Students use a stream table to simulate river and watershed systems. The affect of gradient on stream flow as well as erosion and deposition are two items that students examine.

Students use topographic maps to identify parts of rivers. In addition, they discover gradient and predict changes in the channels caused by variations in water flow. Other activities include sketching a river model with a new channel...

Students evaluate geography by drawing an image in class. In this river lesson, students identify a list of vocabulary terms associated with bodies of water. Students identify how a river is formed and draw a picture of one including the...

Learners research the roles of riparian buffers and create a model that shows the role of the buffers in protecting waterways from pollution. They conduct an experiment from which they record their data in this unit which is spread over...

Students examine distribution of water and minerals. In this surface and groundwater lesson, students conduct an experiment with fresh and salt water making hypothesis and drawing conclusions about minerals. 

Students investigate water ways by conducting an experiment with classmates.  In this natural resources instructional activity, students define a watershed and identify where large ones are located within the United States. ...

Students are asked how they would gather a sample of sediment from a lake, stream, river, pond, or swamp. They discuss safety concerns involving sample collections. Students are instructed to stay out of the water and to be careful not...

Students build and experiment with a watershed to understand the effects of pollution. In this movement of water instructional activity, students work in groups creating rock formations and change the viscosity of the liquids falling...

Students discover the culture, society, geography, and history of Asia through games, food, art, and literature in this multi-day lesson about China and Japan. An exciting lesson for upper-elementary or lower-middle school classrooms.

Bridge the gaps in your knowledge of bridges. Individuals learn about bridge types by building models. The activity introduces beam bridges, arch bridges, truss bridges, and suspension bridges.

Students create a model of the land to water ratio in a large group and search for all the places water is used at their school while on a Great Water Hunt. They identify where water can be found and compare how much of world is covered...

Students examine the role of the West River in Connecticut in providing water power to local industries. In groups, they determine and discuss what needs to be considered before building along a river. They also research the other...

Fourth graders study how environmental engineers monitor water quality. They use environmental indicators to determine the quality of stream water in their area. They count the number of macroinverabrates and use the information they...

Students investigate water formations by creating a puzzle.  In this water properties lesson, students create a giant river puzzle by drawing on large butcher paper as a class, then dividing the image up into many pieces. ...

Students participate in a demonstration that helps them visualize mudflows and how they move.  In this exploratory lesson students simulate a mudflow and create an avalanche.

Students examine macro-invertebrates in order to better understand their link to the food web. Working in groups, they record observations of several areas of a stream or river, collect samples from the river bottom, and identify the...

Students build simple stream tables and vary the angle of the stream tables in order to simulate different flow rates and compare the results. They observe various features formed in a stream table by flowing water and compare these to...

Sedimentary rocks are the building blocks of this geology lesson. In it, learners discover what sedimentary rocks are and how they form. They understand the differences between the major sedimentary rock varieties and learn what types of...

Glaciers are the star of the show in this Earth science instructional activity. In it, learners gain an understanding of how glaciers are formed, how they move, and what types of landforms they create. This lesson plan is written in the...

Students watch a demonstration to introduce them to the consistency of mudflows and how they move. In groups, they compare and contrast volcanic avalanches and mudflows. They create their own model of a volcano, simulate how it erupts...

Students construct a mockup of a volcano by crumbling up newspapers and piling them into the shape of a volcano. They place a tarp over the newspapers making sure the tarp is large enough to simulate a flat area at the volcano's base....

Class members simulate a watershed with a painters drop cloth, placing objects underneath to create landscape variation, making "rain" with a watering can, and using red drink mix powder to track the path of precipitation. They observe...

Students create and conduct experiments on a "classroom river habitat." They manipulate the biotic and abiotic factors so that they are able to compare an artificially prepared river model to a naturally occurring lotic ecosystem.

Students create a three-dimensional model of the Chicago river watershed to determine the flow of the river at its mouth. They use prepared clear gelatin and topographic maps to discover that the building of canals actually reversed the...