Introduction: Students need to understand the size of the Mississippi watershed area and the impact it has on the United States. In this lesson, they will explore the major and minor tributaries of the Mississippi River.
Objectives: Students will be able to:
1.) Describe the Mississippi River system
2.) Identify major tributaries
3.) Identify some of the minor tributaries
4.) Identify the regions of the country impacted by the Mississippi watershed
Materials & Preparation: Prepare ribbon in three colors (blue-6yards, orange-6 yards, red-11 yards). Materials to have on hand (1 per group): atlas, yardstick, ruler, yarn, scissors. Prepare transparency of United States outline map (with states), words to “Ol’ Man River”, and Tributaries of the Mississippi River.
Procedure:
1.) Mount ribbon representing Mississippi River on wall (to scale 1”=20 miles).
2.) Play “Ol’ Man River” (distribute words). Discuss lyricists view of rivers.
3.) Distribute atlas and Tributaries of the Mississippi River.
4.) Discuss characteristics of major and minor tributaries. Note the relative length of tributaries and location of major tributaries compared to minor tributaries.
5.) Divide class into 5 groups. Assign each group 3 tributaries to prepare and place on Mississippi River ribbon.
6.) Distribute ribbon, instruct each group to measure the length they need with yarn (using same scale as above) for each tributary (orange-minor, red-major).
7.) Allow each group to measure and place their tributaries on the Mississippi River ribbon.
8.) Label each tributary
9.) Project US outline map over Mississippi river ribbon and tributaries. Discuss distortions in size and regions affected by the Mississippi watershed.
Extensions/Interdisipline:
River systems (Science)
Huck Finn/Tom Sawyer (Literature)
Relative/Actual distances and measuring (Mathematics)
Essay: lyricist’s feelings about the river (English/Writing)
Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein (Fine Arts/Music)
Ol’ Man River
Ol’ man river,
That ol’ man river,
He must know somethin’
Bur don’t say nothin’,
He just keeps rollin’
He keeps on rollon’ along.
He don’t plant taters,
He don’t plant cotton
An’ them that plants em is soon forgotten:
But ol’ man river he just keeps rollon’ along.
You and me, we sweat and strain
Body all achin’ an racked with pain.
“Tote that barge!”
“Lift that bale,”
Get a little drunk an’ you’ll land in jail.
I gets weary an’ sick of tryin’
I’m tired of livin’ an’ feared of dyin’
But ol’ man river he just keeps rollin’ along.
St. Croix Salt
Chippewa Illinois
Black Missouri
Wisconsin Meramec
Maquoketa Ohio
Rock Arkansas
Iowa Red
Skunk Gulf of Mexico
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