A reservoir is an artificial lake made by humans to store water.

Hydro-electricity is electricity created by water flowing downhill turning a turbine.

The mouth of a river is where it enters the sea or a lake, the river flow slows, loses its energy and often deposition occurs.

Introducing rivers

Geography

This unit links to 'Climate zones: What are they and why do they matter?' in which the influence of climate on global geographies and environmental regions is developed with reference to understanding of the water cycle and rivers.

This unit builds on 'The water cycle: why is it important?' and develops this understanding further to investigate where water goes to and to look at where and why the major rivers are located and how local rivers are affected by weather variations. 

Rivers: what's special about them? 

Erosion is the process of Earth’s surface, e.g. rock or soil, being worn away and transported from its original site

Transportation is where rivers move sand, mud and rocks

Deposition is when sand, mud and rocks are dropped by the river

A landform is a natural feature created by a process such as erosion or deposition

River processes and landforms

The course of a river is the path it takes from its source at the start to its mouth at the end

Downstream is the direction a river flows as it moves towards the mouth

A tributary is a smaller river or stream that joins a bigger river

The river's journey

The sides of a river are called its banks.

A drainage basin is the area drained by a river and its tributaries.

Deforestation is where trees are chopped down by humans.

Flooding rivers

Embankments are where the sides of the river are raised to stop water escaping.

Evaporation is where liquid heats up and turns into a gas.

Flooding impacts and solutions

Rivers in the UK

The mouth of a river is where it enters the sea or a lake.

A border is the dividing line between two countries.

Rivers in Europe

A tributary is a smaller river or stream that joins a bigger river.

a photograph taken from above using a satellite

Rivers: what's special about them?

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These lessons will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.