UPSTREAM DOWNSTREAM
RIVER GUIDE INSTRUCTIONS
Welcome to the river! You will be guiding your
group on a journey of wetlands issues which are
specific to your stream. Enjoy your trip!
BACKGROUND LESSON: Classification of rivers and tributaries
Did you know that rivers are classified by their size? The brooks, streams
and rivers in this activity are classified 1, 2, and 3.
Class 1:
A perennial (flows all year) stream that flows out of a source
and empties into another brook or river, but does not have any
tributaries. It is usually narrow and flows through wooded
areas.
Class 2:
A small river which has class 1 - small streams and brooks as
tributaries. A class 2 river grows wider as the volume of water
increases from its tributaries.
Class 3:
A river which is a confluence of class 2 rivers. Typically, these
rivers are wider and slower than smaller rivers.
Channel:
The deep part of a river flow which can be navigated.
Confluence: When two or more rivers join to form another river.
Mouth:
Where a river empties into a larger body of water.
River Course: The natural route a river takes following the shape
of the land.
Source:
The beginning of a river, brook or stream.
Tributaries: Brooks, streams, rivers that flow into larger rivers.
RIVER GUIDE DIRECTIONS
1.
After introducing yourself and having
students briefly share names, choose a
student who will be THE RIVER GOD.
They will hold onto the red or blue chips the
group earns on the journey.
2.
Explain that the group must have 4 blue chips in order to make it to
Long Island Sound as clean water. Each red chip they accumulate
represents pollution. When they reach Long Island Sound, all the
red and blue chips will be counted. If there are more red chips than
blue, then Long Island Sound is in trouble.
3.
Share the background information and vocabulary with your
group.
4.
Take out the glossary that goes with your situation card and
discuss the key words.
5.
Review how to use a compass and how to pace. Explain that we
are going to go on a journey. At each of the four compass bearings
there will be a situation to discuss. The situations are simulated
problems that occur in wetlands. Students will discuss the situation
and read and discuss the POLLUTION SOLUTION card that goes
with each situation.
6.
Students should work in small groups or with partners to use the
compass. Start with NORTH. Have students find north on the
compass, set their bearing, find a landmark and pace 10 paces.
When they reach the first point on the compass trail, read the
task/situation card for NORTH. Encourage students to discuss the
situation and share their feelings about it.
7.
Read the POLLUTION SOLUTION card for NORTH. The card
includes background information, including wetland laws, a
question, and a choice of two answers. The choice marked (red) is
wrong and the choice marked (blue) is right. DO NOT TELL
STUDENTS WHAT COLOR EACH CHOICE IS!
8.
Encourage the group to discuss both answers and vote on their
choice. If they choose the correct answer, give a blue poker chip to
the student who is the RIVER GOD. If they choose the wrong
answer, they get a red chip.
9.
When the chips have been handed out, proceed to the next compass
bearing and continue until you reach WEST and the FINISH line.
10.
Once the group has traveled around the compass rose, they can
proceed to the designated place for Long Island Sound and share
their experience with other groups while they wait for the rest of
the watershed to drain.
11.
If your group has earned 3 red chips, they have to move
UPSTREAM to a river or stream above them on the list below, and
start over using that group’s task/situation card and pollution
solution cards.
Today, we will have two groups for each of the first four rivers:
STONEHOUSE BROOK (class 1) up to 8 students
NATCHAUG RIVER (class 2) up to 12 students
SHETUCKET RIVER (class 3) up to 15 students
THAMES RIVER (class 3) up to 20 students
YANTIC RIVER (class 3) up to 15 students
PACHAUG RIVER (class 2) up to 12 students
TRADING COVE BROOK (class 2) up to 12 students
SUSQUENTANCUT BROOK (class 1) up to 8 students