Responding to Rivers

Source:

Adapted from Second Nature - Environmental Studies Pack  (SNH & RSPB) available from the RSPB

Time

20 minutes

You will need

• River Responses sheet (see downloads
• People Poll sheet (see downloads)
• pencils

Did you know?

Bridges across Scotland's rivers are built strong, high and arched, to withstand the tremendous forces of the rivers in spate.

Before the activity

Hand out the People Poll sheet to each member of the class, and ask them to fill it out in pairs, first one being the questioner and then the other. Discuss the class results, are there any general conclusions that can be drawn?

The activity

Visit a local river and spend some time there, playing games or perhaps carrying out other activities suggested in this section such as making Sound Maps, or carrying out an investigation survey such as Aquatic Detectives or Minibeast Detectives

Discuss the fact that different people will respond very differently to the same situation and have different perceptions or feelings towards the same place in the outdoors. Give each child a River Responses sheet (see downloads) and get them to sit quietly in pairs and fill them out.

Back in the classroom, discuss the River Responses sheet. Are there any general conclusions to be drawn? Does the class feel that their response would have been different in a different season or in different weather. Have another look at the People Poll sheets, would they change any of their responses after the visit?

Suggested Follow up

Ask the class to take another People Poll sheet home and question a family member, to find out what the wider community thinks about their local river. Compare the results, the classes views and the wider community views, are they similar?

Read the extracts to the class about crossing rivers in the 18th Century (Highlanders wade the Rivers (1730) and Boleside Ferry Disaster (1723) (see downloads). Discuss how attitudes towards rivers would have changed when bridges were built. Get the class to research a local bridge, who built it, why and when, and how the water was crossed before the bridge was built. Has the bridge ever had to be re-built after a spate?

Discuss the meaning of proverbs and sayings associated with rivers (see water proverbs and Scottish water proverbs, in downloads, and select the ones about rivers. Can the class think of any more?

Downloads

• River Responses question sheet
• People Poll question sheet
• Water proverbs
• Scottish water proverbs and sayings from the book 'Haud Yer Wheest!' by Alan Morrison
• Crossing rivers in the 18th Century (Highlanders wade the Rivers (1730) and Boleside Ferry Disaster (1723)

Further Information

Curriculum Links

Languages

Social Studies

Technologies (associated)

Age Range