Life of a river from headwaters to the sea
This is an in class activity to demonstrate to students typical features associated with streams in different topographic settings from headwaters to the mouth of the stream.
Context
Audience: This activity is used in an introductory earth science course for non-majors.
Skills and concepts that students must have mastered: Students need a basic knowledge of erosional and depositional processes in fluvial environment and a basic understanding of river systems.
How the activity is situated in the course: This is a stand-alone exercise to help students understand fluvial systems.
Goals
Content/concepts goals for this activity: The concept goals of this exercise are (1) help students to connect fluvial landforms with the topographic setting in which they occur and (2) helpt ehm to understand the forces affecting fluvial systems.
Higher order thinking skills goals for this activity:
Other skills goals for this activity:
Description of the activity/assignment
The exercise is a virtual fly through of a river system from its headwaters in the mountains to its mouth at the ocean. As a classroom activity we travel (via satellite images) through a stream system and observe the changes in gradient, stream channel pattern, discharge, and depositional and erosional features. Students are able to observe the topographic settings in which various fluvial systems form.
Designed for a geomorphology course
Integrates geomorphology into a core course in geology
Designed for an introductory geology course
Uses online and/or real-time data
Has minimal/no quantitative component
Determining whether students have met the goals
Essay question on exam
More information about assessment tools and techniques.Download teaching materials and tips
- Activity Description/Assignment (Microsoft Word 26kB May9 08)
Other Materials
Supporting references/URLs
