Tocantins River

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/tocantins-river

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How long is the Tocantins River?Approximately 2,450 kilometers (1,520 miles)
2. What is the location?Brazil, South America
3. What is the hydrological classification?Clearwater river
4. What does the name "Tocantins" mean?It comes from the Tupi word for "toucan's beak," because the river looks like a toucan's beak.
5. Why is the Tocantins River called a "clearwater" river?The rocks and soil in its basin let very little dirt stay in the water, so the water stays clear.

Watershed: The area of land where all the water that falls in it and drains off it goes into the same river.
Hydroelectric Power: Electricity generated from the energy of moving water, typically by dams.
Biodiversity: The variety of plant and animal life in the world or in a particular habitat.
Sediment Load: The amount of sand, silt, and clay carried by a river.