Four chairs water will flow into streams at this time what ground water, spring melt, streamflow,.Very little floodplain, downstream, spring, In some mountainous areas, snow- rivulet, drainage, basin, closed basin, (optional) pack can build higher than 20 feet. Signs on sticks with pictures representing is condensed and compressed by its own main stem, runoff, snowpack, snow, rain, sun and each of the seasons weight).One-gallon pails or similar containers During winter, precipitation is stored as n Vocabulary (one for each headwaters stream) snow in snowpack (accumulated snow that watershed, headwaters, tributary,.“Make-a-Mural,” students create a collect beads or other objects mural depicting their own watershed. Large bucket or other large container to basins, eventually flows to the sea.

marbles or similar objects (depending live downstream.” In “8-4-1, One for These tributaries flow into the main stem of on the number of students) All,” students demonstrate how water a river that, with exceptions such as closed users work cooperatively.

200-500 pony beads, pea gravel, beans, Parts” explores the concept, “We all eventually join to become tributary streams.

Copy of Blue River Watershed 3 the watershed, they gather more water and over time affect runoff.

“Color Me a Watershed” Parts I and II streams flow downhill from the sides of illustrates how watershed changes shed, runoff (water from rain, melting snow In “Back to the Future,” students Materials and ice) collects to form rivulets that merge analyze and interpret streamflow into small headwater streams.

create a hydrograph based on simulation Beginning at the highest elevations of a water- In “Blue River,” students demonstrate data.

Large watersheds often contain “Seeing Watersheds,” students map variations) and weather (precipitation). Through watershed based on climate (seasonal age areas.

compare and contrast the amount of on a map by tracing a line along the highest “River Talk” introduces watersheds, water flowing through a river and its elevations (often a ridge) between two drain- their parts and functions.

boundaries of watersheds can be identified n Charting the Course The (demonstrating) through a river and its watershed.

demonstrate the movement of water that drains water toward a common river.

A watershed is an area of land contrasting) Interpreting Presenting

describe the major components of a ments, watersheds are the gathering ground of Analyzing information (comparing, watershed.

n Setting Outdoors or classroom (depending on Objectives Background number of students) Students will: Often referred to as drainages, basins or catch- n Skills Activity time: Part I: 30 minutes Part water flows through a watershed and how that II: 30 minutes Part III: 30 minutes flow differs in spring, summer, fall and winter or as a result of local weather.

Copies of Graph It! (one per two 3 n Subject Areas ▼ Summary students) Geography, Earth Science, Students participate in a whole- Environmental Science Making Connections body exercise to simulate the Students will likely have heard the term n Duration movement of water through a “watershed,” but may not understand how Preparation time: 15 minutes river and its watershed.

N Grade Level Part III Upper Elementary, Middle School “You can never step into the same river twice. Blue River : © Hemera–Thinkstock Photos © Hemera–Thinkstockīlue River : © Hemera–Thinkstock Photos © Hemera–Thinkstock :

Thinkstock photos search