AGES 7–9 · RIVERS AND LANDFORMS
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Read the land, follow the stated water flow and explain the feature that matters.
Chapter index · Worked correction · Discussion and checking · Vocabulary articles
A river drawn towards the top of a page is not necessarily flowing uphill. This lesson helps children aged roughly 7–9 use twenty words to describe land, water and relationships without confusing a picture with the place it represents. We begin with an imaginary river, a simple flow record and features that can be described in words. The age band is flexible: an adult may read aloud, and five well-understood words can be a useful first session.
The English, Mandarin, Hindi and Russian editions share word numbers, meanings, examples and an original story. Below each card, open the same numbered card in another language. Learn the relationship first, then its expression: a peninsula stays connected to larger land whatever language names it. Some expressions are phrases rather than single words, and translations apply to this context rather than every possible sentence.
Mandarin uses Simplified Chinese with tone-marked pinyin. Hindi and Russian have approximate Roman reading aids; Russian stress marks help learners and are normally omitted in everyday writing. Listen to a confident speaker where possible. The places and elevations here are invented teaching models, not travel directions or claims about a national curriculum. All practice can be done indoors; there is no need to approach a river, cliff, waterfall or shore.
Chapter index
1–4 · Separate page position from river direction
5–8 · Flowing and standing water: words 11–15
9–12 · A gentle seven-day practice plan
CHAPTER 1 OF 12 · Understand the ideas
1. Separate page position from river direction
Separate three ideas: where something sits on a page, its height in the landscape and the direction water flows. A top-down map can be turned around without changing the land. Our simplified river follows a connected descending channel from A at 40 metres above the chosen sea-level reference, through B at 20 metres, to C at 0 metres by the sea. The model excludes pumps, tides and other effects that would complicate this first example.
Worked correction
Worked correction: “C is near the top of the page, so B to C must be upstream.” Keep the observation about the page: in the imagined sketch, C is drawn above B and A below B. Now use the stated flow A to B to C. From B to C follows the flow towards the mouth, so it is downstream. From B to A goes towards the source, so it is upstream. The word “up” in upstream is not a page-position instruction.
The elevations support this particular downhill model, but three isolated height numbers alone do not tell us a real river’s route. We also stipulate a connected channel and its flow. A source is a beginning, while a mouth is where the river enters another water body. A mouth can be at a lake or another river, not only at the sea. Check what the water joins before naming the destination.
Use the map as connected meanings, not a race to memorise twenty labels. Pair island with peninsula and source with mouth. Describe the feature that matters: surrounded on every side by water, still connected by land, beginning a river, or joining another water body. One accurate reason is more useful than several guessed names. Pointing to a simple labelled drawing is a valid explanation.
Some boundaries in everyday naming are not exact worldwide. Hill and mountain, stream and river, pond and lake do not have one size threshold that solves every example. We use ordinary child-friendly descriptions and state the important relationship. Hindi मैदान can mean a field in other contexts; here it is a plain. Russian пруд often suggests an artificial pond; the broader English pond need not be artificial.
1. landscape · 景观
English: landscape
The visible features of an area, including land, water and sometimes human-made features.
Our imagined landscape has a valley and a coast.
中文（普通话）: 景观 (jǐngguān)
一个地区可见的地面、水体和人造等特征。
想象景观有山谷和海岸。
हिन्दी: भूदृश्य (bhūdṛśya)
किसी क्षेत्र के दिखाई देने वाले भूभाग, जल और कभी मानव-निर्मित रूप।
हमारे कल्पित भूदृश्य में घाटी और तट हैं।
Русский: ландша́фт (landshaft)
Видимые особенности местности: суша, вода, иногда созданные человеком объекты.
В нашем вымышленном ландшафте есть долина и побережье.
Try it: Name two features in the imagined landscape.
2. mountain · 山
English: mountain
A natural landform rising prominently above its surroundings; mountains need not have snow or sharp peaks.
The mountain stands above the valley.
