Year 6 - Raging Rivers

Learning Objectives Key Vocabulary Activities Resources

Key Questions
What do we already know about rivers and streams?
What more can we find out? Where can we find information?
 Use a variety of river Getting a feel for streams and rivers – classroom roundabout of River picture packs
resources to investigate stream activities or selection of items on each table to investigate. Time (Itchen)
rivers and streams source to discuss rivers and streams, what they already know, stories River photographs.
 Get a feel for their they have! River works of art
forms, locations and  River picture packs. packs/posters.
activity.  River photographs. River poems/stories.
 River works of art – art packs/posters. River reference books –
 River poems/stories. big books.
 River references books – big books. Atlases
 Atlases and wall maps to investigate World Rivers – facts River terms .
and figures (biggest, longest etc.)
 Playing with river terms – match up name and explanation
cards. Brainstorm words they know which are associated
with rivers – create class list of vocabulary (whether they
know meaning or not).

 To know the elements in water cycle Recap water cycle – washing line of terms in wrong order class to Cartoon strips
the water cycle. evaporation sort out (only a recap – don’t over do it please just Washing line
condensation revisit/reinforce). Terms
precipitation Write the story of a water droplet its journey through the Pictures of Water Cycle
source water cycle. Show examples of cartoon strips and ask children
cloud to write their own short cartoon strip from the view of the
water droplet (e.g. Wally Waterdroplet).

Key Questions
What do you think will happen to your created river?
How can we label and explain the processes and names of river systems?
  Have an understanding of mouth Playground Rivers - mix of peat, pea gravel,
river processes and source Creating a river system on slope of playground using a mix of sand and soil
patterns. meander peat, pea gravel, sand and soil – then hosing water over to see
 understand riverine ox-bow lake what happens. (See Instruction Booklet). watering can
vocabulary tributary plastic sheet
 produce labelled delta Children first predict the course of the river and then place string
annotated diagrams of erosion river terms once created.
rivers created on deposition cardboard for labels
playground – label, landscape Once practical activity is complete write up:
describe and explain transportation 1) an annotated diagram explaining how to make the river e.g. marker pens
process. confluence equipment needed, instructions on what we did – predictions,
waterfall creating river, labelling. County website has
estuary 2) What the river shows– annotated diagrams of river created instructions for making
channel – labels, descriptions and explanations e.g. Deposition = is playground rivers
lake where the river slows down and loses energy and the rivers
hill load is dropped on the side of the river where the water
mountain flows more slowly.
valley
physical features
Key Question
What is Petty’s Brook like?
source Petty’s Brook Mystery Local maps showing Petty’s
 To identify some of the meander Brook scale1:10,000 or
physical aspects of a local tributary ‘Where do I start and where do I go?’ - Mystery stream – solve smaller
river using secondary sources. mouth it!
Using maps locate source and mouth of our river.

Children draw a maplet of Petty’s Brook to show its course. Use

grid references
  Develop observational
skills
 Use fieldwork techniques.
 To identify and describe
physical aspects of a local
river first hand
 Present findings clearly
using text, maps and
diagrams
Key Question
What is the River Itchen like?
flood Visit Petty’s Brook – Petty’s Brook Detectives Risk assessment
flood plain
water speed Letter from South-East Water Agency 1:10,000 and smaller scale
flow ‘We appear to have lost our records on Petty’s Brook between x maps of Petty’s Brook
rate of flow and y in Chineham.
depth Dog biscuits! (that float!)
bank As we are in charge of managing rivers in your region it is crucial
human features that our records are up to date. Cameras
maplet
cross section/ Last year we were criticised when areas flooded so we need to Tape measures /
profile/ know as much as possible about our streams and rivers.’ Measuring sticks
transect drawing
During visit children produce annotated maplet of a section of Stop watch
Petty’s brook. Measure width, depth, speed of flow.
wellies
Write a report for the agency, using their own statistics.
Assessment activity:
Maplet/letter to include:
- Annotated diagrams of river/stream – labels + description of
what is happening.
- Information gathered about speed, width and depth of the
stream.
- Information gathered on erosion and deposition hotspots
(could be marked on diagram of stream).
- Evidence of any human interactions.
  Research a local river journey
using maps, photos and
the internet.
 Identify and explain
physical features of the
river.
Read – The Waters Journey, Schmid, E. Maps
Explain that the children are going to research a local river
(River Itchen) – use virtual tour on Hampshire County Website Copies of River Itchen
as start point. Use maps (pinned onto wall) and websites below to photo trail
locate and follow the river from source to mouth.
Questions sheet to use
In groups produce own version of The Waters Journey about the when investigating river
River Itchen – make into a book using photos from web or on website.
pictures drawn – each group could produce own book or each
group work on a different section of the river. Virtual tour of River
Itchen on Hants County
ICT LINK – use Word to paste pictures into an add text, sound website
and graphics.

