September 19, 2023
Year 11 Geography Students Investigate the River Dove's Transformation
Our Year 11 geography students recently embarked on a day of fieldwork along the River Dove in the picturesque Peak District National Park. Their mission? To investigate how closely the River Dove aligns with the Bradshaw Model, building upon their prior studies of rivers in Year 10.The Bradshaw Model suggests that as a river progresses towards its confluence with the River Trent near Burton, it should exhibit characteristics such as increased width, depth, and swifter flow, while concurrently transporting smaller and smoother materials. To put this theory to the test, we conducted fieldwork at two distinct locations: Beresford Dale (closer to the river's source in the upper course) and Dovedale (further downstream in the middle course).
Students calculated the discharge of the river by measuring the width, depth and velocity of the river channel and took samples of the bedload to measure its length and angularity. They will use the data they have collected to write a report, aiming to conclude whether the River Dove does change characteristics between our two sites as expected.
The students were really engaged in their learning, working together in teams to collect the necessary data safely and with great humour, despite the rather soggy conditions we endured, and will be well prepared for being assessed on their learning.