中文（普通话）: 山 (shān)
明显高出周围的天然地形，不一定有雪或尖顶。
山高出山谷。
हिन्दी: पर्वत (parvat)
आसपास से प्रमुख रूप में ऊँचा प्राकृतिक स्थलरूप; बर्फ या नुकीली चोटी आवश्यक नहीं।
पर्वत घाटी से ऊपर उठता है।
Русский: гора́ (gora)
Естественное возвышение, заметно поднимающееся над окружением; снег и острый пик необязательны.
Гора возвышается над долиной.
Try it: Explain why snow is not required to name a mountain.
3. hill · 小山
English: hill
A natural raised area, generally lower or less prominent than a mountain; there is no single worldwide height rule.
A low hill rises beside the plain.
中文（普通话）: 小山 (xiǎoshān)
天然隆起地形，通常比山低或不突出，没有全球统一高度界线。
低小山在平原旁隆起。
हिन्दी: पहाड़ी (pahāṛī)
प्राकृतिक ऊँचा भूभाग, सामान्यतः पर्वत से कम ऊँचा या प्रमुख; एक विश्वव्यापी ऊँचाई-सीमा नहीं।
मैदान के पास छोटी पहाड़ी है।
Русский: холм (kholm)
Естественное возвышение, обычно менее высокое или выраженное, чем гора; единого мирового порога нет.
Рядом с равниной поднимается невысокий холм.
Try it: Describe a hill without inventing a worldwide height cutoff.
4. valley · 山谷
English: valley
A long low area between higher ground, often with a river or stream, but not necessarily with water today.
The river follows the valley in our story.
中文（普通话）: 山谷 (shāngǔ)
较高地形之间的长低地，常有河溪，但今天未必有水。
故事河流沿山谷流。
हिन्दी: घाटी (ghāṭī)
ऊँचे भूभाग के बीच लंबा निचला क्षेत्र; अक्सर नदी या धारा, पर आज पानी होना आवश्यक नहीं।
कहानी में नदी घाटी से बहती है।
Русский: доли́на (dolina)
Протяжённая пониженная область между возвышенностями, часто с рекой, но не обязательно с водой сейчас.
В нашей истории река течёт по долине.
Try it: Name the higher ground on either side of a valley.
5. plain · 平原
English: plain
A broad area of mostly flat or gently rolling land; it need not be at sea level.
The plain spreads beyond the hill.
中文（普通话）: 平原 (píngyuán)
宽广的较平坦或轻微起伏地面，不一定在海平面。
平原在小山外延伸。
हिन्दी: मैदान (maidān)
चौड़ा प्रायः समतल या हल्का लहरदार भूभाग; समुद्र-तल पर होना आवश्यक नहीं।
पहाड़ी के आगे मैदान फैला है।
Русский: равни́на (ravnina)
Обширная ровная или слабоволнистая местность; не обязательно на уровне моря.
За холмом простирается равнина.
Try it: Explain why fairly flat does not mean at sea level.
6. plateau · 高原
English: plateau
A broad elevated area with a relatively flat or gently uneven surface.
The plateau is high even though its top looks fairly flat.
中文（普通话）: 高原 (gāoyuán)
地势较高、顶面较平坦或微起伏的宽广地区。
高原顶面虽较平，位置仍高。
हिन्दी: पठार (paṭhār)
ऊँचा विस्तृत भूभाग जिसकी सतह अपेक्षाकृत समतल या हल्की ऊबड़-खाबड़ हो।
पठार ऊपर से समतल दिखकर भी ऊँचा है।
Русский: плоского́рье (ploskogorye)
Обширная возвышенная область с относительно ровной или слаборасчленённой поверхностью.
Плоскогорье высоко, хотя его поверхность сравнительно ровная.
Try it: Use both “high” and “relatively flat” to describe a plateau.
7. coast · 海岸
English: coast
The land along the sea; it may be rocky, sandy or have other forms.
A rocky coast is still a coast.
中文（普通话）: 海岸 (hǎi’àn)
沿海的陆地，可岩石、沙地或其他形态。
岩石海岸仍是海岸。
हिन्दी: समुद्र तट (samudra taṭ)
समुद्र के साथ लगने वाला भूभाग; चट्टानी, रेतीला या अन्य रूप हो सकता है।
चट्टानी समुद्र तट भी तट है।
Русский: побере́жье (poberezhye)
Полоса суши вдоль моря; она бывает скалистой, песчаной и другой.
