This story, “Nigel the nitrate” was written summarising information from a 2021 paper Singh and Craswell about the growing problem of eutrophication by nitrate fertilisers from agricultural land (Singh and Craswell, 2021).
This piece is aimed at upper KS2, aged 9–11 years, with information embedded in relevant seductive detail to convey a challenging scientific concept in an accessible way. However, care must be taken to balance engagement with irrelevant detail, as this can reduce memory retention (Wesenberg et al., 2024).
Making use of anthropomorphism (giving human characteristics to non-human objects), the story introduces Nigel, a nitrate fertiliser ion. This helps create connectivity between the character and his real‑life role, making the concept more relatable for readers (Wan and Chen, 2021).
Another child-focused sci‑comm strategy used is orality—specifically, dialogue. By giving a non‑living character a relatable role and voice, the story evokes emotional responses. Following Nigel on his search for a home builds a connection with readers, aligning with the communication aims (McGellin et al.).
Aiming this piece at children is supported by Lawson et al. (2019), who suggest that intergenerational learning is a promising pathway for environmental change. Children aged 9–11 are less influenced by political or social pressures, making them more likely to engage with unbiased ways of thinking.