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Grade: unspecified
Why do animals need a house? (To protect from potential enemies, and as shelter from
the weather).
Think of animal habitats that you know, which material are they made of?
Activity:
* Have the students look at examples of animal habitats: either bring pictures or more
recommended, take the students on a nature tour and see what you can find. You may
wish to get help from a local nature guide (e.g., coulee centre, etc.). For more information
on animal habitat, see bibliography.
* For every example you have, ask the students:
1. Which materials were used to build each example?
2. How do animals obtain protection from potential enemies and shelter from the weather
Closure:
List materials that are used by animals (mud, straw, stone, wood). Indicate that same as
animals use natural material to build their homes, so do people around the world. This will be
the subject of the second part.
What is a house?
Why do we build houses? To protect from potential enemies, and as shelter from the
weather; the human body is comfortable only in relatively narrow range of thermal
conditions, and people are looking to maintain their thermal comfort (to stay warm when
the temperatures are low, and cool when it is hot). In the modern world people use heating
and cooling facilities which are operated with electricity, oil, gas etc. However, a large
population around the world does not have access to such facilities, and yet, they make
sure to maintain thermal comfort in their houses. How do they do that? The best way of
answering the question is looking at examples. My second document lesson planpictures contains pictures of houses from around the world, with explanations and
suggestions for activities.
Which materials can be used to build a house? People in the modern world have a variety
of materials to choose from when they build, and they sometimes ship building materials
such as stone, wood, and earth from far away. On the other hand, there are many other
people who do not import (usually because they cant afford to), and instead, use whatever
they have available locally.
Activity:
Guessing game:
-
In small groups: The students are shown different pictures of houses from around the
world:
You may want to look at the document Architecture Lesson Plan- Pictures now.
The pictures can be shown to the students in any of the following formats:
Slide show.
Make a cards game, where the picture are on one side, and the answers on the
other.
* After they guessed, you can have a discussion in the class, and fill-in the information.
Closure:
After the students have seen all the pictures, go over the different materials and techniques
that were introduced in class. This is done so when they build their own models at the third
part, they will have an idea of the options they have.
*If you do the third part on a separate day, you may wish to remind the students of the
different animal habitats and examples of houses they have seen just before they start
building their models.
Objective: Having the students build models of houses from natural materials
Materials:
- Natural materials that can be found outside - mud, clay, straw, weeds, pieces of wood, small
stones etc.
- Bases for the models (cardboard or any flat surface, approximately 30X30 cm)
Procedure:
Activity:
1. Collecting materials with the students can be done in a park, nature area (you might
need to ask permission), or anywhere in the neighbourhood that you think is
appropriate. * It is better to go with the students, because you can better direct them
on what to bring, give them ideas, and also make sure that they will only pick things
from the ground, and will not harm nature in any way.
2. Giving the students figures to build the models for (so it will be: a house for a bear,
mouse, poke man etc.). This could be a miniature of an animal, person etc. Those
figures help students develop a sense of scale.
* If you have the time, you can make students build their own figures from clay, Fimo, make
cotton dolls, etc.
3. Have the students build a house for the figure, using only the materials they brought
from outside (they may add water to their mud). You can choose a geographic location
(desert, arctic, forest etc.), and encourage the students to provide the house dwellers
with sufficient thermal comfort (by making sure to use insulating materials, wind
chimney, fireplace etc.)
4. When done, you can arrange an exhibit of the models, including brief written
explanation on what they have done and why.
Additional suggestions:
1. This could be a parents-students activity, another option, Invite parent to see the
exhibit.
2. Alternative location: The activity can take place in nature (for example: I know of a
teacher who made her students build fairy houses in the forest).
There is so much more that can be done with architecture. Architecture can be integrated into
social studies: building models of famous houses, castles etc. (build a model of the Bastille,
build a model of a pyramid, etc.). It can be integrated into sciences: when learning about
forces (students can build bridges), calculating angels, surfaces. You may want to have a look
at the web sites given at the end for more ideas.
Here are other suggestions for activities:
- Design the house of your dreams
- Build a model of your neighbourhood and re-design parts that you do not like (group work) Design a house in a remote location using local materials; supply your own water and
electricity. (For higher grades)
- Re design your room
- For Harry Potter lovers: build a model of Howgarth