Скалистое побережье тоже побережье.
Try it: Describe a coast that is not a sandy beach.
8. beach · 海滩
English: beach
A strip of loose material such as sand or pebbles by water; here our example is a sea beach.
Our sea beach has pebbles, not only sand.
中文（普通话）: 海滩 (hǎitān)
水边沙或卵石等松散物带，本课例子为海边滩。
本课海滩有卵石，不只沙。
हिन्दी: बीच (bīc)
पानी किनारे रेत या कंकड़ जैसी ढीली सामग्री की पट्टी; यहाँ समुद्र वाला उदाहरण।
हमारे समुद्री बीच पर कंकड़ हैं, केवल रेत नहीं।
Русский: пляж (plyazh)
Полоса рыхлого материала, например песка или гальки, у воды; здесь пример морского пляжа.
На нашем морском пляже галька, не только песок.
Try it: Name loose material other than sand on a beach.
9. island · 岛屿
English: island
A piece of land surrounded by water; it can be in a river or lake as well as the sea.
Water surrounds the small island.
中文（普通话）: 岛屿 (dǎoyǔ)
四周环水的陆地，可在河、湖或海中。
水环绕小岛。
हिन्दी: द्वीप (dvīp)
चारों ओर पानी से घिरा भूभाग; नदी, झील या समुद्र में हो सकता है।
छोटे द्वीप के चारों ओर पानी है।
Русский: о́стров (ostrov)
Участок суши, окружённый водой; бывает в реке, озере или море.
Небольшой остров со всех сторон окружён водой.
Try it: Trace water around all sides of I.
10. peninsula · 半岛
English: peninsula
Land almost surrounded by water but still joined to a larger land area.
A land connection makes this a peninsula, not an island.
中文（普通话）: 半岛 (bàndǎo)
大部分周围环水，但仍与较大陆地相连。
陆地连接使这里是半岛而非岛。
हिन्दी: प्रायद्वीप (prāyadvīp)
लगभग चारों ओर पानी, लेकिन बड़े भूभाग से जुड़ा हिस्सा।
जमीनी जुड़ाव से यह प्रायद्वीप है, द्वीप नहीं।
Русский: полуо́стров (poluostrov)
Суша, почти окружённая водой, но соединённая с большим массивом суши.
Связь по суше делает это полуостровом, а не островом.
Try it: Trace P’s continuous land connection.
11. river · 河流
English: river
A natural flow of water along a channel; some rivers flow all year and some only at certain times.
The river carries water from A towards C in the model.
中文（普通话）: 河流 (héliú)
沿河道自然流动的水，有些常年，有些只在某些时期流。
模型河水从A往C流。
हिन्दी: नदी (nadī)
प्राकृतिक मार्ग से बहता जल; कुछ साल भर, कुछ निश्चित समय पर बहती हैं।
मॉडल में नदी A से C की ओर बहती है।
Русский: река́ (reka)
Естественный водный поток в русле; одни реки текут постоянно, другие периодически.
В модели река несёт воду от A к C.
Try it: Say the given river flow without using page-top or page-bottom.
12. stream · 溪流
English: stream
A flowing body of water, often smaller than what everyday speech calls a river; naming varies.
A stream joins the river near B.
中文（普通话）: 溪流 (xīliú)
流动水体，日常通常比河小，但叫法会不同。
一条溪流在B附近汇入河。
हिन्दी: जलधारा (jaldhārā)
बहता जल, सामान्य बोलचाल की नदी से अक्सर छोटा; नाम का प्रयोग बदल सकता है।
B के पास जलधारा नदी में मिलती है।
Русский: руче́й (ruchey)
Водный поток, обычно меньший того, что называют рекой; употребление названий различается.
Рядом с B ручей впадает в реку.
Try it: Explain what the small stream joins near B.
13. lake · 湖泊
English: lake
An inland body of water surrounded by land; lakes can have streams flowing into or out of them.
In our second model the river ends in a lake.
