Backwards Goes It Does
B Backw wards Goes s It Do oes Ch hicago Riv ver Classrroom Acti tivity
Summa ary
Grad de Level: 5thh – 8th
Students will use the web to inveestigate the topographhy of the Ch hicago Riverr watershed. Then studdents will make m a modell of the Chicago River R watersshed to obseerve how the Chicago River R was reeversed.
Dura ation: Two 45 4 minute claass periods
Backgrround Once a meandering m stream surrouunded by wetlands,, the Chicago River has been channelizzed, polluted d and even chhanged to flow backkwards. See incluuded articles for more details on the Chicago River. R
Proced dure I. Topog graphic Ma aps 1. Pass out o the studeent instructioons for this sectioon. Make M sure to tell studentss to read A the direcctions beforee beginning. ALL Visit V www.traails.com or w www.mytopo o.com to view w topo mapss off our area.
2. Allow w students to o work at com mputers. Note:: A teacher version v of the instructionn sheet is included. It contains all the answeers to the qu uestions. II. Creatting the Ma ap and Mak king the Model 1. The day d before cllass, make thhe gelatin modeels: Copy C the attacched tracingg map (2 paages) onto trransparenciees. One map peer group of four f studentss.
Objectives: 1. Sttudents will be b able to usee topographic m maps. 2. Sttudent will crreate a 3D model m of the C Chicago Riverr watershed. 3. Sttudents will be b able to artticulate how the C Chicago Riverr was reverseed. Mate erials: Tu urkey roastinng pan (with stabilizing raack) 16”x12”” x 2.5” (1 peer group of 4)) Clear C Knox© gelatin (1 caanister) Water W Blue food colo oring Yellow Y food coloring c Pllastic knives (1 per group p of 4) Pllastic spoonss (2 per group p of 4) Pllastic cups, or o beakers (2 per group off 4) Peermanent maarkers (1 per group of 4) Attached A riverr map printedd on transparency film f (1 per grroup of 4) Copies C of studdent directionns, reference m and threee articles (1 per map p student orr grroup of 4) Standards: 1.B.3d, 13.B.3d, 13.B.3f, 1 16.A A.3a, 16.A.3bb, 16.E.33c, 17.C.3a, 17.D.3b NGSS: RI.8.110, 4-ESS3-11, 5-ESS3-1, RH 6-8 7, MS-E ESS3-4, MS-E ESS2-2
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Staple the two o transparenncies togetheer so that onee big map is formed. Be sure to line up
thhe river sectiions. Note: The maps arre in “landsccape format"". Place a stapleed transparen ncy map at thhe bottom off each turkeyy pan (1 per group of 4). Make M the pan ns of gelatin,, pouring thee gelatin righht on top of the t transpareency map. The T
gelatin should d be six inchhes deep. Because B the gelatin is cleear, the studeents will be able to see the t map throough it. 2. At the beginning of class: Divide D studen nts into grouups of four. Pass out the student s instruuction sheetss, a beaker, the t food colooring, plasticc knifes, spooons annd permanen nt markers. Have H students follow the direction shheets to makee the model. Note: A teaacher version of thhe instruction n sheet is inccluded. It coontains all thhe answers to the questioons.
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B Backw wards Goes s It Do oes Teac cher Ve ersion of o Stude ent Pag ges I. Topo ographic Maps View thee “Referencee Map” of the Chicago River R (attacheed) and noticce its shape. It has three forks on top, turns to oward the Laake and then travels south a bit. Originallly, the river flowed f from m the north foorks, south, into i the mainn stem and from f the souuth branches, northwest, into the maiin stem. Eveerything thenn flowed out into Lake Michigan. M W Why? To find out o we will have h to consuult a topograaphic map. A topo-graphho-what youu say? A topogrraphic map (or topo mapp for short) iss a two dimeensional reprresentation of o the land. It I shows strreets and buiildings (mayybe even youur school), water w bodies,, parks and wetlands. w It also shows the topography y – or the hiilliness of thee area. Brow wn lines curvving all overr the map haave numbers on them. The numbers represent thhe number off feet that linne (and hence that part of the land) is above a sea lev vel. If you loook at severral lines nextt to each other and the nuumbers are getting higher, you arre climbing up a hill. Iff the numbers are gettingg lower, you are sliding down d the hill. Follow thhe instructio ons to view thhe elevationn pattern in thhe Chicago River R watersshed and findd out why the river r originaally flowed innto the lake..
Instruc ctions Go to ww ww.trails.com m or www.m mytopo.com.. These webssites can be used u for view wing topographic maps on nline) you caan also orderr custom topoo maps. Lets Pra actice: Find the eleva ation of yo our school 1. Visit one of the tw wo websitess listed abovee. d States, Illinnois, or the City C of Chiccago and zooom in. www w.trails.com has h a 2. Locatte the United locatoor for your school’s s addrress, or pickk a well-know wn feature near n you, likee the Field Museeum. 3. Find your school on the map.. 4. Whenn the map is on the screeen be sure thhat it is set att a scale for easiest e view wing. Select “topoo” or ‘terrain n-topo” modee to obtain a topo map. 5. Noticce the brown n curving lines all over thhe map. Theese are called contour linnes and theyy indicate the elevaation of an arrea. When you u want to knnow the elevaation of a paarticular spott follow the brown b line closest to it until you see the brow wn number. This T numberr indicates thhe elevation of that area in i feet abovee sea level. Contour C lines next to eacch other are five f feet apaart. (See the example e bellow.) If a place is between two t lines wiith different elevations, the t elevationn of that placce is between those t two eleevations. Foor example, look l at “Racccoon High School” S above. The elevaation of the school s is som mewhere between the 610 ft and 6055 ft above seaa level. B Backwards s Goes It Does D CHICAGO RIV VER SCHOOLS NETWORK
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Contour liines 620 610 605 6 610
Oak Sttreet
Raaccoon HS S
Raccoon Lake
