To make this connection I used a book from a Y3 unit of inquiry on structure, "If you lived here: houses of the world" by Giles Laroche.
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| Image from Amazon.com |
I photocopied two pages from the book and read the short excerpt of it to the class. They then had 3 minutes to discuss with a partner how the landform affected how the home was built.
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| Students discussed in pairs and then we shared our answers as a class. |
Here are the answers from two classes.
Working in pairs students were able to make connection with the landforms and how it affected the way people lived, ate, transported themselves and goods, as well as the materials and designs of their home. I did read them the short description of each home before to check for listening and understanding. Since many students developed their answer beyond the short text I read and paraphrased the information, they had a better understanding which was reflected on their answers.
I've done this this lesson where students answer individually, but the responses were repetitive and similar. When working in pairs, students came up with much more original answers and unique perspectives, but some pairs did collaborate more successfully than others.
