right answer. Great for facts or quick checks. Examples: Is carbon dioxide a greenhouse gas? How many people live on Earth? Did the Amazon lose forest cover last year?
- Open-Ended Questions require explanation, reasoning, or deeper thinking. There’s usually more than one way to answer. Great for discussion, research, or projects. Examples: How does deforestation affect the water cycle? Why is biodiversity important to ecosystem stability? What might happen if sea levels continue to rise?

4. Prioritize Questions

Have students select their top 3 most important questions for the unit topic.

5. Share & Reflect

Students discuss their questions with each other in small groups. Ask them to discuss:

What they noticed
Why they chose those questions
How those questions could guide learning or investigation

6. Next Steps

The teacher calls on students randomly to explain their choices publicly.

Then, use the student-generated questions to guide further research, select a hands-on investigation, initiate a discussion/academic debate, or spark a model or project build!

We hope you enjoy using the QFocus Prompts in your classroom this year!

Image by https://unsplash.com/tingey — *Image by* *https://unsplash.com/tingey*

Here’s a list of QFocus prompts you may want to use in AP Environmental Science.

Unit 1: The Living World: Ecosystems

QFocus Image: Tropical rainforest food web diagram or a tide pool ecosystem photo

Why it works: Shows biodiversity, energy flow, and species interactions. Students can identify producers, consumers, decomposers, and discuss ecological niches.

QFocus Statements for Unit 1:

QFocus 1: "Energy flows through ecosystems, but nutrients cycle."

Closed-Ended: What is the difference between energy flow and nutrient cycling?
Open-Ended: Why is energy lost at each trophic level while nutrients are recycled?

QFocus 2: "A change in one abiotic factor can impact the entire ecosystem."

Closed-Ended: What are examples of abiotic factors?
Open-Ended: How might a change in pH affect aquatic biodiversity?

QFocus 3: "Producers determine the energy budget of an ecosystem."

Closed-Ended: What are producers in an ecosystem?
Open-Ended: How does the productivity of producers affect higher trophic levels?

QFocus 4: "Symbiosis isn’t always mutual — sometimes it’s parasitic."

Closed-Ended: What are the three main types of symbiotic relationships?
Open-Ended: How do parasitic relationships affect host populations over time?

QFocus 5: "The nitrogen cycle is essential for life but often disrupted by humans."

Closed-Ended: What role do bacteria play in the nitrogen cycle?
Open-Ended: How do agricultural practices disrupt the nitrogen cycle?

Unit 2: The Living World: Biodiversity

QFocus Image: Side-by-side comparison of a monoculture field and a diverse natural ecosystem

Why it works: Highlights biodiversity loss, resilience, and ecosystem services. Prompts discussion on habitat loss, species richness, and conservation strategies.

QFocus 1: "Biodiversity is nature’s insurance policy."

Closed-Ended: What are the different types of biodiversity?
Open-Ended: How does biodiversity increase the resilience of ecosystems?

QFocus 2: "Species richness alone does not guarantee a stable ecosystem."

Closed-Ended: What is species richness?
Open-Ended: What other factors besides species richness contribute to ecosystem stability?

QFocus 3: "Humans are both a threat to and a protector of biodiversity."

Closed-Ended: What human activities reduce biodiversity?
Open-Ended: How can conservation strategies protect endangered species?

QFocus 4: "Endemic species are often the most vulnerable to extinction."

Closed-Ended: What does it mean if a species is endemic?
Open-Ended: Why are island species especially vulnerable to habitat change?

QFocus 5: "Island biogeography explains patterns of biodiversity and extinction."

Closed-Ended: What does the theory of island biogeography predict?
Open-Ended: How does habitat fragmentation mimic the effects seen in island ecosystems?

Unit 3: Populations

QFocus Image: Graph showing logistic vs. exponential growth OR photo of crowded urban deer population

Why it works: Students can analyze carrying capacity, limiting factors, and population dynamics.

QFocus 1: "Exponential growth cannot continue indefinitely."

Closed-Ended: What is exponential growth?
Open-Ended: What limits population growth in the real world?

QFocus 2: "Carrying capacity is not a fixed number."

Closed-Ended: What is carrying capacity?
Open-Ended: What environmental or social factors might change an area’s carrying capacity?

