River of Life
Adapted from a lesson by Nancy Williams, OSGI 1995

Overview:

Students will examine and understand how human actions modify the physical environment. The lesson will give students a framework for understanding that physical and human characteristics of places change over time. Additionally, it will encourage them to think about the value of our natural resources and what we can do to restore them.

Connection to the Curriculum:

History, Social Studies, Language Arts, Geography, Collaboration

Teaching Level: 1-8

Connection to State Content Standards:

4 Explain how humans and the physical environment impact and influence each other.

Connection to National Standards:

14 How human actions modify the physical environment.
16 The changes that occur in the meaning, use, distribution and importance of resources.
17 How to apply geography to interpret the past.

Materials:

A River Ran Wild, by Lynne Cherry (picture book), outline overhead map of the United States, list of questions for groups, writing paper for group responses, chart paper or overhead projector.

Procedure:
  1. Most cities are built with a border depicting pictures appropriate for your neighborhood. Invite people knowledgeable on a river. Ask students to consider our own location. Brainstorm how we use our rivers and how we feel about them. Explain to the students that today we are going to explore the theme of human environmental interaction.
  2. Introduce the book, A River Ran Wild. Point out the river in the cover illustration.
Invite the students to predict what the story is about. Does it take place long ago or today? Encourage children to give reasons for their predictions.
On the overhead map of the United States, locate the state of Massachusetts. Explain that this true story begins by the banks of a clear, clean, sparkling river named the Nash-a-way.
Read the story aloud to the class. Suggest that the students listen and look at the illustrations to find clues about how the people in the story feel about the river, and how they act as a result.
As you read each page, have the students name the main events in order as they happen. Tie a knot in a piece of yarn for each one.
After reading the story, review the sequence of events represented by the knots. Discuss some of the changes in the river throughout the story.
  1. Divide the class into groups to role-play and discuss how the people in the story brought change to the river, and how they felt about it.
Groups: Algonquin Indians, colonists, industrialists, environmentalists. Each group will be given questions to consider. Have them write thoughts on writing paper. Have groups report back orally.
  1. Have students write stories about living along the Nashua River as an Indian, colonist, industrialist or environmentalist.

Extensions:

Children act out a scene from the book using simple props. Children research the history of their own neighborhood or a local river: interview older people they know, gather a selection of pictures of the community in the past and put them in order on a time line. Create a mural of your neighborhood area showing past and present (future could also be considered). Write a story about living in your neighborhood in the past. Create writing paper about the community to speak to the class. Set up water filter experiments to clean muddy water and soapy water. Students could develop a project for cleaning their own environment.

Group Questions:
  1. How do you depend on your environment for basic needs? (food, shelter, clothing)
  2. How have you changed your environment to meet your needs?
Do you see changes in the landscape of animal habitats?
Are there changes in air, water and soil?
  1. How do you feel about these changes?
  2. How have you adapted to your environment? (climate, housing, etc.)
  3. What is your plan for the future?