Racing around the meanders!
Student Task
Your challenge is to travel along the river from point A to point B in the quickest time possible.
1. Plot the route of your dinghy along the river channel using a pencil. Remember you must
stay in the river.
The River Wampool
© Copyright Simon Ledingham and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/74038
Hint - Where will you place yourself in the channel? Will you keep your dinghy in the centre of
the river channel or will you move it from side to side?
2. Draw a labelled cross section from X to Y, to show how the inside bend of a meander is
different from the outside bend of a meander.
3. Complete the paragraph below to explain the formation of an oxbow lake. Circle the
correct answer in each set of brackets.
The fastest flow of water is on the [inside / outside] bend of the river. This
results in [erosion / deposition]. The outside bends move closer together as the
meander neck becomes narrower. When there is a very [high / low] discharge,
the river cuts across the neck and takes a straight course. The former meander is
left as a [long straight / horseshoe shaped] ox bow lake.
© www.teachitgeography.co.uk 2016
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Racing around the meanders!
Teaching notes
This resource is aimed at KS4 students either as a plenary or as a revision exercise. It is
suggested that the three activities take 10-20 minutes.
Students use their prior knowledge and understanding of river processes to plot the quickest
route from point A to point B recognising that the flow is greatest on the outside of the
meanders and therefore that their routes should reflect this.
There is a useful meander development animation available at
www.cleo.net.uk/resources/displayframe.php?src=309/consultants_resources/_files/mean
der4.swf
An accurate asymmetric cross section should enable the students to label and make links
between location, flow velocity and amount of erosion or deposition. This knowledge will
enable them to attempt the ‘answers in brackets’ paragraph.
The worksheet can be returned to at a later time or date and the students encouraged to
improve/adjust their previous routes to reflect a greater understanding or fluvial processes in a
meander.
Answers
1. The chosen route should take into consideration the river flow. Ideally, the route should
be central in the straighter parts of the channel and will move to the outside of the
meanders where the flow is fastest.
2. The labelled cross section should demonstrate an accurate asymmetric shape
demonstrating the greater depth on the inside of the meander that decreases across the
river channel to the slip off slope.
The students should label these key features on their cross section:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
slip off slopes
river cliffs
the location of the fastest flow
the location of the slowest flow
areas of erosion
areas of deposition
3. The fastest flow of water is on the [outside] bend of the river. This results in [erosion].
The outside bends move closer together as the meander neck becomes narrower. When
there is a very [high] discharge, the river cuts across the neck and takes a straight
course. The former meander is left as a [horseshoe shaped] ox bow lake.
© www.teachitgeography.co.uk 2016
25583
Page 2 of 2