Watershed Connections The Watershed Connections Land-Use model was developed by Rebecca Wolf with the support of the Patuxent River Park (PRP), Maryland National Capital Park & Planning Commission. Teacher and student workshops and teaching materials have been developed through a partnership of the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin and the PRP. Our organizations welcome public use of our materials.

IMPORTANT POINTS Relax and have fun! Don’t sweat small details – land-use pieces will cover your model. Follow the patterns and directions. Feel free to ask for help. It doesn’t take an artist…

If they can do it, so can you!

Regions of Maryland

Streams Shape Valleys Small streams lead to larger ones… Tributaries lead to the Bay.

What do mountains look like again?

What do mountains look like again?

Your model will resemble this.

Cut your patterns and lay them out. Brown foam blocks at top. Patterns below. Brown foam blocks

Cut corner of the Mountain Base.

Pieces #1 & 2 Place brown foam blocks and Pieces 1 & 2 on mountain base. Cut pieces 1 & 2. Sand edges. Brown blocks – wide side up 1 2

Pieces 3 - 6 BEFORE YOU CUT, make sure your stream and pieces line up. Make needed adjustments. Cut one at a time. 3 4 5 6

Mountains at Last! Put mountain patterns on the narrow side of brown blocks. Make sure the mountain “stream valley” leads to your river. ADJUST IF NEEDED. Draw on mountain ridge. Cut and shave foam in sections, so foam doesn’t break. Make your mountains slope towards the front. Fine tune later. Brown foam ↖ Stream Valley

The Lower Mountain Ridge Cut a green block about in half -- it looks more natural, if they are not exactly the same size.   Lower mountain ridge

The Lower Mountain Ridge Draw in mountain streams & tributaries. Use the streams as guides for shaping the lower mountain ridge and valley section. Your fingers and pencil make good shaping tools.

The Piedmont Shape pieces of green blocks to create the lower, hilly piedmont area. Thin pieces are less durable. Keep areas broad enough to hold land –use pieces. You can have a wide flood plain bordering your river. Too thin -- broke

Time for Glue Remove your pieces and place them to the side in order. Glue them on, starting with the base. Fine tune: draw in streams and Bay; sand slopes….

Congratulations! Your class has a new watershed model!