6. Whatt is the elevaation of yourr school? ____________________ 7. Practtice moving around the map. m If youu want the map m to move east, west, north n or soutth, place the cursor on thhe map and drag d it thaat direction. This is especially helpfuul if you wannt to follow a street. Let’s Ge et Going: Find F the Ellevation off the Three e Forks of the t North Branch B of the t Chicago o River Now let’s take a loo ok at the Refference Map p given to you y by your teacher. 1. Whatt is the landm mark at the top of the West Fork of the t Chicago River? Florrsheim Park (founnd at 42.2128 8°, -87.89866° ) opo maps” and type in Florsheim Paark, IL in “Feeature namess”. a.. Go to “To b. What is th he elevation of this landm mark? 689 above a sea levvel 2. Whatt is the landm mark at the very v top of thhe North Braanch where the t three forrks meet? Linnne Woodds (found at 42.0442°, -887.7844° ) a.. Go back to t the toolbaar above the topo t map that you are loooking at. b. Go to “To opo maps” and type in Linne L Woodss, IL in “Featture names”. c.. What is th he elevation of this landm mark? (Rem member to foollow the line CLOSEST T to the site.) 650 6 feet aboove sea level Keep it Going: Fin nd the Elev vation of th he Main Brranch of th he Chicago o River Take anoother look at the Referennce Map and locate the Main M Branchh of the Chicago River. You Y will be trracing the eleevation channges along thhe main brannch, by folloowing Kinziee Avenue. (Found at a 41.8903°, -87.6169°) 1. Go too “Topo map ps” and type in Ogden Sllip, IL in “Feature namees”. Continuue to follow Kinziie Avenue to o the west when w it becom mes railroad tracks. 2. Fill inn the elevation chart for the followinng locations::
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Locaation Ogdeen Slip Kinziie Avenue an nd Ashland Avenue A Kinziie Avenue an nd Sacramennto Kinziie Avenue an nd Kostner Avenue A Kinziie Avenue an nd Lockwoood Kinziie Avenue an nd Pine Kinziie Avenue an nd Oak Parkk Avenue Kinziie Avenue an nd Kenilworrth Kinziie Avenue an nd Franklin Kinziie Avenue an nd GAR Wooods
Elevattion 600 41.8903°, 4 -877.6169° 604 41.8889°, 4 -877.6671° 604 41.8881°, 4 -877.7016° 610 41.8877°, 4 -877.7357° 620 41.8878°, 4 -877.7578° 623 41.8877°, 4 -877.7633° 627 41.8872°, 4 -877.7945° 640 41.8872°, 4 -877.7971° 636 41.8868°, 4 -877.8178° 636 41.8869°, 4 -877.8262°
One Mo ore to Go: Find F the Ellevation off the South h Branch of o the Chica ago River Look bacck at the Refference Map and locate the t South Brranch of the Chicago Rivver. You wiill be tracing thhe elevation changes aloong the southh branch andd beyond, by following Cermak C Avennue. (Found at a 41.85°, -87.61°) 1. Go too “Topo map ps” and type in McCorm mick Place, IL L in “Featuree names”. 2. Fill inn the elevation chart for the followinng locations:: Locaation Cerm mak at it’s beeginning at thhe lakeshoree Cerm mak and Canaalport Cerm mak and Averrs Avenue Cerm mak and Pulaaski Cerm mak and Ciceero Cerm mak and Laraamie Cerm mak and Ridg geland Cerm mak and Bur Oak Avenuee (Woodlaw wn Cemeeteries) Cerm mak and DesP Plaines Riveer
Elevattion 4 -877.6175° 630 41.8528°, 591 41.8525°, 4 -877.6513° 604 41.8516°, 4 -877.7211° 597 41.8514°, 4 -877.7247° 607 41.8512°, 4 -877.7443° 607 41.8511°, 4 -877.754° 614 41.8507°, 4 -877.7835° 627 41.8501°, 4 -877.8171° 617 41.85°, 4 -87.88273°
So Wh hat Do All Those Numbers N Mean? All the nuumbers you found determ mine which way water flows f – becaause water floows downhiill (from areeas of higherr to areas of lower elevattion). Everyy water bodyy is surroundded by a watersheed – an area of o land that drains d into thhe water boddy because the land is att a higher elevationn than the waater body. And A water in a river itself will flow downhill d until in reachess a lake, sea or ocean. Answer A thesee questions to t find out what w your num mbers mean for the flow w of t Chicago River. water in the 1. Whicch place has a higher elevvation, the toop of the Weest Fork or the t top of thee North Brannch where the three forks fo meet? West Fork 2. Basedd on that infformation, which w way dooes the waterr flow – tow wards the nortth or south? Southh. The threee North Forkks have a higgher elevatioon than the beginning b off the North Branch where thee forks meet.. Therefore,, water will flow f from the higher to lower l elevation. B Backwards s Goes It Does D CHICAGO RIV VER SCHOOLS NETWORK
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3. Lookk at your list of elevationns from alongg the main sttem. What happens h to thhe elevationn as you get g further aw way from the lake? It inncreases. 4. Basedd on that infformation, which w way dooes the Chicaago River floow, into Lakke Michigan or awayy from Lake Michigan? Into I Lake Michigan. M 5. Lookk at the elevaations betweeen the Chicaago River annd the Des Pllaines River along Kinziie Avennue. What happens to thhe elevation?? Goes up annd then down. What is the t highest pointt? 630 feet above a sea leevel 6. Now look at the elevations e beetween the Chicago C Riveer and the Des D Plaines River R along Cerm mak Avenue. What happpens to the ellevation? Gooes up and then t down. What W is the higheest point? 62 27 feet abovee sea level 7. Basedd on that infformation whhat does the water do weest of the higghest point? Flow into Des D Plainnes River. What W does it do d east of thhe highest pooint? Flow innto the Chiccago River. These higgh points sho ow the preseence of a subb continentall divide – waater flowing into the Chiicago River goees out throug gh the Greatt Lakes to thhe Atlantic Ocean O while water w flowinng into the Des D Plaines River R flows the t opposite direction tow wards the Gulf G of Mexicco. Withoutt this sub continenttal divide theere would bee no Chicagoo today. Why? Read R and find out! Read d the articlee: Location,, Location, Location. L
II. Crea ating the 3-D Model of the Chicago River Now thatt you undersstand the lay of the land, it is time to make a moddel of the Chhicago Riverr and watch thee water flow w.
Instruc ctions When yoou receive yo our pan of geelatin, noticee that you caan see a map of the Chicaago River through the t gelatin. You should be able to seee right through the gelaatin to the maap. Tracing g the Outlin ne of the Water W Bodie es with Your Perman nent Marke er 1. Tracee the outline of Lake Micchigan usingg your permaanent markeer. You will be writing on o top of the gelatin n. 2. Now trace the West W Fork, Miiddle Fork annd Skokie River. R t South Brranch. Do NOT N trace the t 3. Finallly, trace the North Branch, the Mainn Stem, and the Sanittary and Sh hip Canal! We W are firstt making a model m of thee original Chicago C Riveer. Cutting the River and Lake 1. Take your knife and a cut alongg the outlinee of Lake Miichigan. Noow GENTLY Y scoop out Lake L Michhigan, remov ving all the gelatin. g Youu should be leeft with a bigg whole wheere Lake Michhigan is. 2. Take your knife and a trace thee lines of thee river. Pushh your knife ONLY abouut ¼ of an innch into the t gelatin. Do D NOT digg out the riveers or your whole w modell will fall apaart.
