Natural and man-made features

These activities will build up specialist vocabulary such as channel, dam, delta, estuary, gorge, lake, meander, mouth, reservoir, river, sea, source, stream, tributary, valley, waterfall, plunge pool, upper course, middle course, lower course etc.

ACTIVITY ONE : The different features of a river system.

Watch the Gogglebox : Rivers video again so that the children are familiar with the different features of the river. While they are watching the video get the children to make a list of all the different features of a river in their books.

After the video get the children to complete Worksheet 3 (working in groups of 3 or 4) as this will help them organise what they have seen on the video.

Worksheet 3 and Worksheet 4

RESOURCES REQUIRED

Worksheet 3

Googlebox: Rivers video

Books - see resource list

ACTIVITY TWO : River Systems.

Divide the children into groups of 3 or 4. Tell them that they are going to look for pictures of river features so that the class as a whole can make a big display. Ask the children where they would look for this information (expected answers would be books, CD ROMS but photos, magazines, newspapers etc. are also possible sources). You may also wish to tell the children about this work before the actual lesson so that they could look for photos and other sources at home (perhaps set it as a homework task over a weekend). This activity also works best if it is organised so that no more than 2 or 3 groups are working at the same time, otherwise there would be an overload on the resources with many children waiting for books, the scanner, CD ROM's etc. which defeats the purpose of this lesson. The children need to find at least 6 pictures for each course of the river.

Once each group has found their pictures (expect duplications if they all have access to the same books, software etc.) choose 4 children and get them to choose the best 6 or 7 pictures for each course (the amount of pictures you choose will greatly depend on the size of the display board in question). Then choose another 7 children to write a definition of each feature (word processed is best) to go with the picture. The remaining children can help mount and display the work.

Note if the children bring in photos, it is a good idea to scan them using a scanner and print out a picture so that you can build a resource bank and use these photos for future years.

RESOURCES REQUIRED

A selection of books, CD ROM's (see resource list), photos, magazines, newspapers, Travel Brochures etc., each depicting a river feature.

Computers, Printer and Scanner.

Scissors

Mounting Paper

Glue

ACTIVITY THREE : Simple River Systems.

For this activity, it is a good idea to get the children to work individually as you can use their answers to the worksheet for assessment purposes. Give the children a copy of both Worksheet 5 and (both questions and drawing sheet). 

RESOURCES REQUIRED

Worksheet 4.

ACTIVITY FOUR : Features of a River System.

For this activity get the children to brainstorm in pairs all the different features of a river system. Give them 5 minutes and at the end get the children to count up the amount of features that they have written down. Ask each group how many they thought of. Then as a class make a list on the board. 

Then ask the children questions such as:

- Who knows what the source is? Then ask for a definition from one child. Repeat using other familiar words such as tributary, mouth, meander etc.

- Are there any features on the board which you don't know? Hear the list of suggestions and underline them in a different colour. At this point you have two choices; either you can ask if any children know what the features are and get them to give a definition; or you can suggest that the children use books and sources to find out for themselves. I suggest that the latter is a good idea if you have taught the topic more than once because one of the subsequent activities is to get the children (either in pairs or individually) to produce either a river dictionary or an annotated river poster. If you keep originals or photocopies of these pieces of work, you can use them as reference tools with the children for future years.

Depending on what you choose to do, the children will still be able to do Worksheet 6.

RESOURCES REQUIRED

Worksheet 5.

Books, CD ROM's, Dictionaries, Previous Children's Work.

ACTIVITY FIVE : A River Collage.

This can either be done as a whole class display whereby each child contributes to part of the display; or children can produce their own collages either individually in pairs. Either way the principle behind the work is the same.

Get the children to decide which features they will show on their collage. They should make a list first using Worksheet 7 as well as stating which resources they will need to successfully complete their task. You should encourage the children not to show too many features (around 10 to 12 is best).

Give the children a piece of A3 (minimum size) paper. Get them to draw a border and write a title on the top of the paper (the paper should be placed in a landscape orientation). Explain to the children how to make a collage by building up the layers starting with the big pieces first such as the mountains and then putting on the smaller features. Remind the children that it is a good idea to sketch their river system onto the paper first so that they have some idea of what it will look like and so that they know what sizes to cut their collage materials to.

After the children have finished get them to produce some word processed label for their river features and glue them onto their collage. 

RESOURCES REQUIRED

A3 size paper (minimum size).

A variety of colours of tissue paper, crepe paper, coloured paper, cotton wool, and materials to use for the features.

Scissors.

Glue.

ACTIVITY SIX : Deltas.

Explain what a delta is; alternatively get the children to look up the meaning of delta in a dictionary. Then get the children to do Worksheet 8 and Worksheet 9 (this worksheet deals with the sea/ocean the river flows into). Note that not all the rivers in Worksheet 9 have deltas but it provides a good contrast for the children. At the end get the children to find out the names of other rivers in the World which have a delta by using an atlas.

