Lower Key Stage 2 Mountains, Rivers and Coasts

The Journey of a River

Learn about how a river is formed. Follow the journey of a river and draw a sketch map of a river and the features found along the way.

Teaching Outcomes:

• To understand the nature of a river: that it flows downwards from high ground to the sea and that it has the power to erode and shape the landscape over time.
• To begin to learn geographical vocabulary associated with rivers and their features.

Children will:

• Learn how a river forms on high ground and how it changes as it journeys to the sea
• Be able to use maps, atlases and digital computer mapping to follow the journey of a river and record the place names it passes through
• Sketch a map of a river and begin to notice features along the way

• A river from source to sea

• A hose with spray attachment or a large watering can
• A muddy, gravelly or sandy outdoor slope.
• Internet access using Google maps
• A selection of coastal maps of Britain
• Photocopies of a road atlases

There are no weblinks needed for this session.

Understand the stages of a river’s journey. Learn about and develop river vocabulary and make an illustrated river words glossary. Start a river journey collage to share your knowledge!

Teaching Outcomes:

• To understand the nature of a river and how it changes on its journey from source to sea
• To begin to understand the key features of rivers, the geographical vocabulary and definitions.
• To work collaboratively, experimenting with paint, textured papers, card and fabrics to create a shared collage background for a display.

Children will:

• Understand the stages of a river’s journey from source to the sea.
• Learn the definitions of river vocabulary and make an illustrated glossary.
• Create a large shared collage background to show the journey of a river.

• Rivers
• Session 2 task sheet
• River features
• How to play the river definition game
• Group sets of the key words and definitions

• A large sheet of paper the size of your display board
• A range of collage materials

The journey of a river from its source to the sea - YouTube clip
The features of a river from bbc.co.uk

Further develop understanding of the stages of a river’s journey and learn about evaporation and its place in the water cycle. Finish the river journey collage.

Teaching Outcomes:

• To understand the nature of a river and how it changes on its journey from source to sea.
• To understand the key features of rivers, the geographical vocabulary and the water cycle.
• To work collaboratively, experimenting with paint, textured papers, card and fabrics to create a shared collage background for a display.

Children will:

• Understand the stages of a river’s journey and the meanings of river vocabulary.
• Set up an evaporation experiment with fresh water and salt water.
• Finish the large shared collage showing the journey of a river begun last week.

• Finishing the collage

• 2 plastic containers
• Table salt
• 2 measuring jugs
• 2 sticky labels
• Waterproof marker pen
• Your collage landscape background
• A range of collage materials

Some key features and concepts of rivers from bbc.co.uk
Fun video about the water cycle from bbc.co.uk

Learn about the concept of the water cycle including evaporation and condensation. Discuss and assess the evaporation experiment and look at what has been learnt. Add water cycle labels to the class river journey collage.

Teaching Outcomes:

• To understand the nature of a river and how it changes on its journey from source to sea.
• To understand the key features of rivers, the geographical vocabulary and the water cycle.
• To understand the words evaporation and condensation and the part they play in the water cycle and to know why rivers are fresh water while the sea is salty.

Children will:

• Understand the concept of the water cycle including evaporation and condensation.
• Review their evaporation experiment from last session and discover that salt stays in the sea when water evaporates from it.
• Add water cycle labels to the class River Journey collage.
• Create labelled, annotated drawings to explain the water cycle.

• The Water Cycle
• Labels
• Task sheet

• The 2 containers assigned to be Lake and Sea
• A glass mirror
• White card
• Cotton wool
• Blue/shiny paper
• A Beanbag.

Animated explanation of the water cycle - YouTube clip
More about the water cycle from kidzone.ws

Understand about what happens when a river reaches the coast. Create a leaflet about a nature reserve based at the coast and show your knowledge by playing an Estuary Quiz game!

Teaching Outcomes:

• To understand what happens as a river reaches the coast, including: estuaries, deltas, mudflats and salt marshes.
• To know why estuaries are so important for wildlife and nature reserves.

Children will:

• Understand what happens to a river as it reaches the coast including the formation of deltas, mudflats and salt marshes.
• Create a leaflet for visitors to a nature reserve that explains how mudflats and salt marshes are formed and the wildlife that inhabits them.

