Human Adaptation: Houses

The second graders recently completed their fourth unit under the theme “Where we are in place and time.” This unit mainly talked about migration and how people and animals adapt to the given environment they are living in. They also learnt different types of houses and why they are built a certain way due to their surroundings. For the summative assessment, the students were separated into groups. Using the knowledge they have learnt in this unit, they were asked to work together to build a certain type of house model and identify the physical environment that the house is suitable for. While building the model, students also wrote a descriptive paragraph detailing how they built their model, the materials used, why their model suits a certain environment and why it is unique compared to the other houses.

Read through some featured student work and get a glimpse of what the students have learned from this unit.

houses summative task

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IGLOO MODEL

by Elaine Chen 陳宣羽, Grade 2

For the summative assessment, our class is making different house models that are suitable for different environments. As for our group, we are making an igloo. I can find an igloo in the Arctic and North Pole. The igloo is usually made from ice, snow, ice cubes, and snowballs, but for our model we used cotton, color paper, markers, and glue. The igloo will trap your body heat to keep it warm and help keep the wind away. Compared to all the houses, I think our home is an interesting, cool house, because when you travel to the Arctic, you have a place to live. If I have a chance to make another house, I will make a stone house, because I can learn lots of facts, data, and history.

TENT MODEL

by Ethan Wang 王意愷, Grade 2

For the summative assessment, our class is making different house models that are suitable for different environments. As for our group, we are making a tent. We can find tents in China and Mongolia. A tent is usually made from wool, wood, traps, skeleton, door frame, but for our model we used glue, clay, paper, cardboard, and styrofoam. People build this type of house because the cow will eat the grass and they need to migrate many times. If I have a chance to make another house, I would make an igloo because it is cold and it is made of ice.

TREE HOUSE MODEL

by Victor Chen 陳建恩, Grade 2

For the summative assessment, our class is making different house models that are suitable for different environments. As for our group, we are making a tree house. Where can we find this type of house? We can find a tree house in the forest. A tree house is usually made of wood, logs, branches, and sticks, but for our model we used paint, cardboard, paper and popsticks. Why do people build this type of house? It is because they want to protect themselves from mosquitoes and flood. If I have a chance to make another home, I would make an apartment because I like to be in high places.