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Adding Water 1. SLOW WLY pour some s blue coolored water into the lakee. Fill the laake to just beelow the topp of the geelatin. Do NOT N flood over the top of o the gelatinn or your moodel will falll apart. 2. Now SLOWLY pour p some yellow coloreed water intoo the top of the t three forkks of the Chicaago River. 3. Wherre does the yellow y waterr in the Chicago River goo? Down to the North Brranch, into the t main stem and ou ut to the Lakke. m the River into the Lakke? Because the River is higher up thhan 4. Why does the waater flow from the Lake. Or statted another way, w the lakke is downhilll from the riiver. Adding Sewers When Chhicago was still s young, in the mid annd late 1800’’s, the sewerrs would pouur directly innto the river.. The sewag ge polluted more m than thee river. Read a 19th centtury accountt of the probllems: “Is Chicaago a Swamp p?” 1. Usingg the diagram m below as a guide, youu are going too be adding sewers s to yoour model. With W your knife, make some small holes in thee gelatin. Coonnect the hooles to the riiver with verry shalloow lines.
Lake L M Michigan Chiccago River
Seewer Tunnels Sewer Holes
2. Pour some red fo ood coloring into the holees. This reprresents sewaage. 3. Wherre did Chicago’s sewagee go in the mid m to late 18800’s? Into the t Chicago River and out o to the laake. 4. How did this affeect Chicago’s drinking water? w Chicaago got its drinking d wateer from the lake, l so thee city’s drinkking water source was polluted p withh sewage.
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Adding the Sanita ary and Ship Canal No one wants w sewagee in their driinking waterr? What wass Chicago too do? It deciided to reverrse the Chicaago River by y building thhe Chicago Sanitary S and Ship Canal. 1. Readd the 1900 neewspaper artticle about thhe opening of o the canal. Refer to “Tuurn the River into Big B Canal.” 2. Usingg your permanent markeer, trace the Chicago C Sannitary and Shhip Canal. 3. Startiing at the ed dge of the traay and movinng towards thhe South Branch of the Chicago C Rivver, cut thhe canal with h your knife the same waay you did for fo the rest off the rivers. (You are cuttinng it just likee you read inn the article!) 4. Watcch what happ pens! Clue: Watch W the Chicago Sanittary and Shipp Canal. 5. Whatt color is thee water in thee Chicago Saanitary and Ship S Canal? Green 6. Basedd on the colo or of the watter in the Chhicago Sanitaary and Shipp Canal, wheere is the watter in the caanal from? Lake L Michigaan (blue watter) and Chiicago River (yellow ( wateer). 7. So, iss the river flo owing into thhe lake or iss the lake floowing into thhe river? Thee lake is flow wing into the t river. 8. Now block up thee old river mouth m (wheree the river meets m the lakee) with a pieece of clay. Pour P somee blue water into the threee northern forks. f 9. Wherre does the water w go? Intto the canal. 10. Whicch part of thee river is runnning backward? The Main M Stem andd South Branch. 11. How did the com mpletion of thhe canal savee the city’s drinking d watter and help clean up thee river?? Clean lakee water came in and flusshed away thhe pollution, and the riveer no longerr floweed into the la ake.
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B Backw wards Goes s It Do oes Stude ent Pag ges I. Topo ographic Maps View thee “Referencee Map” of the Chicago River R (attacheed) and noticce its shape. It has three forks on top, turns to oward the Laake and then travels south a bit. Originallly, the river flowed f from m the north foorks, south, into i the mainn stem and from f the souuth branches, northwest, into the maiin stem. Eveerything thenn flowed out into Lake Michigan. M W Why? To find out o we will have h to consuult a topograaphic map. A topo-graphho-what youu say? A topogrraphic map (or topo mapp for short) iss a two dimeensional reprresentation of o the land. It I shows strreets and buiildings (mayybe even youur school), water w bodies,, parks and wetlands. w It also shows the topography y – or the hiilliness of thee area. Brow wn lines curvving all overr the map haave numbers on them. The numbers represent thhe number off feet that linne (and hence that part of the land) is above a sea lev vel. If you loook at severral lines nextt to each other and the nuumbers are getting higher, you arre climbing up a hill. Iff the numbers are gettingg lower, you are sliding down d the hill. Follow thhe instructio ons to view thhe elevationn pattern in thhe Chicago River R watersshed and findd out why the river r originaally flowed innto the lake..
Instruc ctions Go to ww ww.trails.com m or www.m mytopo.com..These websites can be used u for view wing topograaphic maps onlline) you can n also order custom topoo maps. Lets Pra actice: Find the eleva ation of yo our school 1. Visit one of the tw wo websitess listed abovee. d States, Illinnois, or the City C of Chiccago and zooom in. www w.trails.com has h a 2. Locatte the United locatoor for your school’s s addrress, or pickk a well-know wn feature near n you, likee the Field Museeum. 3. Find your school on the map.. 4. Whenn the map is on the screeen be sure thhat it is set att a scale for easiest e view wing. Select “topoo” or ‘terrain n-topo” modee to obtain a topo map. 5. Noticce the brown n curving lines all over thhe map. Theese are called contour linnes and theyy indicate the elevaation of an arrea. When you u want to knnow the elevaation of a paarticular spott follow the brown b line closest to it until you see the brow wn number. This T numberr indicates thhe elevation of that area in i feet abovee sea level. Contour C lines next to eacch other are five f feet apaart. (See the example e bellow.) If a place is between two t lines wiith different elevations, the t elevationn of that placce is between those t two eleevations. Foor example, look l at “Racccoon High School” S above. The elevaation of the school s is som mewhere between the 610 ft and 6055 ft above seaa level. B Backwards s Goes It Does D CHICAGO RIV VER SCHOOLS NETWORK
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Contour liines 620 610 605 6 610
Oak Sttreet
Raccoon Lake
Raaccoon HS S
6. Whatt is the elevaation of yourr school? ____________________ 7. Practtice moving around the map. m If youu want the map m to move east, west, north n or soutth, place the cursor on thhe map and drag d it thaat direction. This is especially helpfuul if you wannt to follow a street.
Let’s Ge et Going: Find F the Ellevation off the Three e Forks of the t North Branch B of the t Chicago o River Now let’s take a loo ok at the Refference Map p given to you y by your teacher. 1. Whatt is the landm mark at the top of the West Fork of the t Chicago River? opo maps” and type in Florsheim Paark, IL in “Feeature namess”. a.. Go to “To b. What is th he elevation of this landm mark?