中文（普通话）: 湖泊 (húpō)
内陆被陆地围住的水体，可有溪河流入流出。
第二模型河流终点在湖中。
हिन्दी: झील (jhīl)
अंतर्देशीय जलाशय जिसके चारों ओर भूमि; धाराएँ अंदर-बाहर बह सकती हैं।
दूसरे मॉडल में नदी झील में मिलकर समाप्त होती है।
Русский: о́зеро (ozero)
Внутренний водоём среди суши; в него могут впадать и из него вытекать потоки.
Во второй модели река заканчивается в озере.
Try it: Describe a river mouth at a lake rather than the sea.
14. pond · 池塘
English: pond
A relatively small body of standing water; no single size rule separates all ponds and lakes.
The pond lies beside the river, not across its channel.
中文（普通话）: 池塘 (chítáng)
较小的相对静止水体，池塘与湖没有通用大小界线。
池塘在河旁，不横截河道。
हिन्दी: तालाब (tālāb)
अपेक्षाकृत छोटा ठहरा जलाशय; तालाब-झील के लिए एक सार्वभौमिक आकार-सीमा नहीं।
तालाब नदी के पास है, उसके मार्ग में नहीं।
Русский: пруд (prud)
Относительно небольшой водоём; единой границы размера между прудом и озером нет.
Пруд расположен рядом с рекой, не поперёк русла.
Try it: Explain why our beside-the-river pond is not part of the stated channel.
15. ocean · 海洋
English: ocean
A vast connected body of salty water covering much of Earth; named oceans are parts of it.
Our first river reaches the sea, which connects to the ocean.
中文（普通话）: 海洋 (hǎiyáng)
覆盖地球很大部分的相连巨大咸水体，各大洋为其部分。
第一条河入海，海连海洋。
हिन्दी: महासागर (mahāsāgar)
पृथ्वी के बड़े भाग को ढकता विशाल जुड़ा खारा जल; नामित महासागर उसके हिस्से।
पहली नदी समुद्र पहुँचती है, जो महासागर से जुड़ा है।
Русский: океа́н (okean)
Огромное связанное пространство солёной воды; именованные океаны — его части.
Первая река достигает моря, связанного с океаном.
Try it: Distinguish the local sea in the story from the wider ocean.
CHAPTER 6 OF 12 · Learn the words
6. Beginnings, endings and direction: words 16–20
16. waterfall · 瀑布
English: waterfall
A place where flowing water drops steeply over an edge; not every river has one.
We did not add a waterfall just because the water flows downhill.
中文（普通话）: 瀑布 (pùbù)
流水从边缘陡落的地方，不是每河都有。
不因水往低流就一定画瀑布。
हिन्दी: जलप्रपात (jalprapāt)
जहाँ बहता पानी किनारे से तीव्र ढलान पर गिरता है; हर नदी में नहीं।
नीचे बहने से ही हमने जलप्रपात नहीं जोड़ दिया।
Русский: водопа́д (vodopad)
Место резкого падения потока через уступ; есть не на каждой реке.
Мы не добавляли водопад только потому, что вода течёт вниз.
Try it: Explain why downhill flow does not require a waterfall.
17. source · 源头
English: source
Where a river begins; a river system may have several headwater streams.
A is the stated source in our simplified model.
中文（普通话）: 源头 (yuántóu)
河流开始的地方，河系可有多条源头溪流。
A是简化模型规定的源头。
हिन्दी: उद्गम (udgam)
जहाँ नदी शुरू होती है; नदी-तंत्र में कई शुरुआती धाराएँ हो सकती हैं।
सरल मॉडल में A तय उद्गम है।
Русский: исто́к (istok)
Место начала реки; у речной системы может быть несколько верховых потоков.
В упрощённой модели A — заданный исток.
Try it: Point to A and give the reason it is called the source.
18. mouth · 河口
English: mouth
Where a river or stream enters another body of water, such as a river, lake or sea.
C is a sea mouth; Z is a lake mouth in the second model.
中文（普通话）: 河口 (hékǒu)
河溪进入另一河、湖或海等水体的地方。
C是入海河口，第二模型Z是入湖河口。
हिन्दी: मुहाना (muhānā)
जहाँ नदी या धारा दूसरी नदी, झील या समुद्र जैसे जल में मिलती है।
C समुद्री मुहाना; दूसरे मॉडल में Z झील का मुहाना।
Русский: у́стье (ustye)
Место впадения реки или ручья в другую реку, озеро или море.
