What is a river?

ACTIVITY ONE : Exploring Children's Concepts of Rivers.

Unpackage the children's existing knowledge about rivers in a whole class discussion session, or alternatively let the children discuss the answer to the questions below in a small group format (about 4 is best) and then report back to the whole class after approximately 15-20 minutes. It is a good idea to tell the children to write down some of their ideas to the questions so that they don't forget them. Ask the children questions such as:

- Write down 2 things that you know about rivers.

- Who has ever seen a river before?

- What is the name of this river?

- Where is this river found?

- What was this river like?

- What colour was the water?

- Where do you think a river begins? Explain your answer.

- Where do you think a river ends? Explain your answer.

- Do you think rivers look the same from beginning to end? Explain your answer.

- Do you think all the rivers around the World look exactly the same? Explain your answer.

- Try to name 3 ways in which rivers might be different from one another.

- Try to name 3 ways in which rivers are similar.

- What do you think people use rivers for?

- Why do you think rivers are important to people?

RESOURCES REQUIRED

Worksheet 1.

Pencil/Pen.

Worksheet 1

ACTIVITY TWO : River Video.

As a whole class watch the Gogglebox video : Rivers (approximately 12 minutes long). Pause the video after each key question to discuss what the children have just seen. Back in the classroom, you could also have another discussion as a whole class about the video so that the different concepts can be clarified.

RESOURCES REQUIRED

Gogglebox Video : Rivers.

ACTIVITY THREE : The River's Course.

This is a whole class activity and works best on a playground with a slope. Go out into the playground. Choose 3 children and using 3 watering cans full of water, pour the water gently onto the surface of the playground. You also need to get one child to gently pour a watering can of water in another location of the playground so that you make a tributary to join on the main river (this can either be done at the same time as making the river or you can do it separately before you ask the children to stand on an area of the river where another river has joined it). Get the children to watch as the water spreads out. Let the water flow all the way down to the end of the playground. The amount of watering cans full of water you will require will depend upon the size of your playground (3 large watering cans are suitable for a playground length of about 12 metres). Once the water has spread out, get the children to do the following:

- What shape is this river?

- What does this river look like?

- Why do you think this river looks like this?

- Go and stand on the beginning of the river.

- What is the proper name for the start of a river?

- Go and stand on the end of the river?

- What is the proper name for the end of a river?

- Go and stand where you think the mountains would be in this river.

- Why are you standing there? (The children should be standing somewhere close to the source and it is important that they realise that the source always starts in the mountains).

- Go and stand where you think the sea would be in this river? (The children should be standing by the mouth and it is important that they realise that a river mouth is always by the sea).

- Go and stand by a place where another river has joined the main river. 

- What is this called?

- How many tributaries has this river got?

- Go and stand on the main channel of the river. (The children should be standing on the part of the river).

- Go and stand on a bend in the river.

- What is the proper name for this bend?

- Now go and stand on another meander in the river.

NOTE YOU SHOULD GET THE CHILDREN TO WALK TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS. .

Back in the classroom, worksheet 2 can be used as a follow up exercise to ascertain what the children have learnt from the practical activity.

RESOURCES REQUIRED

Watering cans.

A playground or tarmac area with a slope.

Worksheet 2.

Worksheet 2

ACTIVITY FOUR : The Course Of A River.

Before starting this activity, you should be aware that this is an alternative activity to Activity Three (above), as much of this activity is a repetition of above. However this activity better shows the relationship of how rivers travel through hills and mountains.

Place the plastic tray on a bench and then put two house bricks under one end to create a slope down to the open end. The plastic bucket should be placed at the open end so that it can catch any sand and water. Fill the tray with sand.

The aim o he activity is to create the pattern of a river flowing across the sandy landscape. The children need to create raised hill/mountainous areas round the to of the tray. At the raised end (top) of the tray the children should slowly (I mean slowly so that the sand doesn't wash away) pour about 2 litres of water from the watering can using the rose.

The water should flow down the slope and start to create a channel. The children should note the shape of the channel, if the river makes any bends and how the water flows differently in the hills and mountains to the flatter areas. If your school has a digital camera, the children may wish to photograph their river channel and glue it in their books. This photo could them be annotated by labelling various features of the river (meander, source, tributary, mouth etc.).

Note if there are specific teaching points you wish to relay to the children, you might find it better to create the sandy landscape yourself. This activity can also be varied by placing stones across the river to create a dam; by pouring the water faster so that it creates flood conditions; by making a waterfall by placing stones across the whole tray; by varying the shape, size and positioning of the mountains. Furthermore this activity can also be used to show flooding, the effects of dams on rivers etc. in the appropriate sections of these planning activities.

NOTE IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO TEST THIS ACTIVITY OUT PRIOR TO USING IT WITH THE CHILDREN AS IT REQUIRES SOME EXPERIMENTATION BEFORE USE.

RESOURCES REQUIRED

A plastic tray 2m x 1m x 6cm (minimum size) with one of the shorter sides removed.

Sand.

A Watering can with a rose.

A plastic bucket.

2 house bricks.

A bench or old table to place the plastic tray on.

WorksheetsTeacher Planning Key Questions Page