Purpose:

The purpose of this lesson is to have students see how the environment plays an important part in the type of materials used to build a house, and the style of house built.

Aims:
l.  What are the different types of homes that people live in around the world?
2.  How are these the same or different from your home?
3.  Why are these homes different?

Vocabulary:
hut, cave, tent, thatch, log, stilts, moss, stone, adobe, cause, effect, weather conditions, environment, climate, building materials

Student Activities:

1.  Students will look through magazines to find and cut out different types of houses (Good sources include National Geographic Magazine and House Styles
where you will find features and photos for favorite housing styles in North America).
http://architecture.about.com/arts/architecture/library/bl-styles_index.htm
).  They will glue these pictures on index cards.
2.  Students will listen to "This is my House"  by Arthur Dorros, Scholastic Inc. 1992 New York
3.  Students will reread "This is my House" and students will match their cut out houses with the illustrations in the book.
4.  Students, with help from the teacher, will locate where the different types of houses come from on a world map, and pin house to correct location.
5.  Teacher will use map to talk about climate and environment and the different materials the houses are built from (example provided in This is My House, by Arthur Dorros). Class will construct a graph with the headings:  Wood   Brick    Stone    Plant   and students will use any duplicate index cards to complete graph.
6.  Students will make a Cause and Effect chart to show the effect of climate and environment on the construction of houses.
 

CAUSE	EFFECT
Why Something Happens	What Happens
desert - little water	tents - moveable
jungle - plenty of plants	hut - made out of plants
forest - trees	log houses

7.  Students will use the computer to make a house dictionary.  They will use Kidpix to either draw or stamp pictures.

Materials:

KidPix, index cards, glue, magazines, world map, This Is My House, by Arthur Sorros, Scholastic Inc. 1992, New York. This book travels around the house describing different types of dwellings people live in. Cause and Effect Chart Graphic Organizers, MacMillan/McGraw Hill 1997, New York, This is a book of different types of charts and graphic organizers.
 

Standards Addressed:

1.  Students will read informational texts with repetitive language an simple illustrations to collect data, facts, and ideas.
2.  Students will distinguish between texts with stories and texts with information.
3.  Students will interpret information represented in pictures, illustrations, and simple charts and webs.
4.  Students will use computer software to support early reading development.