Date: Name:
Body of Water Important Fact
All bodies of water listed below
Used for trade, transportation, and settlement
St. Lawrence River
Ohio River
Mississippi River and
Missouri River
Rio Grande
Colorado River
Columbia River
Great Lakes
Gulf of Mexico

Background for the class: When your group comes up to share your report, point to your river on the United
States map, and have the other students put their finger on it on their own map and trace its path. Then, before you do your skit, either read the following to the class or explain it in your own words:
“Rio Grande” means “big river” in Spanish. The Rio Grande carves out part of the shape of Texas, and part of it forms part of the border between the United States and Mexico. In Mexico, they call it the
Rio Bravo, which means “good river.”
Skit: Pretend half of your group is in Texas and the other half is in Mexico. Both are looking at the river. The
Texas group talks about what a big river it is and decides to call it the Rio Grande. The Mexico group talks about what a good river it is (since it’s in an area that is often dry and dusty) and decides to call it the Rio
Bravo. If you want to take the skit a little farther, the two sides could have a mock argument about what to call it.
Conclusion: Have everyone write this important fact on their Bodies of Water Information Recording Chart:
The Rio Grande forms the border with Mexico.
Background for the class: When your group comes up to share your report, point to your river on the United
States map, and have the other students put their finger on it on their own map and trace its path. Then, before you do your skit, either read the following to the class or explain it in your own words:
The Ohio River runs from the Appalachian Highlands through the Interior Lowlands. As the east coast area grew with European settlers, they began to look for an efficient way to move west. The Ohio River made a good route for moving both people and things to the fertile farmland west of the Appalachians, and so it became known as the “gateway to the West.”
Skit: Pretend you are a group of farmers frustrated by trying to grow things in the hilly, rocky land of the
Appalachian Mountains. One member of your group has heard from a friend that there is a wide, deep river that will take you west to better land. Your group decides to hire a boat captain to take you and you pack up your things and go.
Conclusion: Have everyone write this important fact on their Bodies of Water Information Recording Chart:
The Ohio River was called the gateway to the west .

Background for the class: When your group comes up to share your report, point to your river on the United
States map, and have the other students put their finger on it on their own map and trace its path. Then, before you do your skit, either read the following to the class or explain it in your own words:
We know a lot about Jamestown and the English explorers, but did you know there were a lot of
French explorers as well? That is why many people in Canada speak French. The early French explorers found the St. Lawrence River, which provided a route from the Atlantic Ocean into Canada.
The St. Lawrence River goes all the way to the Great Lakes. Why do you think having a connecting river made exploration successful?
Skit: Pretend you are a group of French explorers traveling in a boat during the 1500s. Your group leaves
France, crosses the Atlantic Ocean, and finds a river that seems to go on forever. Ocean crossings were difficult and dangerous. The river was much smoother, and there were places you could pull up and come ashore. Your group is happy to find the river. Your group stops and trades with the Indians along the way. Your group especially notices the furs the Indians wear for warmth.
Conclusion: Have everyone write this important fact on their Bodies of Water Information Recording Chart:
The St. Lawrence River forms part of the northeastern border with Canada and connects the Great
Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean.
Background for the class: When your group comes up to share your report, point to your rivers on the United States map, and have the other students put their finger on them on their own map and trace their paths. Then, before you do your skit, either read the following to the class or explain it in your own words:
The Mississippi is a long river in the United States, and many other rivers connect to it. The deep, wide
Missouri is an important connection to the Mississippi River. Together these two rivers connect most of the middle section of the United States. Many important cities are located near these two rivers. Both rivers are wide and deep, and they can support large ships that carry products from city to city and to the Gulf of
Mexico.
Skit: Pretend one member of your group is a small child, and the others are family members. The family is vacationing at a campground where you can see the Mississippi River. The small child asks why there are so many boats. The others explain that those boats carry many of the things we buy in stores—wheat for flour from Minnesota, corn from Iowa, fruit from the southern states, etc. Mention also that cities and factories were located along the river because boats provided transportation to and from them.
Conclusion: Have everyone write this important fact on their Bodies of Water Information Recording Chart:
The Missouri and Mississippi rivers were used to transport farm and industrial (factory) products and link to
United States ports and other parts of the world.