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Cuerden Valley

Today we had a lovely time in the rain! 😉 We took measurements including the strength of the current, width and depth of the river. The children searched for creatures using two methods - Sweep sampling and kick sampling. They found lots of interesting creatures!

The children were introduced to key scientific vocabulary including:
🌟Tributary - where they all meet
🌟Upper / middle / lower sections
🌟Water cycle
🌟Estuary - opens up into the ocean
🌟Mouth - where the estuary enters into the sea
🌟 Transportation - moving the pebbles / sand etc

We discussed how the River Lostock meets the yarrow (near Preston), runs into the Douglas and then into Ribble.

We continued to think about what a river does. Flowing from the source, a river does a range of things called river processes.

The three main processes are:
🌟erosion (wearing it away - from the start from the v shape valleys, rubs the rocks and breaks them away. They tumble and become pebbles)

🌟Middle course - meander
Still erodes but slightly different.
Roots are usually under the ground. It crashes into the ‘wall’ the outside bank erodes more than the inside bend. When there is most rain it is stronger.

🌟Inside bend - deposition. River puts everything down as it’s not as much energy so it cannot carry the pebbles or dirt. Makes areas called the river bank or river beach. Puts all the sediment (sand, grit) back that it has been carrying on its journey.

We have lots of very soggy children...not because of the rain, but them not realising how ‘high’ their wellies were 😉

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