In the tale of The Three Little Pigs, the houses of sticks and straw didn’t stand up to the huffing and puffing of the Big Bad Wolf. Maybe the pigs just didn’t know how to use what they had to build a strong house! Take a look at different and unusual homes from around the world, then look around your house to find stuff to create your own little home to keep a piggy safe. Enjoy these books and activities recommended by librarian Patricia at the Scottsdale Branch.
Check out The Three Ninja Pigs for a fun twist on the classic fairy tale. It includes encouragement about working hard and not giving up, which will come in handy as you design and build.
Take a tour around the world to discover many of the different types of structures that humans create to keep warm, safe and dry—and to call home—in If You Lived Here.
People need to Take Shelter from the natural world to be safe and healthy. Throughout human history, people have adapted to their surroundings and used whatever materials they had handy to build their homes. Explore homes all over the world—and even in outer space—that help people feel at home wherever they live.
In Building Our House, a young girl and her family move from the city to the country, where they have bought a piece of land and live in a trailer while they build a house from the ground up, with help from relatives and friends.
Watch this video of the Three Little Pigs engineering challenge, then gather materials you have around the house to try it yourself. What could you use for straw, sticks and bricks? Perhaps you could add a house fan to your challenge to test the strength of your little house.
Explore more examples of homes from around the world made in interesting shapes and using unique building materials. Perhaps you can get some inspiration for creative additions to your little pig's house!
Reflect on Your Learning
- What materials did you choose for creating a house for a little pig? Why did you choose them?
- What features of architecture around the world would you consider adding to your design? Why?
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