River Studies
Programme: RIVER STUDIES (exploring river processes at Wolseley)
Suitable for Key Stage 2 and 3, available as a full-day activity.
Using the River Trent and it’s catchment, River Studies allows pupils to investigate the physical processes that affect a river as well as exploring it’s vital role in the landscape and ecosystems surrounding it. Pupils will collect and analyse simple data to compare sections of the river as well as sampling for aquatic life and identifying using keys.
ACTIVITY DETAILS
River Studies begins in the classroom with a discussion about river processes. Pupils are asked about different river features they might expect to see on a rivers journey from source to sea – using the Trent as an example. Pictures are used to illustrate. Class is then taken through the processes (erosion and deposition) that they might see at different points on a river. An outline of the day activity is given, including health and safety, background information to the site and the River Trent at Wolseley.
Studying the River
Pupils are given workbooks and at various points along the river will study:
Suitable for Key Stage 2 and 3, available as a full-day activity.
Using the River Trent and it’s catchment, River Studies allows pupils to investigate the physical processes that affect a river as well as exploring it’s vital role in the landscape and ecosystems surrounding it. Pupils will collect and analyse simple data to compare sections of the river as well as sampling for aquatic life and identifying using keys.
ACTIVITY DETAILS
River Studies begins in the classroom with a discussion about river processes. Pupils are asked about different river features they might expect to see on a rivers journey from source to sea – using the Trent as an example. Pictures are used to illustrate. Class is then taken through the processes (erosion and deposition) that they might see at different points on a river. An outline of the day activity is given, including health and safety, background information to the site and the River Trent at Wolseley.
Studying the River
Pupils are given workbooks and at various points along the river will study:
- Draw a diagram of the river at two contrasting sites – pupils will be asked to consider direction of flow, evidence of erosion & deposition and patterns of flow (such as eddies & riffles)
- They will be asked to make assumptions based on those diagrams about speed of water flow & depth of water at various points
- They will consider the bed of the river, i.e. can they see it? Is it made up of pebbles or mud? Etc
- Pupils will measure pH of the river and make comparisons with readings taken from the lake &pool and discuss why they might differ.
- Pupils will work out the speed of the river flow by taking measurements and using simple formula
- Pupils will look at land use and discuss which is the most common along the stretch of the river we can see.
- Pupils will kick sample along a shallow stretch to collect invertebrates and carry out the following:
- Identification of each invertebrate using a simple key.
- Looking at how species are adapted to their environment (for example how they move).
- Finally pupils will be asked to consider the historical use of the river, how it might have changed and how it might look in the future.
Return to classroom
Having started a settling experiment at lunchtime (river bed sediment in a jam jar) – the class will then look at the river jars to see what the river bed looks like and draw diagrams. Pupils will then see how it compares to a set of ‘classroom standard jars’ and make assumptions about the material based on their evidence.
CURRICULUM LINKS
Key Stage 2
River Studies links with National Curriculum attainment targets in Geography, English, Science and Mathematics.
English Speaking & Listening (1, 2, 3)
Reading (3c, 7, )
Writing (1a-e, 9b, 9c, 9d 10)
Mathematics Handling Data (1a, 1c, 1e, 2f)
Breadth of Study (1e)
Science Scientific enquiry (2a, 2b, 2e, 2g, 2i, 2j, 2k)
Life processes and living things (4a, 4b, 4c, 5a, 5d,)
Geography Geographical enquiry (1a, 1b, 1c, 2a, 2b)
Knowledge & Understanding (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e,
Patterns & Processes (4)
This activity sheet is available to download as a word document from the right hand side.
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