*Today, we discussed the places where water runs in St. Marys and how quickly the water flows at this time of year when snow has melted and there is lots of rain.
*We learned that our Watershed is the place where all the streams and creeks in the area join the Thames river
*We read a story about Splish and Splash. We counted how many times something dangerous happened in the story and we discussed the water cycle.
*We were reminded that water is very cold at this time of year.
*We discussed why rivers overflow and cause flooding.
*We discussed that water is usually deepest in the springtime.
*We discussed pollution.
*We talked about swamps and marshes (wetlands) and the plants . They are like a sponge and hold water. Wetlands clean the water. They are on the edge of cities and they often get replaced as people build/expand.
Most importantly, we learned HOW TO STAY SAFE NEAR RIVERS AND STREAMS!
*Don't go near the water without an adult. Keep a safe distance from the water.
*Avoid slippery rocks near the river edge. You could slip on them and fall into the water.
*avoid flooded areas
*avoid waterfalls
*Stay away from dams - the water flows very fast in these areas when they open the gates.
*Stay off frozen rivers/streams especially when the weather warms up. It's not strong enough to support a person. The water is cold and it is difficult to get out if you fall through the ice. An adult will help you know when ice is strong enough for skating.
We played a game to get us thinking about all the plants and animals that live in our watershed area. Students had to listen to clues and fit a puzzle piece into a giant puzzle of our watershed. These are some things that live in our watershed area:
cat tails, frogs, herons, snails, geese, turtles, fish
These living things need our water to be clean. So remember what Vanni said: "nothing but rain should go down the drain".
At the end of the presentation we played splish - splash bingo to see if we could figure out whether people were being safe around rivers and streams or not.
The students consolidated their learning by writing down ways to stay safe around rivers and streams! Great job everyone!
