Long ago, there was a peaceful village called Riverstead.
Fresh air filled the sky, and a clear river flowed through the town. The villagers used the river for drinking, farming, and fishing.

One day, a large factory was built upstream of the river.
Tall chimneys released thick smoke into the air. At first, the villagers did not think much about it.

Soon, the river water began to change. It looked dirty, and dead fish floated on the surface. Many villagers became sick after drinking the water.

After a terrible storm, the riverbank was covered with trash. Plastic, metal, and dark industrial waste filled the water. The once beautiful river looked sad and polluted.

Three classmates named Arin, Jesse, and Malik saw the polluted river. They were shocked by the trash floating in the water. They decided to write a science report to show the villagers how serious the pollution was.

The three students went to the river to collect samples. They tested the water and carefully wrote down their results. The tests showed that the water was unsafe to drink.

Arin, Jesse, and Malik decided to investigate the factory.
They wanted to know if it was causing the pollution.
With their notes and samples, they walked toward the factory to find the truth.

The next day, Arin, Jesse, and Malik met in their classroom. They discussed their findings and looked at the test results together. They knew they had to tell the villagers the truth about the river.