Sediment Settling and Sediment Transportation

  1. Experiment
  • Present the students with sand and gravel and ask them which material will settle first in a jar filled with water.
  • Place the material in a jar, fill it with water, stir and set it aside to settle. Observe what is happening?
  • Mix the content of the jar and pour it on a tray slightly lifted on one side. Observe how gravel and sand travel down the tray.
  1. Discussion:
  • What can this experiment tell us about sediment transportation in a river?
  • In the discussion, figure out what are the characteristics of a river bed in the upper, middle, and lower sections of a river.
  1. Matching photos of rivers with river sections
  • Find your examples of water environments (photos from your local area or pictures from the press).
  • Try to link the pictures with one of three typical sections of a river.
  • What can you say about your local streams and rivers?