Strong Nations Publishing Inc.
lesson plan by:
brenda boreham
Title: Building an Igloo
Author: Ulli Steltzer
Genre: nonfiction (instructional) (explanatory)
Text Features: title, photographs, instructional text
Cultural Connection: igloo
Curriculum Connection: Social Studies (Inuit
adaptations to the climate and geography of the Arctic)
synopsis
Tookillkee Kiguktak and his son Jopee live in Griese Ford on Ellismere Island. They live in a house but when
they go on winter hunting trips they build a traditional igloo for shelter. With the use of explanatory text and
black and white
learning intention
Focus Reading Connection: #4 What’s Important?
To be able to determine what is important in a body of nonfiction text by putting a series of events in order.
Readers are able to determine importance when they can identify the main idea in a piece of nonfiction text.
When talking to students about determining importance it is important to emphasize that:
1. Nonfiction books are filled with information. Some of this information is really important because it is outlining
the main idea of the text. Some of it is extra detail that is meant to help the reader get a clearer picture of the
topic.
2. Nonfiction text features are often used to highlight really important information.
3. Some nonfiction text is written in a sequence (recipes, model building instructions, experiments, etc.).
Sketching or writing the events in the correct order will help to determine the main idea of the text.
This lesson uses structured partner talk as a learning strategy. To learn more about partner talk
please refer to the Educator’s page on our website.
Materials Required:
- 1 copy of Building an Igloo
- 1 copy of Step by Step: Building and Igloo per student
- 1 copy of the Igloo Diagram per student
- 1 large piece of coloured construction paper folded in half per student
- 1 copy of the igloo building facts sheet per student
this lesson plan was made on march 21, 2012.
© copyright strong nations publishing inc. all rights reserved.
keep checking back at www.strongnations.com/educators for new lesson plans.
page 1/5
Strong Nations Publishing Inc.
lesson plan by:
brenda boreham
before
• There are 12 sequential steps to building an igloo explained in this book. Mark each of them with a sticky note.
• Explain to the class what determining importance means (identifying the main idea in a piece of nonfiction text).
• Explain that this book is written in a series of steps that explain the process of building an igloo. Visualizing these
steps and sketching them in sequence is one way to figure out the main idea of the text.
during
Step #1:
• Read Building an Igloo to the class. Share the photographs and stop to discuss the many details as you go along.
• Go back and reread the first step in building an igloo to the class.
• Ask the students to visualize the step (make a picture of it in their heads).
• Ask the students to sketch this image in the first box on the sequencing worksheet.
• Continue this process until the 12 steps have been visualized and drawn.
• Ask each student to turn to a predetermined partner and share their sequence of drawings. Have them explain the
important aspects of each step.
Step #2:
• Ask the students to visualize the complete igloo.
• Distribute the drawing worksheet.
• Have the students draw a diagram of the igloo on the paper and label it with the words provided at the top of the sheet.
• Have the students glue the diagram to the front of the folded piece of construction paper to imitate the cover of a book.
Step #3:
• Distribute a copy of the igloo building fact sheet to each student.
• Read through the fact sheet with the students. Determine that the students understand the text.
• Have each student cut out the fact boxes and sort them into 2 groups on their desk or table tops: 1. facts about building
an igloo 2. details
• Have each student share their sort with the same partner.Have them justify the sort “ I think .......is an important fact
because.....”.
• Give the students a few minutes to adjust or change their sorts as needed.
• Have a volunteer report out their own sort to the larger group.
• Record the volunteer’s sort on the chalkboard or on transparancies on an overhead projector.
• Read the first fact with the class. Have the students justify its position in the sort. Move it if that is necessary. Continue
until the facts are correctly sorted.
• Give the students a few minutes to adjust or change their own sorts.
• Have each student open up the construction paper booklet. Have them glue down the important facts (in chronological
order) on the left hand side. Have them glue down the other details on the right hand side.
after
• Using the diagram and instructions in the student made booklets as a template, the class could create igloo
models out of pasticine or other suitable building or craft materials.
Suggested Supplemental Resources:
Check on the Kids tab of our website to find similar books such as:
- Anguti’s Amulet by The Central Coast of Labrador Archaeology Partnership
- Houses of Snow, Skin and Bones by Bonnie Shernie
- The Enchanted Caribou by Elizabeth Cleaver
- How to Build and Igloo: And Other Snow Shelters by Norbert Yankielun
this lesson plan was made on march 21, 2012.
© copyright strong nations publishing inc. all rights reserved.
keep checking back at www.strongnations.com/educators for new lesson plans.
page 2/5
Strong Nations Publishing Inc.
Date:
lesson plan by:
brenda boreham
Name:
Igloo Diagram
Labels: snow block, keystone block, chimney, ice windowpane, porch
this lesson plan was made on march 9, 2012.
© copyright strong nations publishing inc. all rights reserved.
keep checking back at www.strongnations.com/educators for new lesson plans.
page 3/5
Strong Nations Publishing Inc.
lesson plan by:
brenda boreham
Winter in the Arctic is long and cold.
A porch is added to keep out the cold draft and to give storage space for food, boot and clothes.
A piece of ice is use for a windowpane. It lets in the light.
For centuries people of the Arctic have built their houses of snow and called them igloos or igluviaks.
The Inuit have to find the right kind of snow (not too soft, not too hard) before they start to build an igloo.
The blocks of snow are cut with the blade of a saw and lined up beside the trench.
Light and heat were provided by a stone lamp called a “kuliq”.
The last blocks that round off the top need shaping and fitting. Finally the keystone block is put in place.
By September the Arctic Ocean starts to freeze over.
The Inuit cut into the snow blocks diagonally to start a spiral.
A doorway is cut into the side of the igloo.
The cracks between the snow blocks are filled with soft snow to keep out the wind.
A chimney is built on the roof of the igloo.
The snow blocks are trimmed and cleaned with a long knife.
A circle is paced off in the snow.
this lesson plan was made on march 21, 2012.
© copyright strong nations publishing inc. all rights reserved.
keep checking back at www.strongnations.com/educators for new lesson plans.
page 4/5
Strong Nations Publishing Inc.
Date:
lesson plan by:
brenda boreham
Name:
Step by Step: Building an Igloo
this lesson plan was made on march 21, 2012.
© copyright strong nations publishing inc. all rights reserved.
keep checking back at www.strongnations.com/educators for new lesson plans.
page 5/5