A river's journey from source to sea
A river is a connected system. Changes in gradient, discharge and load explain why its valley looks different from the source to the sea.
Part of your national curriculum
- Human and physical geography: Understand how geographical processes interact to create distinctive human and physical landscapes that change over time
- Human and physical geography: Understand rivers, coasts and glaciation and the physical processes that give rise to landscapes, and how they change over time
Lesson overview
What you'll learn in this lesson
Understand rivers, coasts and glaciation and the physical processes that give rise to landscapes, and how they change over time
Key learning points
- • The upper course
- • The middle course
- • The lower course
- • Reading the whole system
This lesson at a glance
- 30 minutes
- 17 parts to scroll through
- 3 quick checks
- Marked quiz at the end
- Gentle pace: short sittings with pauses
Words to know
Scroll down — the lesson carries on below
Watch & discover
Part 1 of 17
Watch first
A river's journey from source to sea
Follow a river as its channel and valley change from source to sea.
In a nutshell
Understand rivers, coasts and glaciation and the physical processes that give rise to landscapes, and how they change over time
Learning cycle
Part 2 of 17
Learning cycle 1 of 2
Part 1 · The upper course
A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.
Explore the idea
Part 3 of 17
Learn
The upper course
Near the source, a steep gradient gives the river enough energy for vertical erosion. Hydraulic action and abrasion cut a narrow V-shaped valley. Where resistant rock overlies softer rock, uneven erosion can form a waterfall; undercutting leaves an overhang that collapses, so the waterfall retreats and leaves a gorge.
Reset break
Part 4 of 17
Pause
That's sitting 1 of 4 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Explore the idea
Part 5 of 17
Learn
The middle course
Tributaries increase discharge and the channel becomes wider and deeper. Faster flow on the outside of a bend erodes a river cliff, while slower flow on the inside deposits material on a slip-off slope. The bend grows into a meander.
Quick check
Part 6 of 17
Quick check
Part 7 of 17
Reset break
Part 8 of 17
Pause
That's sitting 2 of 4 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Learning cycle
Part 9 of 17
Learning cycle 2 of 2
Part 2 · The lower course
A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.
Explore the idea
Part 10 of 17
Learn
The lower course
Near the mouth, lateral erosion and repeated flooding create a wide, flat floodplain. During a flood, the heaviest load is dropped first beside the channel, building natural levees. If a meander neck is cut through, deposition can seal the old bend into an oxbow lake.
Explore the idea
Part 11 of 17
Learn
Reading the whole system
A long profile usually becomes gentler downstream, while channel width, depth and average discharge increase. These are broad patterns rather than rules: geology, storms and human changes can alter any reach of the river.
Reset break
Part 12 of 17
Pause
That's sitting 3 of 4 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Quick check
Part 13 of 17
Challenge round
Part 14 of 17
Game · Sort it
Which of these are true?
Drag each card into the right column. Tap a card first if dragging is fiddly.
True
Not true
Challenge round
Part 15 of 17
Game · Recall cards
Abrasion is…
Card 1 of 4
Mastery quiz
Part 16 of 17
Marked quiz
End of lesson quiz: A river's journey from source to sea
4 questions, marked with the reasoning shown. No timer.
1. Abrasion is…
2. Deposition happens when…
3. Attrition affects…
4. Managed retreat is…
Lesson round-up
Part 17 of 17
Lesson round-up
Ready when you are
Quiz score
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Ask LunaPart 1 of 17 · Watch & discover
How this is going
- Not looked at yet
Understand how geographical processes interact to create distinctive human and physical landscapes that change over time
- Not looked at yet
Understand rivers, coasts and glaciation and the physical processes that give rise to landscapes, and how they change over time