QFocus 3: "Population density affects species survival and competition."

Closed-Ended: What is population density?
Open-Ended: How does population density influence competition for resources?

QFocus 4: "Human population trends reflect social and economic development."

Closed-Ended: What is the demographic transition model?
Open-Ended: How do changes in education and healthcare influence population growth?

QFocus 5: "Fertility rates, not just population size, shape environmental impact."

Closed-Ended: What is Total Fertility Rate (TFR)?
Open-Ended: How do fertility rates affect a country’s resource use and carbon footprint?

Unit 4: Earth Systems and Resources

QFocus Image: Diagram of plate tectonics or cross-section of soil horizons

Why it works: Sparks discussion of natural disasters, soil formation, and Earth processes. Can lead into weathering, erosion, or nutrient cycling.

QFocus 1: "The Earth is constantly reshaped by internal and external forces."

Closed-Ended: What is plate tectonics?
Open-Ended: How do natural disasters influence human settlement patterns?

QFocus 2: "Water, air, and soil are dynamic, limited, and vital."

Closed-Ended: What is the composition of Earth's atmosphere?
Open-Ended: What challenges exist in managing Earth's freshwater resources?

QFocus 3: "Soil is a living resource."

Closed-Ended: What are the main components of soil?
Open-Ended: How do soil properties influence agricultural productivity?

QFocus 4: "Atmospheric circulation patterns drive weather and climate."

Closed-Ended: What causes Hadley cells to form?
Open-Ended: How do changes in global wind patterns affect climate systems?

QFocus 5: "Access to freshwater is a source of both cooperation and conflict."

Closed-Ended: What are aquifers?
Open-Ended: How can international cooperation help manage shared water resources?

Unit 5: Land and Water Use

QFocus Image: Aerial image of industrial agriculture, strip mining, or large-scale irrigation system

Why it works: Great for discussing environmental consequences of land use, such as habitat loss, soil degradation, or water overuse.

QFocus 1: "Not all land use is sustainable."

Closed-Ended: What is deforestation?
Open-Ended: How can urban planning reduce the environmental footprint of land use?

QFocus 2: "Agriculture feeds the world — and threatens the planet."

Closed-Ended: What is monoculture farming?
Open-Ended: How can agricultural practices be modified to reduce environmental harm?

QFocus 3: "The Tragedy of the Commons plays out on land and in water."

Closed-Ended: What is the Tragedy of the Commons?
Open-Ended: How can regulations prevent overuse of shared resources?

QFocus 4: "Public lands serve many masters: conservation, recreation, and extraction."

Closed-Ended: What is the difference between national parks and national forests?
Open-Ended: How should we balance conservation and resource use on public lands?

QFocus 5: "Global fisheries are collapsing under the weight of human demand."

Closed-Ended: What is overfishing?
Open-Ended: What policies can help restore and maintain sustainable fish populations?

Unit 6: Energy Resources and Consumption

QFocus Image: Infographic comparing fossil fuel, nuclear, and renewable energy use

Why it works: Promotes analysis of energy sources, efficiency, sustainability, and human impact.

QFocus 1: "Every energy choice has a cost."

Closed-Ended: What is the difference between renewable and nonrenewable energy?
Open-Ended: How can energy policy balance environmental protection with economic growth?

QFocus 2: "Fossil fuels power the world — and warm the planet."

Closed-Ended: What are the major types of fossil fuels?
Open-Ended: What are the environmental and health impacts of fossil fuel extraction and use?

QFocus 3: "The sun is the original source of most energy on Earth."

Closed-Ended: How does solar energy power ecosystems?
Open-Ended: What are the limitations of current solar energy technologies?

QFocus 4: "Efficiency and conservation are as important as new energy sources."

Closed-Ended: What is energy efficiency?
Open-Ended: How can individuals and communities reduce energy consumption?

QFocus 5: "Energy poverty is both an economic and environmental issue."

Closed-Ended: What is energy poverty?
Open-Ended: How does lack of access to clean energy affect human development?

Unit 7: Atmospheric Pollution

QFocus Image: Great Smog of 1952, 1970s Los Angelse Smog, 21st century Shanghai smog, satellite image of smog over a major city, thermal inversion diagram

Why it works: Visualizes air quality, human health effects, and pollutant sources. Could lead into Clean Air Act, smog formation, or ozone.

