The Dam

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When a great dam was built by the Kielder Water in Northumberland, the valley below slowly filled with water. But just before this, when the villagers had been moved out, two musicians went back to the abandoned valley. They tore down the boards over the houses, stepped inside and started to play – for this would be the last time that music would be heard in this place.

English:

• Write your own story based on the same title. What might happen?
• Think of some speech / thought bubbles to accompany the illustrations.
• Could you turn this text into a play script and perform it to an audience?
• Rewrite some of the direct speech as reported speech.
• Rewrite the story from Kathryn’s point of view.
• Write a newspaper article about the construction of the dam and its effect on the valley.
• Write a letter of complaint to object to the dam’s construction.
• Write a story about one of the people that Kathryn’s father mentions (e.g. Archie Dagg and Gracie Gray).
• Imagine a place in your local area was about to be flooded. Write a list of arguments for and against this activity.

Science:

• Investigate how dams affect the natural water cycle.
• Learn about the different plants and animals that can be found at Kielder Water at different times of the year.

Computing:

• Create an animation that shows an area being flooded after the construction of a dam.
• Kathryn and her father ignore the warning signs on the house. Design a new poster to tell people who stay away from a dangerous place.
• Use 3D modelling software to design a dam.

Design Technology:

• Make a model of a dam. What materials will be best at holding back water? Can you test your dam?

Art:

• Use the illustrations as inspiration for your own drawings of a landscape.
• Look at the pages that show a number of smaller images from the same place. Could you use this technique too?
• Draw some illustrations of a place before and after the construction of a dam.

Music:

• Compose a melody that Kathryn could play in one of the empty houses.

Geography:

• What is a dam? Why do people build them? How do they affect plants, animals and people living in the area?
• Research dams around the world and produce a report about one of them. You could also compare two dams in different places.
• This news report from ITV gives information about the history of the lake and how it supplies water to people in the local area.
• Find Kielder Water on a map and plan a route from your home or school.
• What is a valley? Find out about valleys and other landforms.
• Use this book as the starting point for a topic about water and how we use it.
• Investigate how dams can be used to generate hydroelectric power.
• Think of ways that lakes can benefit people and wildlife.
• Map the locations of dams in a particular country or around the world.
• Learn about Kielder Water and Forest Park. Could you make a map of the area or create a persuasive advert to encourage people to visit?

History:

• Learn about the history of dams. Who were the first people to build them?
• Research a dam and find out the history of the land around it.