C — устье у моря; Z во второй модели — устье у озера.
Try it: Name C’s receiving water body and Z’s receiving water body.
19. upstream · 上游
English: upstream
Along the river towards its source, against the stated flow direction.
From B towards A is upstream, even if A is lower on the page.
中文（普通话）: 上游 (shàngyóu)
沿河朝源头、逆给定水流方向。
B往A为上游方向，即使A画在页下。
हिन्दी: धारा के विपरीत दिशा में (dhārā ke viparīt diśā meṃ)
नदी के साथ उद्गम की ओर, तय बहाव के विपरीत।
B से A की ओर धारा के विपरीत है, भले A पन्ने पर नीचे हो।
Русский: вверх по тече́нию (vverkh po techeniyu)
Вдоль реки к истоку, против указанного направления потока.
От B к A — вверх по течению, даже если A ниже на странице.
Try it: From B, name the upstream destination and explain why.
20. downstream · 下游
English: downstream
Along the river in the direction the water flows, towards its mouth.
From B towards C is downstream, even if C is higher on the page.
中文（普通话）: 下游 (xiàyóu)
沿河顺水流朝河口方向。
B往C为下游方向，即使C在页上。
हिन्दी: धारा की दिशा में (dhārā kī diśā meṃ)
नदी के साथ पानी के बहाव में, मुहाने की ओर।
B से C की ओर धारा की दिशा में है, भले C पन्ने पर ऊपर हो।
Русский: вниз по тече́нию (vniz po techeniyu)
Вдоль реки по направлению потока, к устью.
От B к C — вниз по течению, даже если C выше на странице.
Try it: Rotate your sketch; say why downstream remains towards C.
Everything in the following story is an original fictional teaching scene. A, B and C are sites along one stipulated channel, not a real route or a scaled map. Elevations are in metres relative to one chosen sea-level reference; the unit symbol m is kept across all four languages. These values are not water depth, river length, travel time or speed. The top-to-bottom table order is not itself a direction of flow.
Picture a separate small patch of land P beside the coast, with water around most of it and an unbroken neck of land joining it to the mainland. P is a peninsula. Picture I with water around every side and no land connection: I is an island. Neither a tall mountain drawing nor a sandy colour decides this classification. We inspect the water boundary and land connection, not the beauty or size of the sketch.
| Site | Stated role | Elevation (m) |
|---|---|---|
| A | Source | 40 |
| B | Valley site | 20 |
| C | Mouth at sea | 0 |
| From B | Relationship to the water | Term |
|---|---|---|
| B → C | With the flow | Downstream |
| B → A | Against the flow | Upstream |
English · The River That Went Up the Page
Lea and Ravi invented a river on paper. They put A near the bottom, B in the middle and C near the top. Their written rule said that one connected channel carried water from A to B to C. A was the source at 40 m, B a valley site at 20 m, and C the mouth at the sea, at 0 m relative to their chosen reference.
“The river goes uphill to C,” Lea said, pointing to the page. Ravi kept the picture but read the elevations. “It goes towards the top of our page, not uphill in the landscape. Our model descends from 40 to 20 to 0.”
They traced the stated flow. From B to C was downstream, because it followed the water towards the mouth. From B to A was upstream, because it led towards the source. Then Ravi turned the paper around. A was now nearer the top. Nothing about the represented river had changed.
They added a small stream joining the river near B and a pond beside, not across, the channel. A mountain rose beyond the valley, while a plain stretched near a hill. They did not give every river a waterfall or every mountain snow just to make the picture familiar.
Beside the coast they described land P with water around most of it, but a continuous strip of land joining the mainland. Lea called it an island. Ravi traced the land connection. “That makes it a peninsula in our example.” They gave the island label to I, which had water on every side.
Finally they invented another channel: X at 50 m, Y at 30 m and Z at 10 m. The water flowed X to Y to Z and entered a lake at Z. “Z is the mouth,” Lea said. “It doesn’t have to meet the sea.” Ravi agreed: the destination changed, but the upstream and downstream relationships still followed the water.