2. Whatt is the landm mark at the very v top of thhe North Braanch where the t three forrks meet? a.. Go back to t the toolbaar above the topo t map that you are loooking at. b. Go to “To opo maps” and type in Linne L Woodss, IL in “Featture names”. c.. What is th he elevation of this landm mark? (Rem member to foollow the line CLOSEST T to the site.) Keep it Going: Fin nd the Elev vation of th he Main Brranch of th he Chicago o River Take anoother look at the Referennce Map and locate the Main M Branchh of the Chicago River. You Y will be trracing the eleevation channges along thhe main brannch, by folloowing Kinziee Avenue. 1. Go too “Topo map ps” and type in Ogden Sllip, IL in “Feature namees”. Continuue to follow Kinziie Avenue to o the west when w it becom mes railroad tracks. 2. Fill inn the elevation chart for the followinng locations::
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Locaation Ogdeen Slip
Elevattion
Kinziie Avenue an nd Ashland Avenue A Kinziie Avenue an nd Sacramennto Kinziie Avenue an nd Kostner Avenue A Kinziie Avenue an nd Lockwoood Kinziie Avenue an nd Pine Kinziie Avenue an nd Oak Parkk Avenue Kinziie Avenue an nd Kenilworrth Kinziie Avenue an nd Franklin Kinziie Avenue an nd GAR Wooods One Mo ore to Go: Find F the Ellevation off the South h Branch of o the Chica ago River Look bacck at the Refference Map and locate the t South Brranch of the Chicago Rivver. You wiill be tracing thhe elevation changes aloong the southh branch andd beyond, by following Cermak C Avennue. 1. Go too “Topo map ps” and type in McCorm mick Place, IL L in “Featuree names”. 2. Fill inn the elevation chart for the followinng locations:: Locaation Cerm mak at it’s beeginning at thhe lakeshoree
Elevattion
Cerm mak and Canaalport Cerm mak and Averrs Avenue Cerm mak and Pulaaski Cerm mak and Ciceero Cerm mak and Laraamie Cerm mak and Ridg geland Cerm mak and Bur Oak Avenuee (Woodlaw wn Cemeeteries) Cerm mak and DesP Plaines Riveer
So Wh hat Do All Those Numbers N Mean? All the nuumbers you found determ mine which way water flows f – becaause water floows downhiill (from areeas of higherr to areas of lower elevattion). Everyy water bodyy is surroundded by a watersheed – an area of o land that drains d into thhe water boddy because the land is att a higher elevationn than the waater body. And A water in a river itself will flow downhill d until in reachess a lake, sea or ocean. Answer A thesee questions to t find out what w your num mbers mean for the flow w of water in the t Chicago River.
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1. Whicch place has a higher elevvation, the toop of the Weest Fork or the t top of thee North Brannch where the three forks fo meet?
2. Basedd on that infformation, which w way dooes the waterr flow – tow wards the nortth or south?
h to thhe elevationn as 3. Lookk at your list of elevationns from alongg the main sttem. What happens you get g further aw way from the lake?
w way dooes the Chicaago River floow, into Lakke Michigan or 4. Basedd on that infformation, which awayy from Lake Michigan?
5. Lookk at the elevaations betweeen the Chicaago River annd the Des Pllaines River along Kinziie Avennue. What happens to thhe elevation??
What is the highest point?
6. Now look at the elevations e beetween the Chicago C Riveer and the Des D Plaines River R along Cerm mak Avenue. What happpens to the ellevation?
What is the highest point?
7. Basedd on that infformation whhat does the water do weest of the higghest point?
What does it do eaast of the higghest point? These higgh points sho ow the preseence of a subb continentall divide – waater flowing into the Chiicago River goees out throug gh the Greatt Lakes to thhe Atlantic Ocean O while water w flowinng into the Des D Plaines River R flows the t opposite direction tow wards the Gulf G of Mexicco. Withoutt this sub continenttal divide theere would bee no Chicagoo today. Why? Read R and find out! Read d the articlee: Location,, Location, Location. L
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II. Crea ating the 3-D Model of the Chicago River Now thatt you undersstand the lay of the land, it is time to make a moddel of the Chhicago Riverr and watch thee water flow w.
Instruc ctions When yoou receive yo our pan of geelatin, noticee that you caan see a map of the Chicaago River through the t gelatin. You should be able to seee right through the gelaatin to the maap. Tracing g the Outlin ne of the Water W Bodie es with Your Perman nent Marke er 1. Tracee the outline of Lake Micchigan usingg your permaanent markeer. You will be writing on o top of the gelatin n. W Fork, Miiddle Fork annd Skokie River. R 2. Now trace the West t South Brranch. Do NOT N trace the t 3. Finallly, trace the North Branch, the Mainn Stem, and the Sanittary and Sh hip Canal! We W are firstt making a model m of thee original Chicago C Riveer. Cutting the River and Lake 1. Take your knife and a cut alongg the outlinee of Lake Miichigan. Noow GENTLY Y scoop out Lake L Michhigan, remov ving all the gelatin. g Youu should be leeft with a bigg whole wheere Lake Michhigan is. 2. Take your knife and a trace thee lines of thee river. Pushh your knife ONLY abouut ¼ of an innch into the t gelatin. Do D NOT digg out the riveers or your whole w modell will fall apaart. Adding Water 1. SLOW WLY pour some s blue coolored water into the lakee. Fill the laake to just beelow the topp of the geelatin. Do NOT N flood over the top of o the gelatinn or your moodel will falll apart. 2. Now SLOWLY pour p some yellow coloreed water intoo the top of the t three forkks of the Chicaago River. 3. Wherre does the yellow y waterr in the Chicago River goo?
4. Why does the waater flow from m the River into the Lakke? Adding Sewers When Chhicago was still s young, in the mid annd late 1800’’s, the sewerrs would pouur directly innto the river.. The sewag ge polluted more m than thee river. Read a 19th centtury accountt of the probllems: “Is Chicaago a Swamp p?” m below as a guide, youu are going too be adding sewers s to yoour model. With W 1. Usingg the diagram your knife, make some small holes in thee gelatin. Coonnect the hooles to the riiver with verry shalloow lines.
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Lake Michigan Chhicago River
Sewer Tunnels Sewer Holles
2. Pour some red fo ood coloring into the holees. This reprresents sewaage. m to late 18800s? 3. Wherre did Chicago’s sewagee go in the mid
4. How did this affeect Chicago’s drinking water? w
Adding the Sanita ary and Ship Canal No one wants w sewagee in their driinking waterr? What wass Chicago too do? It deciided to reverrse the Chicaago River by y building thhe Chicago Sanitary S and Ship Canal. 1. Readd the 1900 neewspaper artticle about thhe opening of o the canal. Refer to “Tuurn the River into Big B Canal.” 2. Usingg your permanent markeer, trace the Chicago C Sannitary and Shhip Canal. 3. Startiing at the ed dge of the traay and movinng towards thhe South Branch of the Chicago C Rivver, cut thhe canal with h your knife the same waay you did for fo the rest off the rivers. (You are cuttinng it just likee you read inn the article!) 4. Watcch what happ pens! Clue: Watch W the Chicago Sanittary and Shipp Canal. 5. Whatt color is thee water in thee Chicago Saanitary and Ship S Canal?
6. Basedd on the colo or of the watter in the Chhicago Sanitaary and Shipp Canal, wheere is the watter in the caanal from?
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7. So, iss the river flo owing into thhe lake or iss the lake floowing into thhe river?
m (wheree the river meets m the lakee) with a pieece of clay. Pour P 8. Now block up thee old river mouth somee blue water into the threee northern forks. f 9. Wherre does the water w go?
