Adventure #2:
Types of Streams
Guiding Questions!
Before you begin this adventure, think about the following questions and write your thoughts in your Field Journal!
What types of streams are around you?
What are the different kinds of streams and how are they formed?
What kinds of streams have you seen before?
Where do you think all the water comes from?
Vocabulary Words
Bank – The side of the river.
Bed – The bottom of a river. This can be sand, mud, rocks, or a combination.
Current – How fast water is flowing. Water always flows downhill, so steeper streams have faster currents.
Downstream – The direction that the water flows.
Floodplain – The flat area next to a stream. This area floods when the water level is high.
Mouth – The end of a river where it flows into another river or a lake.
Source – The start of a river such as a spring. There are often multiple sources.
Stream – A small river.
Upstream – The opposite direction that the water flows. This is uphill.
Watershed – The surrounding hills that transport rainfall and snow melt into rivers and streams.