1. Match up
the aerial
photo with
the land
photo
C
A
F
Think (20 secs)
2. Put them
in the right
order
Pair (40 secs)
Share (as a class)
D
B
E
Upper?
Middle?
Lower?
Upper?
Middle?
Lower?
Upper?
Middle?
Lower?
Upper?
Middle?
Lower?
What landforms and features are
found in the upper course of a river?
LO:
To describe and explain the formation of v-shaped valleys
and waterfalls.
Learning Outcomes
• Students MUST be able to describe the
landforms in the upper course of a river.
• Students SHOULD be able to describe and
explain how landforms are created in the upper
course of the river.
• Students COULD apply their learning to the
case study of the River Tees.
Let’s create a case study page! You
will need ONE double page of your
exercise book, a pen, ruler and pen!
Characteristics of the river
in the upper course
Add notes from the previous
lesson to describe what the
river is like in the upper
section.
V-Shaped Valleys and
Interlocking Spurs
Describe and explain how these
features form. Use diagrams.
•Page 10 of the OCR book
Waterfalls and Gorges
Describe and explain how these
features form. Use diagrams.
•Page 10-11 of the OCR Book
•Page 69 of the A3 sheet
•Page 68 of the A3 sheet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ny441MkGan8
Standby for input from your Geography
teacher!...
The River Tees
Near the beginning …
- The source of the River
Tees is Cross Fell in the
Pennines.
- There is lots of
saturated peat bog at
the source, which drains
out of the bog creating
small streams.
- Rivers in their upper
course have some
typical features:
V-shaped valley
Interlocking spurs
Waterfalls
http://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=Ny441
MkGan8 10 mins
Cheeky facts and stats!
• The highest point in the
Pennines moorland is
893m above sea level.
• The area receives over
2000mm of rain.
How does a v-shaped valley form?
1. Vertical erosion (in the form of abrasion, hydraulic action and solution) in the
river channel results in the formation of a steep sided valley.
2. Over time the sides of this valley are weakened by weathering processes and
continued vertical erosion at the base of the valley.
3. Gradually mass movement of materials occurs down the valley sides,
gradually creating the distinctive v-shape.
4. This material is then gradually transported away by the river when there is
enough energy to do so.
How do they form?
As the river flows through the valley it is forced
to swing from side to side around more resistant
rock outcrops (spurs). As there is little energy for
lateral erosion, the river continues to cut down
vertically flowing between spurs of higher land
creating interlocking spurs.
Animation
Waterfall formation
Waterfalls
How much can you remember?
How does a waterfall form?
Rearrange the stages of formation into the correct
order:
What do you know about upland river valleys?