KS2
Lesson 2
Physical features of a river
Describe and understand key aspects of physical geography,
including rivers
Geography
Grammarsaurus
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Think back to last lesson – what is a river?
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Recap: What is a river?
A river is a natural stream of water.
Small rivers are also called streams, creeks and brooks.
They are also natural streams of water.
Rivers flow from the source (usually in the mountains) and
flow through the land out to the sea.
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River’s journey
A river can be divided into different stages, which look
and act differently.
The stages are called:
• upper course
• middle course
• lower course
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Upper course
The source of a river is often found in upland areas, which are mountainous and
where there are steep slopes. There are high levels of precipitation, which means
the high volume of water flows quickly overland and results in the fastest flow on
the whole river’s journey. The river bed is rocky and narrow. As the river flows, it
moves over rocks – the speed of the water creates energy and the water is
powerful enough to transport material like rocks and boulders.
Features in the upper course:
V-shaped valleys - The river erodes as it travels and it carves the valley floor.
Waterfalls - The river can erode the softer rock layers, which leaves behind an
over-hang of harder rock.
Tributaries – These are small rivers and/or streams that join together into the
river. The more tributaries that join the river, the more powerful the speed of the
river becomes as it travels.
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Middle course
As the river moves into the middle course, the land
becomes flatter.
The river becomes wider and deeper and begins to loop
and curve, or meander.
In the middle course, as the river moves it continues to
erode, so the shape of the river is constantly changing.
As well as eroding, the river also transports and
deposits soil and other material further along the path.
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Lower course
In the lower course, the land is now very flat. The
valley has changed from v-shaped to u-shaped. This
means the valley is now wide with smooth sides.
The river’s flow has now slowed.
Its width is at its widest.
As the river flows into the sea, it may have an estuary,
which is a wide channel that flows out to sea.
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What is erosion?
Erosion: This is the process of wearing away of the
river’s bed and banks. The water can also takes material
(soil and rock) from the river bank.
Transportation: This is the process where eroded
material is carried downstream.
Deposition: This is the process of eroded material being
deposited. It occurs when the water flow slows on the
inside of a meander.
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Features of a river: Source
Source
The start of a river is called the source. The source
can sometimes be a lake, a marsh, a bog or a spring.
The source is usually in the mountains.
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Features of a river: Tributary
A tributary is a stream or smaller river that
flows into another larger river.
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Features of a river: Valleys
V-shaped valleys are found higher up on a river’s course.
There are steep slopes and a narrow river bed.
U-shaped valleys are lower down on the river’s course.
The slopes are more gentle and rolling. There is a wide
river bed and the river will also be wider in this valley.
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Features of a river: Waterfall
Waterfall
retreats
Hard rock
A waterfall is a cascade of water falling from a height. Overhang
It is formed when a river or stream flows over a very
steep rock face or cliff. Plunge pool
Fallen rocks
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Features of a river: Meanders
A meander is a curve that occurs as the river moves through
increasingly flat land. It looks snake-like in its shape.
The curve in the meander changes over time.
The river is continually eroding – sediment (solid material) is
picked up on the outside of the curves as the river is flowing
fast here. The river drops it on the inside of curves as the
river flows more slowly on the inside.
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Features of a river: Oxbow lakes
Diagram 1) The meanders in a river can become more
common as it travels lower down into the land.
Diagram 2) Rivers can make significant loops as it
moves. Due to erosion and deposition, loops can join
together.
Where erosion is taking place
Where deposition is taking place
Diagram 3) Finally, the river will take a straighter
course, which cuts off the meander altogether.
This forms an oxbow lake.
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Features of a river: Estuary
The wide part of the river near the sea is called
an estuary. The mouth of the river is where the
tide meets the river’s stream.
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Features of a river: Delta
When a river meets the sea, it may form a delta.
A delta is a 'D' shaped mass of channels, which
is formed when the river deposits its material
faster than the sea can remove it.
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Task
Using blue and green salt dough, make a 3D model of a river’s journey.
Label the following features:
upper course, middle course, lower course, v-shaped valley, u-shaped valley,
source, tributary, waterfall, meanders, oxbow lakes, mouth, estuary, delta
Take a photograph and glue into your exercise book.
Challenge
Write a paragraph to document the journey of a river, using all the above terminology.
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