10. Whicch part of thee river is runnning backward?
11. How did the com mpletion of thhe canal savee the city’s drinking d watter and help clean up thee river??
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Refe erence Ma ap
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Summa ary
Grad de Level: 5thh – 8th
Students will use the web to inveestigate the topographhy of the Ch hicago Riverr watershed. Then studdents will make m a modell of the Chicago River R watersshed to obseerve how the Chicago River R was reeversed.
Dura ation: Two 45 4 minute claass periods
Backgrround Once a meandering m stream surrouunded by wetlands,, the Chicago River has been channelizzed, polluted d and even chhanged to flow backkwards. See incluuded articles for more details on the Chicago River. R
Proced dure I. Topog graphic Ma aps 1. Pass out o the studeent instructioons for this sectioon. Make M sure to tell studentss to read A the direcctions beforee beginning. ALL Visit V www.traails.com or w www.mytopo o.com to view w topo mapss off our area.
2. Allow w students to o work at com mputers. Note:: A teacher version v of the instructionn sheet is included. It contains all the answeers to the qu uestions. II. Creatting the Ma ap and Mak king the Model 1. The day d before cllass, make thhe gelatin modeels: Copy C the attacched tracingg map (2 paages) onto trransparenciees. One map peer group of four f studentss.
Objectives: 1. Sttudents will be b able to usee topographic m maps. 2. Sttudent will crreate a 3D model m of the C Chicago Riverr watershed. 3. Sttudents will be b able to artticulate how the C Chicago Riverr was reverseed. Mate erials: Tu urkey roastinng pan (with stabilizing raack) 16”x12”” x 2.5” (1 peer group of 4)) Clear C Knox© gelatin (1 caanister) Water W Blue food colo oring Yellow Y food coloring c Pllastic knives (1 per group p of 4) Pllastic spoonss (2 per group p of 4) Pllastic cups, or o beakers (2 per group off 4) Peermanent maarkers (1 per group of 4) Attached A riverr map printedd on transparency film f (1 per grroup of 4) Copies C of studdent directionns, reference m and threee articles (1 per map p student orr grroup of 4) Standards: 1.B.3d, 13.B.3d, 13.B.3f, 1 16.A A.3a, 16.A.3bb, 16.E.33c, 17.C.3a, 17.D.3b NGSS: RI.8.110, 4-ESS3-11, 5-ESS3-1, RH 6-8 7, MS-E ESS3-4, MS-E ESS2-2
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Staple the two o transparenncies togetheer so that onee big map is formed. Be sure to line up
thhe river sectiions. Note: The maps arre in “landsccape format"". Place a stapleed transparen ncy map at thhe bottom off each turkeyy pan (1 per group of 4). Make M the pan ns of gelatin,, pouring thee gelatin righht on top of the t transpareency map. The T
gelatin should d be six inchhes deep. Because B the gelatin is cleear, the studeents will be able to see the t map throough it. 2. At the beginning of class: Divide D studen nts into grouups of four. Pass out the student s instruuction sheetss, a beaker, the t food colooring, plasticc knifes, spooons annd permanen nt markers. Have H students follow the direction shheets to makee the model. Note: A teaacher version of thhe instruction n sheet is inccluded. It coontains all thhe answers to the questioons.
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B Backw wards Goes s It Do oes Teac cher Ve ersion of o Stude ent Pag ges I. Topo ographic Maps View thee “Referencee Map” of the Chicago River R (attacheed) and noticce its shape. It has three forks on top, turns to oward the Laake and then travels south a bit. Originallly, the river flowed f from m the north foorks, south, into i the mainn stem and from f the souuth branches, northwest, into the maiin stem. Eveerything thenn flowed out into Lake Michigan. M W Why? To find out o we will have h to consuult a topograaphic map. A topo-graphho-what youu say? A topogrraphic map (or topo mapp for short) iss a two dimeensional reprresentation of o the land. It I shows strreets and buiildings (mayybe even youur school), water w bodies,, parks and wetlands. w It also shows the topography y – or the hiilliness of thee area. Brow wn lines curvving all overr the map haave numbers on them. The numbers represent thhe number off feet that linne (and hence that part of the land) is above a sea lev vel. If you loook at severral lines nextt to each other and the nuumbers are getting higher, you arre climbing up a hill. Iff the numbers are gettingg lower, you are sliding down d the hill. Follow thhe instructio ons to view thhe elevationn pattern in thhe Chicago River R watersshed and findd out why the river r originaally flowed innto the lake..
Instruc ctions Go to ww ww.trails.com m or www.m mytopo.com.. These webssites can be used u for view wing topographic maps on nline) you caan also orderr custom topoo maps. Lets Pra actice: Find the eleva ation of yo our school 1. Visit one of the tw wo websitess listed abovee. d States, Illinnois, or the City C of Chiccago and zooom in. www w.trails.com has h a 2. Locatte the United locatoor for your school’s s addrress, or pickk a well-know wn feature near n you, likee the Field Museeum. 3. Find your school on the map.. 4. Whenn the map is on the screeen be sure thhat it is set att a scale for easiest e view wing. Select “topoo” or ‘terrain n-topo” modee to obtain a topo map. 5. Noticce the brown n curving lines all over thhe map. Theese are called contour linnes and theyy indicate the elevaation of an arrea. When you u want to knnow the elevaation of a paarticular spott follow the brown b line closest to it until you see the brow wn number. This T numberr indicates thhe elevation of that area in i feet abovee sea level. Contour C lines next to eacch other are five f feet apaart. (See the example e bellow.) If a place is between two t lines wiith different elevations, the t elevationn of that placce is between those t two eleevations. Foor example, look l at “Racccoon High School” S above. The elevaation of the school s is som mewhere between the 610 ft and 6055 ft above seaa level. B Backwards s Goes It Does D CHICAGO RIV VER SCHOOLS NETWORK
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Contour liines 620 610 605 6 610
Oak Sttreet
Raaccoon HS S
Raccoon Lake