Hants county website = county intranet then curriculum –

geography – examples of work – virtual tour of Itchen (and
others).
www.multimap.co.uk
www.streetmap.co.uk
www.upmystreet.co.uk
www.192.com (zoom in and it goes to aerial pictures)

Key Question
How is the River Itchen different from a larger regional river (Usk)?
  Compare and contrast two national Compare local river (River Itchen) to a regional river (River Usk) River flight video
rivers using a Venn regional
diagram. local CHILDREN WILL NEED TO HAVE WATCHED RIVER FLIGHT Post-its
 Identify features that VIDEO PRIOR TO THIS SESSION.
are the same and PE Hoops
different about the Ask the children about what their memories of the River Itchen
rivers. are (Itchen Memories) - record on postcard sized bits of paper. Notes from watching
 Ask geographical video
questions. Compare Regional River (Usk) to Itchen – similarities and
differences.

Make a large Venn diagram using big PE hoops.

Use Venn to draw out features that are:

- Only seen at the R. Itchen.
- Only seen at the R. Usk.
- Seen at both rivers.

Record as a comparison between the two rivers – e.g. record

Venn and bullet point the features above.

Key Question
What features do rivers have?
 Research aspects of Play ‘river snap’ – match terms to pictures River snap game
rivers using books and Extra cards
internet. Use two sets of cards for each group of 4 children (mixed River vocabulary words on
 Use geographical ability). Play ‘snap’ – call when two pictures or two names match cards for glossary
vocabulary associated or a picture and a name match.
with rivers.
Take each picture in turn and write a definition for it onto
another snap card. Add other cards in to game for vocabulary
associated with rivers.

Feed back terms and definitions. Display as a class glossary of

terms.
Key Question
What can we learn about World Rivers?
 Research and present international
information about a well
known world river to a
group.
Secret River Scavengers - Card with rivers on - Need
Scavenger Hunts – world rivers. to emphasise secret.
Facts and Figures – amaze your friends!!
Brainstorm with class what scavengers do – e.g. collect Crib sheet attached to
information. Explain that each group (3-4) is going to investigate copy and give to helpers.
a secret world river.
Atlases
One lesson to collect information. May need to be based in ICT
suite with books and then send each group off to scavenge from Resouce books – rivers
library or people).
Pictures/photos of rivers
How:
- Each group is given an envelope with the name of their ICT suite
secret river in – Amazon, Mississippi, Nile, Ganges, Rhine,
and Yellow River.
- Then have to hunt for information using the following
sources – book box, Library, Pictures/photos displayed,
internet searches, maps and atlases, asking people (need
to rope in some willing assistants TAs, parent helper, to
have crib sheets with info on so children can come and
secretively ask if they know anything about their river).
- Groups will need time (another lesson) to prepare their
presentations where they will present 10 clues (hardest
clue first down to very easy) to rest of class so they can
try to guess/work out the group’s secret river.
Key Question
What have we learnt about rivers?
Present information about rivers
clearly and in an eye catching way.
Summarise what they have learnt
during the study unit.
Raging Rivers
Assessment activity:
Final piece of work – either pairs or group work to produce their
own ‘Raging Rivers’ booklet/video/virtual tour/poster – the
format can be their choice if given the options.
They should use the Raging Rivers Horrible Geography book as a
source of ideas and inspiration!
They need to look back over the term and produce a piece of
work that could be used next time year 6 do the rivers unit to
help them to understand rivers and learn more about them (a
general look at Rivers not any specific one).
Must include:
- A map of a river – labelled and terms explained.
- Descriptions of particular features.
- Facts and figures about World Rivers.