Their last sentence was not a travel instruction. It was a reading rule: “Find the stated feature and relationship before trusting where the drawing sits.” They kept the labels, flow and conditions together.
中文（普通话） · 往纸上方流的河
莉娅和拉维在纸上想象一条河。A靠下，B在中，C靠上。文字规则说一条相连河道把水从A带经B到C。A是源头，40 m；B是山谷地点，20 m；C是海边河口，相对选定参照为0 m。
“河往C爬坡了。”莉娅指纸说。拉维保留图，却读高度：“是往页上，不是地面爬坡。模型从40降20再降0。”
他们跟踪给定水流。B到C顺水朝河口，为下游方向；B到A朝源头，为上游方向。拉维转纸，A现在靠上，表示的河没有改变。图的位置不是地面的高低。
他们添一条在B附近入河的小溪，又在河旁、不是横截河道处放池塘。山在谷外隆起，小山附近伸展平原。没有为了熟悉图样，就每条河都加瀑布、每座山都加雪。
海岸旁他们描述地块P，多数周围有水，但连续陆地带连接大陆。莉娅叫它岛，拉维描陆地连接：“本例这使它为半岛。”I四面有水，才用岛的标签。岩石海岸仍可叫海岸，海滩也不一定只有沙。
最后另想象河道X 50 m、Y 30 m、Z 10 m。水X到Y到Z，在Z入湖。“Z是河口，不必入海。”莉娅说。拉维同意：去处改变，上下游关系仍跟水流。
最后不是出行指引，而是读图规则：“先找给定特征与关系，再判断图的位置意味着什么。”他们把标签、流向和条件放在一起，并在另一语言同号词卡里找到源头和河口。
हिन्दी · पन्ने पर ऊपर जाती नदी
लिया और रवि ने कागज़ पर नदी बनाई। A नीचे, B बीच, C ऊपर रखा। लिखे नियम में एक जुड़ा मार्ग A से B से C तक पानी ले जाता था। चुने संदर्भ में A उद्गम 40 m, B घाटी वाला स्थान 20 m और C समुद्र का मुहाना 0 m था।
‘नदी C की ओर चढ़ाई चढ़ती है,’ लिया ने पन्ना दिखाया। रवि ने चित्र रखा, ऊँचाइयाँ पढ़ीं। ‘पन्ने पर ऊपर, भूभाग में ऊपर नहीं। मॉडल 40 से 20 से 0 नीचे जाता है।’
उन्होंने तय बहाव देखा। B से C पानी के साथ मुहाने की ओर था, यानी धारा की दिशा में। B से A उद्गम की ओर, धारा के विपरीत। फिर रवि ने कागज़ घुमाया। A अब ऊपर था। दर्शाई नदी नहीं बदली।
उन्होंने B के पास नदी में मिलने वाली छोटी धारा जोड़ी, और मार्ग में नहीं, पास एक तालाब। घाटी के बाहर पर्वत, पहाड़ी के पास मैदान था। केवल परिचित तस्वीर बनाने के लिए हर नदी में जलप्रपात या हर पर्वत पर बर्फ नहीं बनाई।
तट के पास P नाम का भूभाग था: लगभग चारों ओर पानी, पर अखंड भूमि-पट्टी से मुख्य भूभाग जुड़ा। लिया ने द्वीप कहा। रवि ने जमीनी जुड़ाव दिखाया। ‘हमारे उदाहरण में यह प्रायद्वीप है।’ द्वीप का नाम I को दिया, जिसके हर ओर पानी था।
फिर नया मार्ग बनाया: X 50 m, Y 30 m, Z 10 m। पानी X से Y से Z और Z पर झील में मिला। ‘Z मुहाना है, समुद्र मिलना आवश्यक नहीं,’ लिया बोली। रवि सहमत हुआ: गंतव्य बदला, लेकिन धारा की दिशा और विपरीत दिशा के संबंध पानी से तय रहे।
आखिरी वाक्य यात्रा निर्देश नहीं, पढ़ने का नियम था: ‘चित्र कहाँ बैठा है, उससे पहले दी विशेषता और संबंध देखो।’ उन्होंने नाम, बहाव और शर्तें साथ रखीं।
Русский · Река, текущая к верху страницы
Лея и Рави придумали реку на бумаге. A поставили внизу, B посередине, C вверху. Правило гласило: связанное русло несёт воду от A через B к C. Относительно выбранного уровня A был истоком на 40 m, B — точкой долины на 20 m, C — устьем у моря на 0 m.