• Estuaries and Deltas
• 2 task sheets
• Key words and definitions

• Sticky tack
• Internet access

The later stages of a river, towards the sea from bbc.co.uk
The main features of the river from bbc.co.uk
Wildlife in Chichester Harbour from conservancy.co.uk

Learn about the ten major world rivers and the continents through which they flow.

Teaching Outcomes:

• To learn the names of a least 10 major world rivers and the continents they flow through and to begin to know some facts about major world rivers.

Children will:

• Begin to know the 7 continents of the world.
• Become familiar with at least 10 major world rivers and the continents they flow through.
• Begin to research and learn facts about major rivers of the world.

• Great rivers of the world
• Task sheet
• Resource great rivers bingo

• A globe
• A map of the World with continents and major rivers shown
• Access to the internet

Interesting facts about major rivers from sciencekids.co.nz
A good section on World Rivers from primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk
Simple major river facts from factmonster.com

Listen to a piece of classical music that represents the journey of a river. Review your knowledge of the stages of a river and begin to use this to help develop a river journey dance.

Teaching Outcomes:

• To understand the nature of a river and how it changes on its journey.
• To revise the key features of rivers and the geographical vocabulary.
• To listen and respond (both graphically and in dance) to part of a symphonic poem by Smetana that represents the journey of a river (The Moldau).

Children will:

• Listen and respond to a piece of music that represents the journey of a river.
• Recall geographical concepts and vocabulary previously learnt on the stages of a river.
• Begin to develop a dance that portrays the changing moods of the river on its journey.

• The Moldau presentation

• CD The Moldau by Bedřich Smetana
• A3 paper
• A flipchart and marker pens
• A large space

'The Moldau’ by Bedřich Smetana - YouTube clip

In this active session you will develop, refine and perform your river journey dance.

Teaching Outcomes:

• To understand the nature of a river and how it changes on its journey.
• To begin to understand the key features of rivers, the geographical vocabulary and definitions.
• To interpret music and knowledge of the journey of a river to develop a group dance performance where chn take on different roles to tell the story.

Children will:

• Use and apply geographical knowledge in a dance.
• Develop, refine and perform the dance representing the journey of a river.
• Record, analyse and evaluate the performance.

This session does not need any provided resources.

• CD The Moldau by Bedřich Smetana
• A flipchart page from last session
• A large space
• 12 Streamers of light weight fabric in aqua shades
• 3 large sheets of fabric
• Video recording equipment

The Moldau’ by Bedřich Smetana -YouTube clip

Trace the journey of a local river to the sea. Build a boat from natural materials to send on a river journey, making sure to test and improve its buoyancy and stability.

Teaching Outcomes:

• To understand the nature of a river and how it changes on its journey from source to sea.
• To know and review the key features of rivers and use the correct geographical vocabulary.
• To build a boat from natural materials using a variety of taught joining techniques.
• To test buoyancy and improve stability by experimentation and adaptations.

Children will:

• Explore the route of their local river downstream to the sea recalling knowledge and understanding of features and river related vocabulary.
• Make a boat out of natural materials using joining techniques such as lashing and pegging.

• Making a boat

• A large selection of wood
• Natural string
• Wood working tools
• Hand drills
• Different sized drill bits
• Hammers
• Wooden dowel
• Access to internet
• Cotton fabric, thread and sewing needles
• A water tray or tank

There are no weblinks needed for this session.

Revise the route of your local river downstream to the sea; Name and write a message for the finder of their boat; Finally launch their boat and wave it off on its journey to the sea.

Teaching Outcomes:

• To understand the nature of a river and how it changes on its journey from source to sea
• To know and review the key features of rivers and use the correct geographical vocabulary.
• To consider the feelings surrounding a long journey and some of the important things to consider.

Children will:

• Recall the route of their local river downstream to the sea using knowledge and understanding of features, landmarks and river related vocabulary.
• Consider the values or qualities needed to journey downstream to the sea and choose a suitable name for their boat.
• Write a message for the finder of their boat in indelible ink (and a contact class email address if desired).
• Take their model boats to a safe launch place at a local river and wave them off on their journey to the sea.

• Famous ships

• Wooden boats made in last session
• Items required to adhere to your Offsite Visits Policy

There are no weblinks needed for this session.