Homes Around the World Discipline: Social Studies and Language Arts Time: 3 blocks, 45 minutes each Grade: 3 rd - 5 th Introduction What do your students imagine when they think of the word home? A home is defined as, a house, apartment, or other shelter that is the usual residence of a person, family, or household. (Dictionary.com) In places around the world, people live in different types of homes that reflect their culture, geographic location, and environment. Anticipated Student Learning Outcomes - - - - Students will identify various countries and locations on a world map. Students will investigate unique homes found in select countries or geographic regions. Students will research different facts about different countries including information about the environment, culture, and general way of life for the people who live there. Students will create an artistic representation to highlight their understanding of homes from around the world CRISPA X Connections X Risk- Taking X Imagination X Sensory Experience (if incorporate extension activities) Perceptivity X Active Engagement Overview This lesson serves as an introductionary lesson created to enhance students understanding and appreciation of homes around the world. It looks at homes as one representation of culture from around the world. Utilizing songs and various images, students will take a journey around the world touring these homes. Materials Evaluation - Paper and coloring materials (crayons, markers, or colored pencils) - Michael Stanwood s Housing song on his CD Living Together on Planet Earth (track 7) - Graphic organizer of homes - Photographs of different housing structures (included in appendix) - Map of the world and pushpins - Research materials of countries and cultures - Large index cards (5X8) or cardstock that can be cut down to utilize as postcards Students will be evaluated throughout the lesson in a variety of informal and formal ways. Students active engagement and participation in discussions provide an informal assessment of their understanding. The construction of the postcards including written facts and images provides a more formal evaluation of student understanding of various cultures and homes from around the world.
Suggested Procedures Introduction 1. Distribute paper and coloring materials to students. On one side of the paper, ask students to describe their current home. On the other side of the paper, ask students to draw an image of the home. When they are done, have students discuss their home with a peer. As a group, have students share their homes, and keep a record of the characteristics of the homes on the board. Activity: 1. Explain to students that people around the world live in different homes that reflect their culture, geographic location, and available resources. Explain to students that they are going to listen to a song that mentions many types of these homes. Play Michael Stanwood s song Housing for students to listen to. 2. After students have listened to the song, distribute the handout Houses from Around the World. Explain to students that they are going to listen to the song two more times and complete the handout from the clues provided in the song. When the song is complete, review the handout together. During this review, Identify the country on a world map and mark it with a push pin or a Post- it note Show a photograph of the home - Explain to students that most of these photographs and types of homes represent traditional housing in that area. Similar to different types of homes in the students neighborhoods, there are different styles of homes represented within the different countries. Ask students what unique features they notice about the home. Discuss with the students how these features may represent the unique culture of the people or the geography of the land. 3. Explain to students that they are now getting ready to take a vacation traveling around the world. They can select three places that they are going to visit on their vacation. For each place they visit, they must complete the following: Using the map provided, color and label the countries that they are going to visit. Complete the Vacation Destination handout which will require the students to: o Research 5-7 facts about that country o Include an overview of general life in that country o Research one unique cultural aspect or tradition in that country 4. For the three vacation spots student visit, they must send a postcard home to a family member or a friend. This postcard will represent their understanding of the country including their geographical and cultural knowledge. Students will also create an image representing traditional housing in that area. 5. Once students have completed their postcards, have them share their vacation with their classmates.
Possible Extensions 1. Have students further research a country. Select a day to celebrate each country. Students should include various elements of the country including: o Clothing o Food o Celebrations o Music o Religion 2. Create a travel brochure for a selected country. 3. Pretend that you are an architect and design a three dimensional model of one of the homes. 4. Create a dance representing the culture. 5. Design a skit about a typical meal of that culture. 6. Learn a song that represents a given culture and sing or play it. Appendix Houses From Around the World Vacation Destination Home photographs World Map Additional Resources http://www.hgpho.to/wfest/house/house- e.html http://www.shelterpub.com/_wonderful_houses/wh- toc.html
Houses From Around the World Name: Date: Directions: As you listen to the Housing song, try to record as much information as you can in the chart below. You will listen to the song twice. We will review this information as a class. Country Type of House (Name and Sketch of house) Unique Characteristics of House with Rationale
Name: Date: Vacation Destination Pack your bags! You are going to stop in three different countries of your choice. You are going to research what life is like in those three countries. Below, you will record 5-7 facts about that country, provide a brief overview (5-7 sentences) of general life in that country, and summarize (5-7 sentences) one unique cultural aspect or tradition in that country. Using this information, you are going to create three separate postcards from your trip. On the front of the postcard, you will provide a visual of the traditional home. On the other side of the postcard, you are going to write about your trip incorporating elements of your research. Have a fun adventure!
Vacation Destination Country 1: Facts General Life Unique Tradition Country 2: Country 3:
PHOTOGRAPHS OF TRADITIONAL HOMES FROM AROUND THE WORLD Saudi Arabia, Tent Mexico, Adobe house
Mongolia, Yurt Peru, Thatched house
Switzerland, Chalet Antarctica, Igloo
Iraq, Traditional reed house Tropics, House on stilts
Japan, Pagoda