Mississippi River -- School-Age

A river is a natural source of water that flows over land. From its beginning source as a tiny trickle a river begins on high ground. It may begin from a melting glacier, melting snow and ice, rainfall, or from a deep underground spring. A river travels downhill combining with other trickles to create a river.

Rivers are essential to humans as it carries freshwater to people, animals, and plants across the Earth. It provides water for drinking and irrigation. Rivers help to transport items by water. Most major cities in the world were founded and built on the banks of a major river - Paris on the Seine, London on the Thames, Rome on the Tiber, Cairo on the Nile, and New Orleans on the Mississippi.