The wooden stream table project is large and looks professional. The most expensive part of the project is the wooden box. You will need a large, waterproof wooden box, jack stands and a water pump for the basic construction. Set up the box at a slight angle with the jack stands so that water will slide down in a stream. Use granulated plastic as sediment. Set this up on the sides of the box and outline a curvy streamline in the center. Set up the water pump at the lowest point of your box and loop it toward the top of the stream. Pour water in at the lowest point and turn on the pump. The pump will continue to bring water from the bottom to the top, creating a model stream. Students can watch as the water begins to move sediment.
The gutter stream table project is similar to the wooden stream table project, but requires a 3-foot long gutter. You will need a divider to section off the water basin from the sand. Make sure there is a notch at the top of your divider to allow water to move back to the basin. Use jack stands to angle the gutter at a slight incline so that water will move downward. Fill your basin with water and the rest of the gutter with clean sand. Set up your pump so that water will move from the basin to the top of the gutter. Students can watch as the water cuts through the sand, forming a stream.
Allow students to help you put water in the basin of your stream table and to put sand or granulated plastic in your stream table. When the stream table has been completed, have your students surround the table. Tell students the theory behind moving water and how streams change landscapes. Turn on the water pump. The water pump will send a small stream of water down the table. Students will be able to see firsthand how a stream works as the water slowly moves through your sediment.
If you want to teach students about vegetation erosion and how powerful streams can displace trees, you will need small sprigs of red cedar. They look and act like real trees. On one side of the bank, place your red cedar sprigs in an overlapping formation. This will be the stable side of the bank and will teach students that roots and large amounts of vegetation can delay erosion. Set up the other side with a sparse amount of sprigs. This will show how streams can displace small amounts of vegetation and trees. Have students watch as the overlapping cedar sprigs help prevent erosion but some of the single cedar sprigs get washed away or moved.