Prep V has been busy with in the sand and water today, learning how rivers shape the land. Firstly, we watched clips of the River Severn in its middle course, and saw how it formed meanders as the land became flatter. Looking closely at the banks, we saw how one side is worn away, or eroded, while on the opposite bank, the river deposits its load of sand, mud and stones.

Then it was our turn! We filled trays with wet sand, and used pipettes to squirt water to form miniature rivers, tilting the tray so that gravity enabled the water to flow. Gradually, the water eroded the banks, making river cliffs. We also saw how the water transported the sand and deposited it at the river mouth. It was a delightfully messy business, and shows that playing with sand and water can be educational at any age!

 Finally, we sketched our rivers and used geographical vocabulary to label them. Many thanks to our geography coordinator Mr. Grant, who provided the materials, expertise and enthusiasm to make this such a lively learning experience.