6. Whatt is the elevaation of yourr school? ____________________ 7. Practtice moving around the map. m If youu want the map m to move east, west, north n or soutth, place the cursor on thhe map and drag d it thaat direction. This is especially helpfuul if you wannt to follow a street. Let’s Ge et Going: Find F the Ellevation off the Three e Forks of the t North Branch B of the t Chicago o River Now let’s take a loo ok at the Refference Map p given to you y by your teacher. 1. Whatt is the landm mark at the top of the West Fork of the t Chicago River? Florrsheim Park (founnd at 42.2128 8°, -87.89866° ) opo maps” and type in Florsheim Paark, IL in “Feeature namess”. a.. Go to “To b. What is th he elevation of this landm mark? 689 above a sea levvel 2. Whatt is the landm mark at the very v top of thhe North Braanch where the t three forrks meet? Linnne Woodds (found at 42.0442°, -887.7844° ) a.. Go back to t the toolbaar above the topo t map that you are loooking at. b. Go to “To opo maps” and type in Linne L Woodss, IL in “Featture names”. c.. What is th he elevation of this landm mark? (Rem member to foollow the line CLOSEST T to the site.) 650 6 feet aboove sea level Keep it Going: Fin nd the Elev vation of th he Main Brranch of th he Chicago o River Take anoother look at the Referennce Map and locate the Main M Branchh of the Chicago River. You Y will be trracing the eleevation channges along thhe main brannch, by folloowing Kinziee Avenue. (Found at a 41.8903°, -87.6169°) 1. Go too “Topo map ps” and type in Ogden Sllip, IL in “Feature namees”. Continuue to follow Kinziie Avenue to o the west when w it becom mes railroad tracks. 2. Fill inn the elevation chart for the followinng locations::
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Locaation Ogdeen Slip Kinziie Avenue an nd Ashland Avenue A Kinziie Avenue an nd Sacramennto Kinziie Avenue an nd Kostner Avenue A Kinziie Avenue an nd Lockwoood Kinziie Avenue an nd Pine Kinziie Avenue an nd Oak Parkk Avenue Kinziie Avenue an nd Kenilworrth Kinziie Avenue an nd Franklin Kinziie Avenue an nd GAR Wooods
Elevattion 600 41.8903°, 4 -877.6169° 604 41.8889°, 4 -877.6671° 604 41.8881°, 4 -877.7016° 610 41.8877°, 4 -877.7357° 620 41.8878°, 4 -877.7578° 623 41.8877°, 4 -877.7633° 627 41.8872°, 4 -877.7945° 640 41.8872°, 4 -877.7971° 636 41.8868°, 4 -877.8178° 636 41.8869°, 4 -877.8262°
One Mo ore to Go: Find F the Ellevation off the South h Branch of o the Chica ago River Look bacck at the Refference Map and locate the t South Brranch of the Chicago Rivver. You wiill be tracing thhe elevation changes aloong the southh branch andd beyond, by following Cermak C Avennue. (Found at a 41.85°, -87.61°) 1. Go too “Topo map ps” and type in McCorm mick Place, IL L in “Featuree names”. 2. Fill inn the elevation chart for the followinng locations:: Locaation Cerm mak at it’s beeginning at thhe lakeshoree Cerm mak and Canaalport Cerm mak and Averrs Avenue Cerm mak and Pulaaski Cerm mak and Ciceero Cerm mak and Laraamie Cerm mak and Ridg geland Cerm mak and Bur Oak Avenuee (Woodlaw wn Cemeeteries) Cerm mak and DesP Plaines Riveer
Elevattion 4 -877.6175° 630 41.8528°, 591 41.8525°, 4 -877.6513° 604 41.8516°, 4 -877.7211° 597 41.8514°, 4 -877.7247° 607 41.8512°, 4 -877.7443° 607 41.8511°, 4 -877.754° 614 41.8507°, 4 -877.7835° 627 41.8501°, 4 -877.8171° 617 41.85°, 4 -87.88273°
So Wh hat Do All Those Numbers N Mean? All the nuumbers you found determ mine which way water flows f – becaause water floows downhiill (from areeas of higherr to areas of lower elevattion). Everyy water bodyy is surroundded by a watersheed – an area of o land that drains d into thhe water boddy because the land is att a higher elevationn than the waater body. And A water in a river itself will flow downhill d until in reachess a lake, sea or ocean. Answer A thesee questions to t find out what w your num mbers mean for the flow w of t Chicago River. water in the 1. Whicch place has a higher elevvation, the toop of the Weest Fork or the t top of thee North Brannch where the three forks fo meet? West Fork 2. Basedd on that infformation, which w way dooes the waterr flow – tow wards the nortth or south? Southh. The threee North Forkks have a higgher elevatioon than the beginning b off the North Branch where thee forks meet.. Therefore,, water will flow f from the higher to lower l elevation. B Backwards s Goes It Does D CHICAGO RIV VER SCHOOLS NETWORK
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3. Lookk at your list of elevationns from alongg the main sttem. What happens h to thhe elevationn as you get g further aw way from the lake? It inncreases. 4. Basedd on that infformation, which w way dooes the Chicaago River floow, into Lakke Michigan or awayy from Lake Michigan? Into I Lake Michigan. M 5. Lookk at the elevaations betweeen the Chicaago River annd the Des Pllaines River along Kinziie Avennue. What happens to thhe elevation?? Goes up annd then down. What is the t highest pointt? 630 feet above a sea leevel 6. Now look at the elevations e beetween the Chicago C Riveer and the Des D Plaines River R along Cerm mak Avenue. What happpens to the ellevation? Gooes up and then t down. What W is the higheest point? 62 27 feet abovee sea level 7. Basedd on that infformation whhat does the water do weest of the higghest point? Flow into Des D Plainnes River. What W does it do d east of thhe highest pooint? Flow innto the Chiccago River. These higgh points sho ow the preseence of a subb continentall divide – waater flowing into the Chiicago River goees out throug gh the Greatt Lakes to thhe Atlantic Ocean O while water w flowinng into the Des D Plaines River R flows the t opposite direction tow wards the Gulf G of Mexicco. Withoutt this sub continenttal divide theere would bee no Chicagoo today. Why? Read R and find out! Read d the articlee: Location,, Location, Location. L
II. Crea ating the 3-D Model of the Chicago River Now thatt you undersstand the lay of the land, it is time to make a moddel of the Chhicago Riverr and watch thee water flow w.
Instruc ctions When yoou receive yo our pan of geelatin, noticee that you caan see a map of the Chicaago River through the t gelatin. You should be able to seee right through the gelaatin to the maap. Tracing g the Outlin ne of the Water W Bodie es with Your Perman nent Marke er 1. Tracee the outline of Lake Micchigan usingg your permaanent markeer. You will be writing on o top of the gelatin n. 2. Now trace the West W Fork, Miiddle Fork annd Skokie River. R t South Brranch. Do NOT N trace the t 3. Finallly, trace the North Branch, the Mainn Stem, and the Sanittary and Sh hip Canal! We W are firstt making a model m of thee original Chicago C Riveer. Cutting the River and Lake 1. Take your knife and a cut alongg the outlinee of Lake Miichigan. Noow GENTLY Y scoop out Lake L Michhigan, remov ving all the gelatin. g Youu should be leeft with a bigg whole wheere Lake Michhigan is. 2. Take your knife and a trace thee lines of thee river. Pushh your knife ONLY abouut ¼ of an innch into the t gelatin. Do D NOT digg out the riveers or your whole w modell will fall apaart.
