In the Montessori studio, we explore different types of homes and houses found around the world. We start by defining a house, and after eliminating all the living creatures that do not live in houses (bats, squirrels, hammerhead sharks, and ladybugs, just to name a few), we concluded it is a place where humans live.

Next, what makes up a house? As a group, we examine our parts of the house cards, agreeing that houses have a roof, a door, windows, and walls. Some houses have shutters and others have chimneys, some have a yard and others have a balcony. Not all homes are houses. So after identifying homes mostly commonly found in Washington, DC (apartment buildings, row houses, stand-alone houses), we expanded our study to homes found in North America, and ended with a look at the variety of homes built over time, across the globe.

From yurts to wigwams and pyramids to castles, home is where you rest your head at night, cook meals for family, and gather together for celebration. Our exploration was aided by such books as Houses and Homes by Ann Morris, If You Lived Here: Houses of the World by Giles Laroche, and Home by Carson Ellis.