Geographic Alliance of Iowa

Geography Action! Rivers 2001

This year Geography Awareness Week is the culminating week of the Geography Action: Rivers 2001 initiative which began in May and is being co-sponsored by the Coca-Cola Company, the Izaak Walton League of America, and Trout Unlimited.


Sunday, November 11--Enjoy a River
Read a story or poem about a river. Go out in a boat or canoe (weather permitting)!
Look at a web site showcasing a river. Make a list of songs with the word river and sing five!
Go for a walk with your family near your favorite river or stream.

Monday, November 12--Using Rivers Day
List all the ways we use rivers Read or write a poem or story about using rivers.
Look at the DOT web site on the History of Transportation in Iowa http://www.dot.state.ia.us/kidspages/history_page.html
Look at the Mississippi River curriculum for the IPTV. http://www3.iptv.org/mississippi
Do the activity from the National Geographic Society web site!

Tuesday, November 13--Wear a River (or other location) T-Shirt Day
Locate the river or location from your T-shirt on a map. Trace the route of "your" river.
Find all the tributaries that contribute to "your" river.
Have a contest to see whose river is longest, whose is furthest away, whose is shortest, whose is closest, etc. See if everybody can win in a different way!
Find a location on "your" river and mark its latitude, longitude, and elevation.

Wednesday, November 14--GIS Day
Use the GIS web site to trace the Lewis and Clark route. http://www.esri.com/esripress
Find a business near you that uses GIS; involve them! (field trip, speaker, etc.)

Thursday, November 15--Changing Rivers Day
List ten ways people have changed rivers.
List ten ways river have changed landscape and people.
Look at pictures showing how rivers have changed and the impact of these changes.
Survey a stream for water quality or clarity. Send in your results to the appropriate group.
Do the activity from the National Geographic Society web site!

Friday, November 16--Saving Rivers Day
List (or draw) ten ways you could "save" a river.
Discuss some of the problems we have with rivers today.
Who do you know who solve these problems? (check the river partners' web sites!)
Do a project to help a stream or river! Iowater--http://www.igsb.uiowa.edu/
Do the activity from the National Geographic Society website!

Saturday, November 17--Do a River Project!
With a community group, school group, or your family, see what you can do to help!

Helpful Web sites:

Geographic Alliance of Iowa
USGS Water Resources - Education
USGS Water Science for Schools
Know your watershed!
Surf your watershed!
Iowa Water Quality Bureau
Enviromapper
Izaak Walton League
Trout Unlimited