Homes Around the World
- Grades: PreK–K
• language and literacy
• social awareness
• books about homes around the world, such as Houses Around the World by Yoshio Komatsu (Shelter Publications) or Come Home With Us by Michael Twinn (Child’s Play International)
• pictures of homes around the world from magazines and travel brochures
• world map or globe
• chart paper and marker
• oaktag paper
• glue stick
Set Up and Prepare
Cut out pictures of the different home types, or photocopy pictures, and glue them to separate sheets of oaktag paper.
Explain to children that they are going to learn about homes from around the world. Show them a world map or globe and explain that they will use it to locate the different types of homes. Spend some time reviewing the map. Find your location, identify bodies of water, and point out different continents and countries around the world.
Next, invite them to create a list of all the things they think a home should have. Distribute pictures of different homes and engage them in a discussion about each. Use a map to locate the areas of the world where each of the homes might be found.
Read books about homes and work with the group to develop a “fact sheet” of home information. Keep the world map available so that children can refer to it as they study the different homes and countries.
Invite the group to develop a Venn diagram to contrast and compare what they’ve learned. Draw two intersecting circles on a large sheet of paper and write the heading “Homes Around the World.” Invite children to list the characteristics of homes in their community in the circle on the right. Next, invite them to list the characteristics of homes in other parts of the world in the circle on the left. Use the intersecting area to list characteristics that all homes share.
Remember: Children are more inclined to be involved in social studies themes that relate to experiences in their own lives and how other children live in other parts of the world.
Mapping Our Families. Ask families to list the different regions of the United States or parts of the world where their family members came from. Suggest children share their information with the group, and assist them in locating the region on a map.
Curriculum Connection: LITERACY
Let’s Find Out! Invite children to choose one or two locations around the world to study. Suggest they locate the area on the map or globe. Work with children to gather information about what life is like in each location. Suggest they investigate the types of homes, food, music, art, and culture, as well as the things that children do in each location. Invite family or community members from various regions to come in and share information.
by Emma Nathan
(Blackbirch Press, 2002; $21)
Homes Around the World
by Bobbie D. Kalman
(Crabtree Publishing, Co., 1994; $6)
Scholastic Atlas of the World
by Stephanie Calmenson
(Scholastic, 2002; $5.99)