A House is a Home
Subject: Design & Technology, PSHE, link to HOME assembly
Task: Build a house
Age: KS1&2 (5-11)
Homes can be big or small and can be made from all kinds of materials! Try reading ‘The Three Little
Pigs’ or ‘A House is a House for Me’ by Mary Ann Hobermann.
Working on your own or with friends design and build a model house using anything you like!
Construction blocks, cardboard boxes, straws, paper, or even on the computer it’s up to you.
1. P
lan your house This could be a rough sketch or a detailed design. Remember to include a list of all the
materials you will need and any special equipment. Use the back of this sheet to create your design.
2. Make your house Use your design to help you build your house.
3. Evaluate your house
Not great!
OK
Good
Awesome!
• Did it turn out as you planned?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
• What do you like about your house?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------• What would you change next time?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------4. S
howcase your house
• Talk to others about your design.
• Create a presentation or display using photos of your model from different angles.
• You could even add key information about your design using labels or captions.
Extension
In the animal kingdom almost anything could be a potential home. Why not get creative? Choose an object; this
could be something like a conker, a plastic cup or even a shoe! Now draw your idea for turning your chosen item
into a fun animal home. Remember to show which type of insect or animal you think would like to live there.
Worksheet 1: D&T, PSHE
1
www.shelter.org.uk/slippers
All Shapes and Sizes
Subject: Art & Design, English
Task: Exploring architecture
Age: KS2 (7-11)
1. L
ook at the homes in your local area and make a scrapbook or display of all the different kinds.
How many of these different types of home can you find?
detached, semi-detached, terraced, block of flats, bungalow, mobile home
2. What else is different about the homes you have found? Look at the architectural features below.
Can you find any of these where you live?
3. If you were an architect, what features would you include in your house design? Copy or trace some
of the features above to create your own unique design.
Extension
How many words can you think of/find in the dictionary that mean ‘home’? Write your list on the back of this
worksheet. Remember to include the different house types above and consider adding animal homes too!
Score yourself:
Good for 10 words - Brilliant for 15 words - Totally Awesome! for 20+
Worksheet 2: Art & Design, English
2
www.shelter.org.uk/slippers
My Dream Home
Subject: Art & Design, Geography
Task: Draw your dream home
Age: KS1&2 (5-11)
If you could live anywhere in the World, where would you live?
What sort of house would you have?
Who would you share it with?
1. Use the space on the back of this worksheet to draw your dream home.
2. N
ow compare your dream home to your real home.
• What are the main differences?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• What if anything is the same?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Extension
Designing houses is not just about making them look good, it is about making them strong and safe for the people
who live there. Look back at your design and consider other things you may need to ensure your house is strong and
safe. Have you thought about smoke detectors, security alarms, and insulation from the cold or shelter from the heat?
Depending on where your dream house is, you may need to think about flood or earthquake defences or energy
generation using solar panels or wind turbines. Add labels to include some of these features on your drawing.
Worksheet 3: Art & Design, Geography
3
www.shelter.org.uk/slippers
Animal Homes
Subject: Science, English
Task: Match the animal to its home
Age: KS1 (5-7)
1. Can you help these animals find their home? Draw a line from the animal to its home.
hive
set
sea
den
web
nest
leaf
pond
tree
2. Can you match the words to the pictures? Copy each one carefully next to the correct picture.
spider
badger
robin
frog
caterpillar
bee
fox
fish
squirrel
Extension
Where an animal lives is not just about its home, but also the habitat which provides it with everything it needs to
survive. Choose just one animal to find out more about. Draw a spider diagram on the back of this sheet to show all
the things you know about your chosen animal. Remember to write the name of your chosen animal in a circle in the
middle. Include what your animal likes to eat, the names of other animals and plants which share its habitat and the
names of any animals which might like to eat your animal.
Worksheet 4: Science, English
4
www.shelter.org.uk/slippers