Yakima WATERS Mini Lesson
A Tale of Three Raindrops: A Watershed Writing Exercise
Targets and Assessment
WA Science Standards Addressed:
 6-8 SYSA- Any system may be thought of as
containing subsystems and as being a subsystem
of a larger system
 6-8 SYSB- The boundaries of a system can be
drawn differently depending on the features of
the system being investigated, the size of the
system, and the purpose of the investigation.
Lesson Parameters
Content Area: Physical Science, Interdisciplinary
Assessments:
 Students will accurately describe the path of
flowing water from a sub-watershed to a river
basin through a creative writing exercise and will
be assessed using the grading rubric attached.
Suggested Time: Three 45 min lessons spaced a week apart
Overview: This lesson helps students explore watersheds
and river basins. Students will build on their knowledge of
watershed boundaries as they describe the path from subwatersheds to river basin.
Grade Level: 6-8 (any grade)
Special Materials:
 Maps and atlases
Learning Outcomes:
Knowledge: Students should be able to describe the pathway that water flows from the
top of a ridge, into a sub-watershed, through a watershed, into a sub-basin, to a river
basin and out to an ocean. By the end of this lesson students will have an intimate
understanding of their regional river basin.
Skill: Students should be able to identify key features from a sub-watershed, watershed,
sub-basin and basin, including tributaries, river confluences, and geographic features
like cities, dams and aquatic and terrestrial landscape features.
Science Concept Background:
A watershed is an area of land separated by geographic barriers where precipitation
flows downstream, into larger river tributaries. The uppermost boundaries of a watershed are
mountain ridges. Gravity moves water downhill into small headwater streams which join larger
streams at confluences and form tributaries to larger waterways. Sub-watershed come
together to form watershed which come together to form sub-basin. Multiple sub-basins join
to for river basins which eventually flow out to the ocean.
Materials:
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Regional maps (road maps and atlases)- shared among small groups (2-4 students)
Photocopy of a river basin map- each student
Description of “A Tale of Three Raindrops”- each student
Grading rubric- each student
Procedure:
Key questions: What defines a watershed and river basin?
Day 1- Brainstorming and Outline
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Begin a class discussion reviewing the aspects of what defines a watershed.
Ask the class what are the boundaries of watersheds, what watershed do we live in,
which watershed come together to form the Yakima Basin, and what regional basin is
the Yakima Basin a part of.
Use the attached lesson description of “A Tale of Three Raindrops” to provide the
premise for this interdisciplinary writing exercise.
Students will brain storm as a class as to what geographical features need to be included
in their story to thoroughly describe the journey of a raindrop from the top of a
mountain out to the Pacific Ocean. This should include all the elements listed on the
attached rubric.
Students will use the regional maps to determine the route their raindrop travels.
During the first class period students should create an outline identifying all the key
components of their story and trace on their photocopied map the route their rain drop
will follow.
As homework students will write a creative essay entitled “A Tale of Three Raindrops”,
allow one week for the completion of their rough drafts.
Day 2- Peer Review
 Working in pairs students will read each other’s story out loud and peer edit their
stories using the grading rubric.
 Allow one week for the typed final copy.
Day 3- Group sharing/ critiquing
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Divide students into groups of 3-5. Have each student read their story out loud to the
group.
After each story students will have a short discussion commenting on the geographical
accuracy, creativity, and things that could have been improved on. Encourage students
to provide positive feedback and not to just focus on missing elements
Extension(s):
Discuss different writing styles, scientific publications and field journals.
Teaching Tips:
Encourage students to get creative with their stories. Students could write their story as
journal entries, first person narrative or third person narrative.
Supplements: Attached documents
Author: Amber Palmeri-Miles, Yakima WATERS Project, CWU, Fall 2010
Name ____________________________________
Block _________
Imagine raindrops landing side by side on top of Bald Mountain, which is part of the Clemans
Mountain Range that separates the Naches Watershed from the Upper Yakima Watershed.
By chance, one falls just to the south of the ridge top into the Naches Valley, another falls just
across the ridge top to the north into the Manastash Valley and yet another falls slightly east into
the Wenas Valley.
Though they began their journey only inches apart, they have fallen into different watersheds.
They will not meet again for many days and after a journey of many miles.
Write a story describing the journey of one of the raindrops. Identify the streams, rivers, towns,
watersheds, dams and natural features that it passes by until they meet again near Yakima.
Continue the story about their journey together down the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean.
Be Creative!!
Name____________________________________
Block #_______
Date______________
A Tale of Three Raindrops
Scoring Rubric
Points
Possible
Points
Earned
Direction raindrop falls
Identifies creek into which raindrop falls
Identifies the watershed the creek belongs to
Along the way….. (at least four, 8 pts. max)
o Animals
o Landforms
o Pollution
o Aquatic life
o Other
o Other
2
2
2
______
______
______
2
2
2
2
2
2
______
______
______
______
______
______
Where the raindrop enters the Yakima River
Where the raindrop enters the Columbia River
Dams encountered (at least three)
o ________________________
o ________________________
o ________________________
2
2
______
______
2
2
2
______
______
______
Where the raindrop enters the Pacific Ocean
2
______
2
______
Required Elements:
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Peer edited by __________________________
(Name of editor)
Organization
10
(Does the story ‘flow’? Does it have a recognizable beginning and end?)
______
Conventions
(spelling, capitalization, punctuation, grammar)
10
______
Map
2
______
50
______
(attached to final copy with raindrop route identified)
Total Points