My Own House

This activity is often used as part of the "Me Book" projects. See SELF IMAGE UNIT.

Objectives

Children ages 5 and up can draw house with 2-5 items and print simple words FM III
Children 4-5 can copy the squares FM III
and children 3-4 can identify shapes Cog. I

Materials

Felt pens, paper.

Procedures

1. Seat children at a table and hand each of them a piece of paper. Put felt pens in the center of the table. Ask children if they live in a house or an apartment. What color is it? How big?

2. Ask children to draw their house. Have a predawn large square on the same size paper for them to copy if they need a model. Some children may need lightly drawn square to trace or a dot-to-dot pattern. Let children draw in windows, doors, walk, steps, trees, etc.

3. As children are drawing, ask them about their homes (and families) and the parts of a house. "Where is the roof?" "What is the roof for?"

4. Print the words "MY HOUSE" and have them copy or trace the words on their picture. Older children may print their house number and street on their picture.

5. Help them trace or write their names on the picture.

6. Display the pictures on a bulletin board.

Variations

1. To add a little excitement, help children cut the door so it folds open.  Ask children who or what they would like to see waiting when they get home and open the door.  Let children draw (or cut pictrures from magazines) the surprise they want. They glue picture(s) on the back of the house so when the door opens, their surprise is waiting.

2. Make this activity part of a larger unit.  Display houses at child's eye level around the room.  Staple an envelope below each house for a mailbox.  Children then may write letters or make pictures for their friends and sneak them into the mailboxes.