SAMPLE ACTIVITY

What do we already know about hydrological patterns and processes?

Introduce students to new words relating to water to be used in the unit and explain them and their origin.
A reminder about patterns and process, with illustrations, may also be useful.
Give the class four tasks, written clearly on the board:
What is the 'water cycle' and can you explain it?
What is the difference between 'weathering' and 'erosion'?
What changes take place in the 'long profile' of a river valley?
What features result from 'fluvial erosion'?
Discuss with pupils the key words water cycle, weathering, erosion, long profile and fluvial erosion. In groups, ask pupils to use a range of texts and images to prepare and present information for one of the tasks and then share what they have learnt with the rest of the class.
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Where is the Broad section we are going to study?

Help pupils to locate the river section to be studied on an OS map. If available, both 1:50,000 and 1:25,000 maps may be used, and the opportunity taken to note briefly the differences between them in scale, symbols and level of detail.
Using one of the maps, help pupils identify key points and characteristics that can be deduced from the map using six-figure grid references, and speculate on the most likely locations for certain features. As points of reference, it may be helpful to have some simplified drawings of typical river and valley features (contour lines and three-dimensional sketches) to help identification. There is an opportunity here to demonstrate how to draw a cross-profile from contour lines and for pupils to replicate a simple one.
Ask pupils, in groups, to work out a route to reach the study area from base (school/field centre).
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What do we want to find out?

Give pupils the key question What changes take place downstream in this river section? Ask pupils to suggest what are the important geographical questions in this context and in what order they should be investigated, eg What do we want to find out? What do we expect to find out? What information will we need to collect? How will we collect it? What equipment will we need? Who will do what? Where? Ensure that the pupils have considered appropriate questions, in relation to water volume and speed, cross- and long profiles, physical features (channel and valley), water quality. (Higher-attaining pupils may be given more opportunity to identify their own questions/sequence.)
Demonstrate how the equipment is to be used in the field, eg clinometer, digital camera, palmtop computer, flow meter, tape and ranging rod, meter rule. The pupils should agree the design of data collection sheets and standardise them to ensure data is collected effectively.
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What information can we collect in the field?

Out in the field oversee the work of groups in three/four pre-agreed locations on the long profile; set time limits, manage deployment of equipment and monitor safety and control. Ensure pupils know what they are to do - measure channel width, depth (to determine its cross-profile), the speed of flow (velocity), the angle of slope of the valley sides and the width of the valley floor. Any interesting physical features or ecological links could also be noted (in a sketch or with a camera). Provide what assistance is necessary, leaving each group as much autonomy as possible.
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What does our data mean?

Ask pupils to collate the data from all groups, represent it in a variety of forms and draw out the key downstream changes recorded. (It may be helpful to discuss with some pupils the types of diagrams and graphs they might use.) Help pupils to describe and explain what their diagrams show.
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What conclusions can we draw?

Refer the class back to the earlier question What do we expect to find out? Ask them to identify and attempt to explain the changes recorded at the different recording sites.
Having identified the changes, encourage pupils to try to explain the processes which caused them, using appropriate vocabulary. Help pupils reflect upon the strengths and weaknesses of their fieldwork in relation to accuracy, reliability, consistency between groups and the value of data collection. Ask them to suggest how the work could have been improved.
Ask pupils to produce a written report under given headings, illustrated by appropriate graphs, diagrams and sketches, and including some evaluation of their methodology. Weaker writers may need more structured guidance or a narrower focus, eg confining their writing to an evaluation of methodology.
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