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Adding Water 1. SLOW WLY pour some s blue coolored water into the lakee. Fill the laake to just beelow the topp of the geelatin. Do NOT N flood over the top of o the gelatinn or your moodel will falll apart. 2. Now SLOWLY pour p some yellow coloreed water intoo the top of the t three forkks of the Chicaago River. 3. Wherre does the yellow y waterr in the Chicago River goo? Down to the North Brranch, into the t main stem and ou ut to the Lakke. m the River into the Lakke? Because the River is higher up thhan 4. Why does the waater flow from the Lake. Or statted another way, w the lakke is downhilll from the riiver. Adding Sewers When Chhicago was still s young, in the mid annd late 1800’’s, the sewerrs would pouur directly innto the river.. The sewag ge polluted more m than thee river. Read a 19th centtury accountt of the probllems: “Is Chicaago a Swamp p?” 1. Usingg the diagram m below as a guide, youu are going too be adding sewers s to yoour model. With W your knife, make some small holes in thee gelatin. Coonnect the hooles to the riiver with verry shalloow lines.
Lake L M Michigan Chiccago River
Seewer Tunnels Sewer Holes
2. Pour some red fo ood coloring into the holees. This reprresents sewaage. 3. Wherre did Chicago’s sewagee go in the mid m to late 18800’s? Into the t Chicago River and out o to the laake. 4. How did this affeect Chicago’s drinking water? w Chicaago got its drinking d wateer from the lake, l so thee city’s drinkking water source was polluted p withh sewage.
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Adding the Sanita ary and Ship Canal No one wants w sewagee in their driinking waterr? What wass Chicago too do? It deciided to reverrse the Chicaago River by y building thhe Chicago Sanitary S and Ship Canal. 1. Readd the 1900 neewspaper artticle about thhe opening of o the canal. Refer to “Tuurn the River into Big B Canal.” 2. Usingg your permanent markeer, trace the Chicago C Sannitary and Shhip Canal. 3. Startiing at the ed dge of the traay and movinng towards thhe South Branch of the Chicago C Rivver, cut thhe canal with h your knife the same waay you did for fo the rest off the rivers. (You are cuttinng it just likee you read inn the article!) 4. Watcch what happ pens! Clue: Watch W the Chicago Sanittary and Shipp Canal. 5. Whatt color is thee water in thee Chicago Saanitary and Ship S Canal? Green 6. Basedd on the colo or of the watter in the Chhicago Sanitaary and Shipp Canal, wheere is the watter in the caanal from? Lake L Michigaan (blue watter) and Chiicago River (yellow ( wateer). 7. So, iss the river flo owing into thhe lake or iss the lake floowing into thhe river? Thee lake is flow wing into the t river. 8. Now block up thee old river mouth m (wheree the river meets m the lakee) with a pieece of clay. Pour P somee blue water into the threee northern forks. f 9. Wherre does the water w go? Intto the canal. 10. Whicch part of thee river is runnning backward? The Main M Stem andd South Branch. 11. How did the com mpletion of thhe canal savee the city’s drinking d watter and help clean up thee river?? Clean lakee water came in and flusshed away thhe pollution, and the riveer no longerr floweed into the la ake.
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B Backw wards Goes s It Do oes Stude ent Pag ges I. Topo ographic Maps View thee “Referencee Map” of the Chicago River R (attacheed) and noticce its shape. It has three forks on top, turns to oward the Laake and then travels south a bit. Originallly, the river flowed f from m the north foorks, south, into i the mainn stem and from f the souuth branches, northwest, into the maiin stem. Eveerything thenn flowed out into Lake Michigan. M W Why? To find out o we will have h to consuult a topograaphic map. A topo-graphho-what youu say? A topogrraphic map (or topo mapp for short) iss a two dimeensional reprresentation of o the land. It I shows strreets and buiildings (mayybe even youur school), water w bodies,, parks and wetlands. w It also shows the topography y – or the hiilliness of thee area. Brow wn lines curvving all overr the map haave numbers on them. The numbers represent thhe number off feet that linne (and hence that part of the land) is above a sea lev vel. If you loook at severral lines nextt to each other and the nuumbers are getting higher, you arre climbing up a hill. Iff the numbers are gettingg lower, you are sliding down d the hill. Follow thhe instructio ons to view thhe elevationn pattern in thhe Chicago River R watersshed and findd out why the river r originaally flowed innto the lake..
Instruc ctions Go to ww ww.trails.com m or www.m mytopo.com..These websites can be used u for view wing topograaphic maps onlline) you can n also order custom topoo maps. Lets Pra actice: Find the eleva ation of yo our school 1. Visit one of the tw wo websitess listed abovee. d States, Illinnois, or the City C of Chiccago and zooom in. www w.trails.com has h a 2. Locatte the United locatoor for your school’s s addrress, or pickk a well-know wn feature near n you, likee the Field Museeum. 3. Find your school on the map.. 4. Whenn the map is on the screeen be sure thhat it is set att a scale for easiest e view wing. Select “topoo” or ‘terrain n-topo” modee to obtain a topo map. 5. Noticce the brown n curving lines all over thhe map. Theese are called contour linnes and theyy indicate the elevaation of an arrea. When you u want to knnow the elevaation of a paarticular spott follow the brown b line closest to it until you see the brow wn number. This T numberr indicates thhe elevation of that area in i feet abovee sea level. Contour C lines next to eacch other are five f feet apaart. (See the example e bellow.) If a place is between two t lines wiith different elevations, the t elevationn of that placce is between those t two eleevations. Foor example, look l at “Racccoon High School” S above. The elevaation of the school s is som mewhere between the 610 ft and 6055 ft above seaa level. B Backwards s Goes It Does D CHICAGO RIV VER SCHOOLS NETWORK
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Contour liines 620 610 605 6 610
Oak Sttreet
Raccoon Lake
Raaccoon HS S
6. Whatt is the elevaation of yourr school? ____________________ 7. Practtice moving around the map. m If youu want the map m to move east, west, north n or soutth, place the cursor on thhe map and drag d it thaat direction. This is especially helpfuul if you wannt to follow a street.
Let’s Ge et Going: Find F the Ellevation off the Three e Forks of the t North Branch B of the t Chicago o River Now let’s take a loo ok at the Refference Map p given to you y by your teacher. 1. Whatt is the landm mark at the top of the West Fork of the t Chicago River? opo maps” and type in Florsheim Paark, IL in “Feeature namess”. a.. Go to “To b. What is th he elevation of this landm mark?