QFocus 1: "You can't always see air pollution, but it's still there."

Closed-Ended: What are common invisible air pollutants?
Open-Ended: What are the long-term health effects of chronic air pollution exposure?

QFocus 2: "Air quality affects ecosystems as much as it affects lungs."

Closed-Ended: What is acid rain?
Open-Ended: How does air pollution alter ecosystems over time?

QFocus 3: "Climate and air pollution are deeply connected."

Closed-Ended: What is the greenhouse effect?
Open-Ended: How does reducing air pollution also help mitigate climate change?

QFocus 4: "Policy and technology can clean the air — if implemented."

Closed-Ended: What laws regulate air quality in the U.S.?
Open-Ended: What are the challenges in enforcing air pollution regulations globally?

QFocus 5: "Some pollutants come from nature; others come from tailpipes and smokestacks."

Closed-Ended: What are natural sources of air pollution?
Open-Ended: How should policymakers address both natural and anthropogenic sources of pollution?

Unit 8: Aquatic and Terrestrial Pollution

QFocus Image: Cuyahoga River on fire, 21st century River Ganges, wastewater effluent pipe flowing into river, plastic pollution in oceans, algae bloom, or open landfill

Why it works: Sparks discussion on point vs nonpoint pollution, bioaccumulation, and environmental regulation.

QFocus 1: “Throw it away? There is no away.”

Close-Ended: Is "away" a real place where trash can go permanently? Do landfills eventually run out of space? Are incinerators a clean method of waste disposal?
Open-Ended: What does it mean to say "there is no away"? How does the concept of "there is no away" apply to plastic waste? What are the environmental and social consequences of exporting waste? What solutions exist to break the cycle of waste in a throwaway society?

QFocus 2: "Pollution doesn’t stay where it starts."

Closed-Ended: What is nonpoint source pollution?
Open-Ended: How do pollutants travel from land into oceans and lakes?

QFocus 3: "Plastic outlives its purpose — and its user."

Closed-Ended: How long does it take for plastic to break down?
Open-Ended: What are the long-term ecological impacts of plastic pollution?

QFocus 4: "Toxic substances travel through food chains."

Closed-Ended: What is biomagnification? How is biomagnification different from bioaccumulation?
Open-Ended: How do toxins like mercury affect top predators?

QFocus 5: "Human sewage waste is a major environmental issue."

Closed-Ended: What happens during sewage treatment?
Open-Ended: How can developing countries improve waste treatment infrastructure?

QFocus 6: "One person’s trash is another ecosystem’s disaster."

Closed-Ended: What are landfills?
Open-Ended: How do waste management practices differ between countries?

Unit 9: Global Change

QFocus Images: Historic atmospheric CO2 levels paired with the statement “this is the perhaps most important geophysical measurement of the 20th century.”, before-and-after photos of a glacier receding over time, or a coral reef bleaching event

Why it works: Students might ask, “Has CO₂ increased every year since the Keeling Curve began?” or “Why does the curve show a zigzag pattern within its overall upward trend?” or “Is the Keeling Curve based on direct measurements?” The receding glacier shows climate change effects. The coral bleaching image demonstrates ecosystem disruption, and this can lead to a deeper discussion about adaptation vs. mitigation strategies.

QFocus 1: "Climate change is a symptom — not the disease."

Closed-Ended: What are greenhouse gases?
Open-Ended: What underlying human behaviors contribute to climate change?

QFocus 2: "Global changes have local consequences."

Closed-Ended: What are examples of local impacts of sea level rise?
Open-Ended: How can communities adapt to the environmental changes they are experiencing?

QFocus 3: "Species are disappearing faster than they are being discovered."

Closed-Ended: What is the current rate of species extinction?
Open-Ended: How does climate change contribute to biodiversity loss?

QFocus 4: "Not all carbon emissions are created equal."

Closed-Ended: Which sectors contribute the most to global carbon emissions?
Open-Ended: How can carbon footprint reduction strategies be tailored to different regions?

QFocus 5: "What we do now affects generations we’ll never meet."

Closed-Ended: What international agreements aim to address climate change?
Open-Ended: What ethical responsibilities do we have to future generations regarding environmental protection?