Build a River Model!

Introduction

Earth is a very watery place! More than 70% of the Earth's surface is covered by water. This is due to the many water bodies that can be found everywhere on our planet. What types of water bodies do you know? They are all very distinct from one another in their appearance, size, shape, and movement. In this activity, you will explore the distinct characteristics of a river by creating a river model inside a pan with sand, pebbles, and real water! After that, you can continue to model other water bodies, too!

Credits

Materials

• Aluminum pans or shallow dishes
• Sand
• Pebbles
  Note: If you do not have any sand or pebbles, you can substitute these with other materials such as rice, grains, Lego®, or blocks. If you use other materials, make sure they are not able to dissolve in water or float on the water surface.
• Water
• Bottle with a narrow opening
• Aluminum foil
• Small bowl for water collection
• Scissors
• Tape
• Nail
• Book or box
• Paper towels
• Optional: Blue food dye