2. Whatt is the landm mark at the very v top of thhe North Braanch where the t three forrks meet? a.. Go back to t the toolbaar above the topo t map that you are loooking at. b. Go to “To opo maps” and type in Linne L Woodss, IL in “Featture names”. c.. What is th he elevation of this landm mark? (Rem member to foollow the line CLOSEST T to the site.) Keep it Going: Fin nd the Elev vation of th he Main Brranch of th he Chicago o River Take anoother look at the Referennce Map and locate the Main M Branchh of the Chicago River. You Y will be trracing the eleevation channges along thhe main brannch, by folloowing Kinziee Avenue. 1. Go too “Topo map ps” and type in Ogden Sllip, IL in “Feature namees”. Continuue to follow Kinziie Avenue to o the west when w it becom mes railroad tracks. 2. Fill inn the elevation chart for the followinng locations::
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Locaation Ogdeen Slip
Elevattion
Kinziie Avenue an nd Ashland Avenue A Kinziie Avenue an nd Sacramennto Kinziie Avenue an nd Kostner Avenue A Kinziie Avenue an nd Lockwoood Kinziie Avenue an nd Pine Kinziie Avenue an nd Oak Parkk Avenue Kinziie Avenue an nd Kenilworrth Kinziie Avenue an nd Franklin Kinziie Avenue an nd GAR Wooods One Mo ore to Go: Find F the Ellevation off the South h Branch of o the Chica ago River Look bacck at the Refference Map and locate the t South Brranch of the Chicago Rivver. You wiill be tracing thhe elevation changes aloong the southh branch andd beyond, by following Cermak C Avennue. 1. Go too “Topo map ps” and type in McCorm mick Place, IL L in “Featuree names”. 2. Fill inn the elevation chart for the followinng locations:: Locaation Cerm mak at it’s beeginning at thhe lakeshoree
Elevattion
Cerm mak and Canaalport Cerm mak and Averrs Avenue Cerm mak and Pulaaski Cerm mak and Ciceero Cerm mak and Laraamie Cerm mak and Ridg geland Cerm mak and Bur Oak Avenuee (Woodlaw wn Cemeeteries) Cerm mak and DesP Plaines Riveer
So Wh hat Do All Those Numbers N Mean? All the nuumbers you found determ mine which way water flows f – becaause water floows downhiill (from areeas of higherr to areas of lower elevattion). Everyy water bodyy is surroundded by a watersheed – an area of o land that drains d into thhe water boddy because the land is att a higher elevationn than the waater body. And A water in a river itself will flow downhill d until in reachess a lake, sea or ocean. Answer A thesee questions to t find out what w your num mbers mean for the flow w of water in the t Chicago River.
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1. Whicch place has a higher elevvation, the toop of the Weest Fork or the t top of thee North Brannch where the three forks fo meet?
2. Basedd on that infformation, which w way dooes the waterr flow – tow wards the nortth or south?
h to thhe elevationn as 3. Lookk at your list of elevationns from alongg the main sttem. What happens you get g further aw way from the lake?
w way dooes the Chicaago River floow, into Lakke Michigan or 4. Basedd on that infformation, which awayy from Lake Michigan?
5. Lookk at the elevaations betweeen the Chicaago River annd the Des Pllaines River along Kinziie Avennue. What happens to thhe elevation??
What is the highest point?
6. Now look at the elevations e beetween the Chicago C Riveer and the Des D Plaines River R along Cerm mak Avenue. What happpens to the ellevation?
What is the highest point?
7. Basedd on that infformation whhat does the water do weest of the higghest point?
What does it do eaast of the higghest point? These higgh points sho ow the preseence of a subb continentall divide – waater flowing into the Chiicago River goees out throug gh the Greatt Lakes to thhe Atlantic Ocean O while water w flowinng into the Des D Plaines River R flows the t opposite direction tow wards the Gulf G of Mexicco. Withoutt this sub continenttal divide theere would bee no Chicagoo today. Why? Read R and find out! Read d the articlee: Location,, Location, Location. L
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II. Crea ating the 3-D Model of the Chicago River Now thatt you undersstand the lay of the land, it is time to make a moddel of the Chhicago Riverr and watch thee water flow w.
Instruc ctions When yoou receive yo our pan of geelatin, noticee that you caan see a map of the Chicaago River through the t gelatin. You should be able to seee right through the gelaatin to the maap. Tracing g the Outlin ne of the Water W Bodie es with Your Perman nent Marke er 1. Tracee the outline of Lake Micchigan usingg your permaanent markeer. You will be writing on o top of the gelatin n. W Fork, Miiddle Fork annd Skokie River. R 2. Now trace the West t South Brranch. Do NOT N trace the t 3. Finallly, trace the North Branch, the Mainn Stem, and the Sanittary and Sh hip Canal! We W are firstt making a model m of thee original Chicago C Riveer. Cutting the River and Lake 1. Take your knife and a cut alongg the outlinee of Lake Miichigan. Noow GENTLY Y scoop out Lake L Michhigan, remov ving all the gelatin. g Youu should be leeft with a bigg whole wheere Lake Michhigan is. 2. Take your knife and a trace thee lines of thee river. Pushh your knife ONLY abouut ¼ of an innch into the t gelatin. Do D NOT digg out the riveers or your whole w modell will fall apaart. Adding Water 1. SLOW WLY pour some s blue coolored water into the lakee. Fill the laake to just beelow the topp of the geelatin. Do NOT N flood over the top of o the gelatinn or your moodel will falll apart. 2. Now SLOWLY pour p some yellow coloreed water intoo the top of the t three forkks of the Chicaago River. 3. Wherre does the yellow y waterr in the Chicago River goo?
4. Why does the waater flow from m the River into the Lakke? Adding Sewers When Chhicago was still s young, in the mid annd late 1800’’s, the sewerrs would pouur directly innto the river.. The sewag ge polluted more m than thee river. Read a 19th centtury accountt of the probllems: “Is Chicaago a Swamp p?” m below as a guide, youu are going too be adding sewers s to yoour model. With W 1. Usingg the diagram your knife, make some small holes in thee gelatin. Coonnect the hooles to the riiver with verry shalloow lines.
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Lake Michigan Chhicago River
Sewer Tunnels Sewer Holles
2. Pour some red fo ood coloring into the holees. This reprresents sewaage. m to late 18800s? 3. Wherre did Chicago’s sewagee go in the mid
4. How did this affeect Chicago’s drinking water? w
Adding the Sanita ary and Ship Canal No one wants w sewagee in their driinking waterr? What wass Chicago too do? It deciided to reverrse the Chicaago River by y building thhe Chicago Sanitary S and Ship Canal. 1. Readd the 1900 neewspaper artticle about thhe opening of o the canal. Refer to “Tuurn the River into Big B Canal.” 2. Usingg your permanent markeer, trace the Chicago C Sannitary and Shhip Canal. 3. Startiing at the ed dge of the traay and movinng towards thhe South Branch of the Chicago C Rivver, cut thhe canal with h your knife the same waay you did for fo the rest off the rivers. (You are cuttinng it just likee you read inn the article!) 4. Watcch what happ pens! Clue: Watch W the Chicago Sanittary and Shipp Canal. 5. Whatt color is thee water in thee Chicago Saanitary and Ship S Canal?
6. Basedd on the colo or of the watter in the Chhicago Sanitaary and Shipp Canal, wheere is the watter in the caanal from?
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7. So, iss the river flo owing into thhe lake or iss the lake floowing into thhe river?
m (wheree the river meets m the lakee) with a pieece of clay. Pour P 8. Now block up thee old river mouth somee blue water into the threee northern forks. f 9. Wherre does the water w go?
10. Whicch part of thee river is runnning backward?
11. How did the com mpletion of thhe canal savee the city’s drinking d watter and help clean up thee river??
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Refe erence Ma ap
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