RESOURCES REQUIRED

Worksheet 8.

Worksheet 9.

Dictionaries.

ACTIVITY SEVEN : More Complex River Systems.

For these activities it is a good idea to have a quiz to start the lesson whereby you and your children can recap on the various features of a river system. It will also help the children to remember what they have already learnt, and give them a chance to ask any questions about what they don't understand.

For this activity you will need to give the children a copy of Worksheet 10 and  Worksheet 11 (note for this activity the children need to have access to the photos contained in the photo gallery section. The photos may either be in a book, or on the wall). These activities are more complex than the others and may require more explanation from the teacher. Alternatively, the children could work in pairs as the less able members of the class may find this work challenging. It is also important to note that these activities should be done as two separate activities in two separate lessons as they are quite time-consuming.

RESOURCES REQUIRED

Worksheet 10.

Worksheet 11.

ACTIVITY EIGHT : Waterfalls.

As a starting point for this activity, it is a good idea to get the children to find a picture of a waterfall and bring it to the lesson. They can either find this picture for homework or can look for one at breaktime/lunchtime etc. Make sure that the children know what country/countries their waterfall is located in. Once every child has a picture, they can find the location of their waterfall in an atlas. In pairs get the children to find out how waterfalls are formed (including diagrams) using information from books; alternatively the children could watch the appropriate section of the Gogglebox Video again as this provides a good explanation. To end the lesson it is a good idea to discuss with the children how waterfalls are formed and discuss what they have learnt. As an extension activity the children could draw a table and make a list of waterfalls and associated facts (location, height, type etc.).

As an alternate approach to this lesson, Worksheet 12 and Worksheet 13 could be used.

RESOURCES REQUIRED

Worksheet 12.

Worksheet 13.

Reference Books.

Atlas.

Gogglebox Video.

ACTIVITY NINE : Waterfall Posters.

As a starting point for this activity, it is a good idea to recap on how waterfalls are formed. Start this activity by asking if any of the children have seen or visited a waterfall (if they have this is an excellent opportunity for using first hand evidence). Then ask the children what words they would use to describe a waterfall (beautiful, majestic, splendid, gorgeous etc.) and make a list of these on the board. Explain that waterfalls are often considered a tourist attraction and discuss with the children what this means. For this activity the children need to choose one of the following waterfalls; Niagara Falls, Iguassu Falls or the Victoria Falls. The children may have already chosen one of these waterfalls for Activity Eight, or may have done Worksheet 13, but if neither have been done the children need to find out basic information such as the location (country/countries and continent), find the location in an atlas, the height/width of the waterfalls, how people might get there (you might need to write to the appropriate Consulate in London to find out travel information [times, routes, mode of transport]).  

The aim for this activity is to get the children to design an advert enticing people to visit either the Niagara, Iguassu or Victoria Falls. The advert needs to contain information about how to get there, the location of the falls, entrance price, opening times, what people can see and do there, a picture plus some words to describe the waterfall. The teacher may wish to discuss with the children first about what they think should go on the advert before telling the children. The children can either do a hand drawn or computerised version. Worksheet 14 is a guide to planning the waterfall poster.

RESOURCES REQUIRED

Photos/pictures of waterfalls.

Worksheet 14.

Paper and colouring pens/pencils.

Computers.

ACTIVITY TEN : Waterfall Poems.

As a starting point for this activity discuss with the children what they already know about waterfalls. Tell the children that they are going to write a waterfall poem and get hem to make a list in pairs of all the different words to describe a waterfall (both creative and factual) plus a list of waterfall names - encourage them to use their previous work plus dictionaries and thesaurus'. After approximately 10 minutes get the children to report back.

The children can either write a general waterfall poem or one about a specific waterfall using the letters of that particular waterfall.

RESOURCES REQUIRED

Photos.

Dictionaries and Thesaurus'.

ACTIVITY ELEVEN : 3D River Models.

Organise the children into groups of 4. Explain to them that they are going to make a paper mache model of a hypothetical river system. Get the children to plan which features they will show on their river system for each course using Worksheet 15 as a guide. Then explain to them how to make the model.

STEP 1 : Using the cardboard base (Tesco's fruit boxes are best [make sure that the teacher cuts the sides off to just leave the bottom]), get the children to write their names onto the cardboard base (preferably in the centre).

STEP 2 : Align the cardboard base so that it is portrait way up. Screw up pieces of newspaper (single sheets) into loose ball like shapes. Place the newspaper onto the cardboard at one end and fix to the cardboard base using a staple gun. Ensure that the staples go through the cardboard base and have a clay board or another piece of cardboard underneath to protect the work surface. Also ensure that the children are using the staple gun safely. Repeat this process until about one quarter to one third of the cardboard base is filled up (this newspaper forms the mountain section). The children can staple screwed up newspaper on top of previously fixed newspaper.