«Река поднимается к C», — сказала Лея, показывая лист. Рави сохранил рисунок, но прочитал высоты. «Она идёт к верху страницы, не в гору на местности. В модели высота понижается от 40 к 20 и к 0».
Они проследили заданный поток. От B к C — вниз по течению, по воде к устью. От B к A — вверх по течению, к истоку. Рави повернул бумагу. Теперь A оказался ближе к верху. Представленная река не изменилась.
Они добавили ручей, впадающий возле B, и пруд рядом, не поперёк русла. За долиной поднималась гора, возле холма простиралась равнина. Они не рисовали водопад на каждой реке и снег на каждой горе лишь ради привычного вида.
У побережья описали участок P: вода почти со всех сторон, но непрерывная полоска суши соединяет его с материком. Лея назвала его островом. Рави показал соединение. «В нашем примере это полуостров». Название остров досталось I, окружённому водой со всех сторон.
Затем придумали другое русло: X 50 m, Y 30 m, Z 10 m. Вода шла от X через Y к Z и там впадала в озеро. «Z — устье, — сказала Лея. — Море необязательно». Рави согласился: назначение изменилось, но вверх и вниз по течению по-прежнему определялись водой.
Последняя фраза была не маршрутом, а правилом чтения: «Сначала найди заданный признак и связь, потом суди о положении рисунка». Они сохранили подписи, поток и условия вместе.
Answer aloud, sketch the stated model or point to a record. Try “I call it ___ because ___, not because it is near the top of the page.” A learner may explain in the strongest language first. The checking guide is visible below: compare the reason with the evidence, not just whether the final label matches. No outdoor journey is needed to answer.
1. Why is B to C downstream when C is drawn higher on the page?
2. From B, which way is upstream?
3. Do 40 m, 20 m and 0 m tell us the river’s speed?
4. Is P an island when it has a continuous natural land connection?
5. Must every coast be a sandy beach?
6. Can a plateau be high and still relatively flat?
7. Does a valley always need a river flowing in it today?
8. Why is Z called a mouth even at 10 m beside a lake?
9. What remains unchanged when we turn the paper?
10. Can this model tell us whether a real river is safe to enter or drink from?
Discussion guide
The stipulated water flows A to B to C. B to C follows it towards the mouth; page position does not define the term.
Towards A, the source, against the given flow. It is not necessarily towards the top or north.
No. They are elevations, not speed or travel time. The channel and flow are separately stipulated; the numbers alone are insufficient for a real route.
Not in our example. Water around most sides plus a land connection makes P a peninsula. I, with water on every side, is the island.
No. Coasts can be rocky or have other forms. Beaches can contain pebbles as well as sand; beach is not a synonym for every coast.
Yes. High describes elevation relative to other land or a reference; flat describes the surface shape. They answer different questions.
No. The low-area relationship to higher surroundings is the key here. Some valleys have no present flowing river.
The stated river enters the lake at Z. A mouth need not be at sea level or discharge into the sea.
The represented land connection, stated source, mouth and water flow. Their positions relative to the page edges may change.
No. Simplified labels and elevations do not establish safety or water quality. Keep the activity on paper; real visits require appropriate adult planning and local guidance.
