What Is a Tributary?

What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. What is a tributary?

The Big Idea

A tributary is a smaller stream or river that flows into a bigger one! Think of a tree: little twigs join into branches, and branches join into the trunk. Rivers work the same way, just upside down and made of water.

Small Streams

Step one: start with small streams. High on hills, tiny streams trickle down like the twigs of a tree. Each one carries a little water.

Streams Join

Step two: the streams join. Where one stream flows into another, the smaller one is the tributary. The bigger one is called the main river.

Extra Cargo

Step three: tributaries bring extra cargo. They add more water, plus mud, sand, and leaves. That is how a main river keeps growing as it travels.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look at a river tree! The twigs are tiny streams high in the hills. The branches are tributaries that gather their water. The trunk is the big main river. And at the end, the trunk flows into the sea. A whole river system is like a tree lying on its side.

Quick Facts

Quick facts! A big river can have thousands of tributaries. The Ottawa River is a major tributary of the St. Lawrence River in Canada. Tributaries carry in water, mud, sand, and leaves. Stay with a grown-up near any river.

Think Like a Scientist

Now, think like a scientist! Draw a river like an upside-down tree. Add three tributaries branching in. Label which one is the longest. Then color the main river blue! You just mapped a river system!

Outro

Tributaries are the twigs of a river tree. Science is amazing! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!