STEP 3 : Using paper mache (Homebase wall paper paste mixed to a fairly thick consistency is best), get the children to cover the mountains. The children need to use fairly small pieces of white paper (long strips are best initially followed by smaller rounded pieces) to cover the mountains. The children need to make sure that the long strips of paper (covered in wall paper paste [dip into a container]) are wet enough and cover the screwed up newspaper, and most important is that these strips overlap the back and the sides of the base. Where the screwed up newspaper meets the edge of the base, paper mache strips need to cover both the newspaper and be overlapped onto the back of the base otherwise the mountains will collapse. Also ensure that the children use about three layers of paper mache. Once the mountains have been paper mached, the children need to paper mache the flat area in front of the mountains (large pieces of paper are okay for this part), also ensuring that the paper mache strips overlap the back of the base.

STEP 4 : Leave the base to dry (it takes approximately 48-72 hours). Once the base is dry, get the children to paint it green. Extra embellishments for the mountains such as cotton wool to denote snow etc. Can also be added at this stage.

STEP 5 : Plan the course of the river first (draw on the model using pencil) making sure that the features from Worksheet 15 are included in each course.

STEP 6 : Paint the river blue.

STEP 7 : Make some some computerised labels for each feature of the river model. Fix these labels in place when the river part is dry.

STEP 8 : This is optional. Get the children to write a set of instructions about how they made their river model. OR Write a description of the river model explaining all the different features in detail.

RESOURCES REQUIRED

Cardboard Bases (Tesco's fruit boxes are good for this). The teacher should cut the bases using a craft knife.

Wall Paper paste (Homebase or Woolworths own brand is good).

Staple guns.

Newspaper.

White paper (do not use coloured paper or newspaper as it will show through the paint).

Green and blue paint (Crayola paint works well).

Cotton wool for the mountains.

Aprons.

Newspaper to cover the work surfaces.

Extra cardboard/clay boards for protection when using a staple gun.

Computers.

A place to leave the models so that they can dry.

ACTIVITY TWELVE : River Poems.

In pairs get the children to make a list of words associated with rivers, both river features and other more general words. Explain tot he children that they are gong to write a poem about a river. Suggested ideas for the poem include a poem about a specific river a general poem about rivers, a poem where the first line of the poem uses the letters of the river's name (e.g. River Danube), a poem about a drop of water and it's journey from the source to the sea, and a poem with three verses each one about one of a river's courses (upper, middle and lower).

RESOURCES REQUIRED

Dictionaries and Thesaurus'.

Photos, river books and other information about rivers.

ACTIVITY THIRTEEN : River Dictionary OR River Poster.

For this activity there are several options. Firstly the children can either work individually or in pairs. Secondly, all the children can either do a river dictionary or can do a river poster. Thirdly the children can choose whether they want to do a river dictionary or a poster. Fourthly the teacher can decide what best suits the needs of the children. Note however that due to the drawing aspect of the river poster many children do in fact see this as the easier option. In reality however this is a slightly harder option than the dictionary.

For both choices discuss with the children what the purpose of a dictionary is and how it is used. Explain to the children what they are going to be doing : either a dictionary to explain different features of a river in the upper, middle and lower course; OR a poster of different river features with writing beside the features to explain what they are. Give the children the planning sheets to fill in Worksheet 16 (river dictionary) and Worksheet 17 (river poster). Note that there is repetition in both worksheets of the work done on previous worksheets. Furthermore the children should already have a good understanding of the natural features of a river, and this is a way of both assessing that understanding and getting them to present it in a different way. However the parts about the man-made/artificial features of a river are completely new and will require the children to research this information from books and other sources. The teacher may wish to do a lesson first about the different man-made features of a river, and Worksheet 18 can be used as a starting point for this work.

RESOURCES REQUIRED

Worksheet 16 and/or Worksheet 17.

Dictionaries.

River Books, CD ROM's, Photos, other information.

A2 sized paper (river posters).

Computers.

ACTIVITY FOURTEEN : River Systems For Each Other.

For this activity the children need to work in pairs. It is recommended that children of similar ability work together. The children need to design a river systems diagram with questions to get their partner to complete. This activity is based on the river systems activities done previously.

The children need to include 5 questions which require written answers, and 6 questions which require labelling, drawing or colouring on the diagram. They can refer to their river systems worksheets already done previously. This is more an open-ended activity and the children are free to choose their layout although it is suggested that they use their previously completed worksheets as a starting point and reference guide to their own work.

RESOURCES REQUIRED

Previously completed Worksheets.

Worksheet 19.

River Books and other information.

Plain A4 sized paper.

Pencils, rulers etc.

Worksheets Teacher Planning Key Questions Page