Use a short calm session, perhaps five to ten minutes, and stop sooner if needed. This flexible plan is not a promise of mastery in seven days. Keep one contrast stable while changing the language. Reuse drawings and describe them; there is no need to copy twenty definitions every day, pour water onto a model or collect objects from a shore.
| Day | Words | Small activity | What to notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1–5 | Describe a landscape with high and low ground. | Flat and low are different ideas. |
| 2 | 6–10 | Compare a coast, beach, island and peninsula. | Trace the land connection. |
| 3 | 11–15 | Name flowing and standing-water examples. | Naming boundaries can vary. |
| 4 | 16–20 | Trace A to B to C, then reverse the direction. | Upstream follows the source relationship, not page-top. |
| 5 | 1–20 | Read the shared story and turn a paper sketch. | The represented flow does not rotate relative to the land. |
| 6 | Selected five | Open matching word cards in a second language. | Keep the meaning while changing the expression. |
| 7 | Review | Explain X to Y to Z and the lake mouth. | A new destination need not change the flow-relative words. |
If upstream is confused with the top of a page, preserve the picture and add a clear flow arrow labelled A to B to C. Ask which way follows the water from B and which way goes towards the source. Then turn the paper. The page positions change; the represented source, mouth and flow do not. This repairs the reference frame rather than asking for a memorised rule that all rivers run one compass direction.
If an island and peninsula are confused, ask the learner to trace only land connections. Does the stated patch join larger land without crossing water? In our definitions P does and I does not. A bridge drawn over water is not the same as an unbroken natural strip of land. Use a clear imagined example rather than a real tidal coast with changing water levels for this first comparison.
If the relationship is explained correctly but a translated word is slow to come, keep the reasoning and practise only that language link. If the term is fluent but the explanation relies on a colour, size or page position, return to the defining feature. A language retrieval gap and a relationship gap need different next steps; neither is a diagnosis of the child.
Try a new stipulated channel: X at 50 m, Y at 30 m, Z at 10 m, all relative to the same reference. Water flows X to Y to Z and enters a lake at Z. Z is the river’s mouth even though it is not at sea level and not on the coast. From Y towards Z is downstream; towards X is upstream. The receiving lake, not the lowest printed number alone, establishes the named destination.
Look for an explanation that survives a rotated drawing and a changed destination. A useful checkpoint is “I can name the feature, give its relationship and say what information I used.” Invite one explanation in a familiar language, then open its matching card in another. Do not infer river speed, drinking-water safety or a safe walking route from these simplified labels and heights.
| Site | Stated role | Elevation (m) |
|---|---|---|
| X | Source | 50 |
| Y | Channel site | 30 |
| Z | Mouth at lake | 10 |
Does downstream always mean south?
No. It means following the river’s flow towards its mouth. A compass direction and a flow-relative direction answer different questions. Our model gives a flow, not a north arrow.
Can water flow towards the top of a map?
Yes. A map is a representation, not a tilted ground surface. Page position does not give elevation. Use the stated channel, flow and height information rather than assuming paper-top means uphill.
Must a river’s mouth meet the ocean?
No. A river can enter a lake or another river. Our C enters the sea; Z enters a lake. Both qualify as mouths because of the receiving-water relationship, not a required zero elevation.
Is every patch of land with water nearby an island?
No. Check whether water surrounds it and whether a continuous land connection remains. In our clear examples I is surrounded, P stays connected. Real coasts can involve tides and changing connections, which are outside this first model.
Do plain and plateau both mean low ground?
No. A plain describes broad relatively flat or gently rolling terrain; it can be elevated. A plateau is a broad elevated area with a relatively flat surface. Do not use flat as a substitute for low.
Is there one size boundary for stream and river?
No universal everyday naming threshold settles every case. Here stream is a smaller flowing-water example and river the main named channel. Learn the flow and joining relationships rather than inventing a fixed number.
Are these elevations depth readings or a real route?
Neither. They are fictional elevations relative to one stated reference, in metres. They do not supply water depth, distance, gradient along every section, speed or travel safety. The connected route and its direction are separately specified.
How can children use four languages without overload?
Hold one meaning stable, explain it in a familiar language and open the matching numbered card elsewhere. Use a small sentence, not four copied definitions. Five understood words can be enough; completing every edition at once is optional.
Background reading for adults
Adult references on landforms, flowing water and river terminology. Our word cards, places, heights and story are original teaching examples. These simplified models are not real routes, safety assessments, measured classroom results or statements of a national curriculum.
- British Geological Survey · Landforms
- USGS · Rivers, Streams, and Creeks
- USGS · Water Resources Glossaries