Giant Traveling Map Lesson
TITLE / AUTHOR:
Flow, River, Flow!—How the Continental Divide Determines Where Water
Flows in Colorado (and North America) / Bernadette Chaloupka Lamont
COLORADO ACADEMIC STANDARDS / SUITABLE DISCIPLINES:
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Social Studies, Geography: Fourth Grade Standard 2, Grade Level Expectation 1: Use
several types of geographic tools to answer questions about the geography of
Colorado, Evidence Outcome a: Answer questions about Colorado regions using
maps and other geographic tools (DOK 1-2).
Social Studies, Geography: Fourth Grade Standard 2, Grade Level Expectation 1: Use
several types of geographic tools to answer questions about the geography of
Colorado, Evidence Outcome c: Create and investigate geographic questions about
Colorado in relation to other places (DOK 1-3).
OBJECTIVES:
Students will:
• understand that the Continental Divide determines the ultimate destination of water
which flows in Colorado and North America.
• understand what a mountain ridge is and that the Continental Divide is usually found
along mountain ridges.
• reinforce their understanding of the cardinal directions on the map of Colorado.
RECOMMENDED GRADES: Fourth Grade (may be used in third and fifth grade
classrooms as well)
TIME NEEDED: 45 minutes
MATERIALS:
• Two laminated, blue sheets of construction paper with waves. One sheet of paper will
have the following words: “Water eventually flows into Pacific Ocean” and an arrow
pointing to the left. The other sheet of paper will have ”Water eventually flows into Gulf
of Mexico/Atlantic Ocean” and an arrow pointing to the right.
• Laminated map of North America which clearly shows the Continental Divide and the
outline of the state of Colorado.
• 2-3 laminated photos that clearly show a mountain ridge.
• 15 ping pong balls to simulate rain drops.
PREPARATION:
 Collect the materials and familiarize yourself with the Continental Divide and the rivers
that flow from the Continental Divide in Colorado.
 For this information, refer to
http://water.state.co.us/SurfaceWater/SWRights/WaterDiagrams/Pages/default.aspx.
Another source of information about Colorado drainage basin is the EPA website
https://cfpub.epa.gov/surf/state.cfm?statepostal=CO. The information in this website
may be more useful for the teacher than the student.
RULES:
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Shoes are not allowed on the map. Please have students remove shoes before
walking on the map.
No writing utensils on the map.
No sliding on the map.
DIRECTIONS:
Before you go to the giant state map: (optional segmenting of the lesson)
1. Ask students to define precipitation.
2. Ask students how water behaves: “Does it ever flow uphill? No, water always wants
to take the easiest path downhill, also known as downstream.”
3. Ask students to define “ridge.” You could use the roof of a house as an example. For
example you could say that a ridge would the top, pointed part of the roof that runs
along the entire roof is called the ridge.
4. In the next step you can talk about how mountains next to each other can form a
ridge between the mountain tops. Show the 2-3 pictures which give students a
visual understanding of mountain ridge.
5. Show the map of North America with the Continental Divide on it. You can point
out that in many place the Continental Divide is formed by mountains which have
ridges. Have the students discuss where the Continental Divide is in Colorado and
if it is associated with the mountains in Colorado.
On the map: (optional segmenting of the lesson)
1. Have half of the students stand on the eastern border of the map the other half on
the western border. First, ask all the students to face toward north and then
progress through the cardinal directions.
2. Then have students walk around the map observing various rivers. Ask the
students to tell you how they can identify rivers on the map (The map key indicates
blue lines are rivers.). Have the students look at the rivers and their names.
3. Next have the students find the Continental Divide and ask them what symbol is
used to represent the Continental Divide (Red dotted line and labeled.).
4. Have everyone return to the eastern or western border on the map where they
originally stood. Ask each one of them to quickly “walk” the Continental Divide
then return to their border to wait. In order reinforce the understanding of cardinal
directions you can alternate and mix up the direction that students walk the
Continental Divide.
5. With the students back on their respective map borders, ask the student how the
Continental Divide works with regard to the precipitation which falls on it. Explain
and show on the map that all precipitation which falls on the eastern side of the red
dotted line (the Continental Divide) will flow into rivers which eventually end up in
the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, but if it falls on the western side of the
Divide, the water will end up in rivers that flow into the Pacific Ocean.
6. Show the map of North America again and select two students who can put the blue
ocean markers on either side of the giant map to indicate the direction of the Pacific
Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean.
7. Instruct the students to make a “human Continental Divide.” Have one group wait
and watch on the border as the other group demonstrates. One of the groups will
stand and face north straddling the Continental Divide with their legs to look like
the shape of mountain. Remind them of the definition of a mountain ridge. Instruct
the students to demonstrate a ridge by putting their hands on our head in a triangle
shape like a roof. Ask a student on the border to gently “trace” the Continental
Divide ridge of raised hands on heads with his or her own hand.
8. In order to simulate rain use ping pong balls to represent rain drops. Ask the
students still standing on the border, one at a time, to bring a ping pong ball and
roll it off of one or the other of the straddled legs of the standing students who are
making the human Continental Divide. (You may need to ask students to spread
their legs wide so the ball has the ability to roll properly.) As the ball rolls, ask:
“What side of the Continental Divide did the rain fall on? What direction will it
flow? Where will it eventually end up?” Allow all students to shout the answers out
as a group or ask individual students at your discretion.
9. Discuss why it is important to know which way water flows. A potential answer
would be, “the water is used far downstream by everyone along that river so what
happens at the headwaters, for example a drought, affects all the users of the
water.”
MODIFICATIONS:
A laser pointer could be used to trace the Continental Divide for physically challenged
students.
EXTENSIONS:
Explain that one of Colorado’s nicknames is “the mother of rivers.” Have the students
think about what that means. Then explain that many rivers are “born” in Colorado,
meaning those rivers have their source, or headwaters, in the high mountains of Colorado
along the Continental Divide. Those rivers actually BEGIN there as melted snow and rain
start to flow and start a river. Have students go onto the map and name the rivers they
think have their source in those high mountains. When you return to class, students may
confirm their predictions by doing online research.