Places We Call
Home Written by Lucy Carroll
WorldWise
WorldWise
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Content-based Learning
WorldWise
Content-based Learning
Places We Call Home Social Studies
Informational text types: Report/Procedure/Description Level: Q (40)*
C3 Social Studies Curriculum links • D2.Geo.2.3–5 Use maps/satellite images/photographs to explain relationships between locations of places and regions and their environmental characteristics • D2.Geo.4.3–5 Describe how environmental and cultural characteristics influence population distribution in specific places or regions • D2.Civ.6.3–5 Describe ways in which people benefit from and are challenged by working together, including through government, work places, voluntary organizations, and families
Key concepts • The locations of particular places help us to understand their unique characteristics • There are many reasons why people live in the unique places they call home • Everyone has the right to a home
Text features • Labeled diagrams, text boxes, questions for student reflection, statistics presented visually, sidebars, glossary
Reading strategy • Asking and answering questions
© 2019 EC Licensing Pty Ltd. This work is protected by US copyright law, and under international copyright conventions, applicable in the jurisdictions in which it is published. All rights reserved. The trademark “Flying Start to Literacy” and Star device is a registered trademark of EC Licensing Pty Ltd in the US. The trademark “WorldWise Content-based Learning” and Star device is owned by EC Licensing Pty Ltd. Purchasers of this book may have certain rights under applicable copyright law to copy parts of this book. Purchasers must make the necessary enquiries to ascertain whether, and to what extent, they have any such right in the jurisdiction in which they will be using the book. Photographs on cover © Alexandra Lande | Shutterstock; p.1 © Venkra | Dreamstime.com; p.2 (t) © Anna Morgan | Shutterstock, (b) © Ksenia Ragozina | Shutterstock; p.3 (b) © Kanokratnok | Shutterstock; p.3 (t), p.25 (t) © Sadik Gulec | Shutterstock; p.4 (tl) © Ryan DeBeradinis | Shutterstock, (tr) © leoks | Shutterstock, (bl) © Anna Morgan | Shutterstock, (br) © Suwida Boonyatistarn | Shutterstock; p.5 (tl) © Andrei Medvedev | Shutterstock, (tr) © Alexandra Lande | Shutterstock, (bl) © Yeongsik Im | Shutterstock, (br) © shipfactory | Shutterstock; p.6 (l) © Stephen Finn | Shutterstock, (r) © Irina88w | Dreamstime.com; p.7 (l) © Artazum | Shutterstock, (r) © Tpettengill | Dreamstime.com; p.9 (t) © Louishenault | Dreamstime.com, (m) © Francesco Dazzi | Shutterstock, (b) © Gordon Wiltsie | Getty Images; p.10 © Pikoso.kz | Shutterstock; p.11 (tl) © Jdanne | Dreamstime.com, (tm) © Rinusbaak | Dreamstime.com, (tr) © Venkra | Dreamstime.com, (tml) © Agafapaperiapunta | Dreamstime.com, (tmr) © Flatscreen | Dreamstime.com, (bml) © Ksenia Rogozina | Shutterstock, (bmr) © divanov | Shutterstock, (bl) © rphstock | Shutterstock, (bm) © ksl | Shutterstock, (br) © Atosan | Shutterstock; p.12 (bl) © Kanokratnok | Shutterstock, (m) © Gil.K | Shutterstock; p.12-13 © brittak | Getty Images; p.13 (t) © Katie-May Griffiths | Shutterstock, (bl) © Rafal Cichawa | Shutterstock, (br) © Katiekk | Shutterstock; p.14 © Rafal Chichawa | Shutterstock; p.14-15 © Bob Hilscher | Shutterstock; p.15 (m) © Libux77 | Dreamstime.com, (b) © adrenalinerushdiaries | Shutterstock; p.16 © Moth | Dreamstime.com; p.17 (l) © The C | Shutterstock, (r) © YM.Ku Shahril | Shutterstock; p.18 (m) © James Balog | Getty Images, (b) Eric CHRETIEN | Getty Images; p.18 (t), p.19 (inset) © Ton Koene photography | Getty Images; p.19 © Smit | Shutterstock; p.22 (t) © Monkeybusinessimages | Dreamstime.com, (m) © Joshua Rainey Photography | Shutterstock p.22-23 © MISHELLA | Shutterstock; p.23 © Clinweaver | Dreamstime.com; p.24 © Anjo Kan | Shutterstock; p.25 (b) © Istvan Csak | Shutterstock; p.26 © Mathes | Dreamstime.com; p.26-27 © Andrew V Marcus | Shutterstock; p.32 (tm, bm) © Photos.com. While the publisher has made every effort to acknowledge copyright holders, any omissions should be emailed in the first instance to info@ecpublishing.com.au, including all details for appropriate acknowledgement at the next reprint. * Levels indicated by letters are Okapi’s unique measurements, comparable to the Guided Reading levels of Fountas and Pinnell. Numerical levels in parentheses align with DRA.
Developed by Eleanor Curtain Publishing US Consultants: Tammy Jones, Debra Crouch Designed by Alex Stitt Printed and bound in China through Colorcraft Ltd, Hong Kong Distributed in the USA by Okapi Educational Publishing Inc. Phone: 866-652-7436 Fax: 800-481-5499 Email: info@myokapi.com www.myokapi.com www.worldwise-reading.com ISBN: 978-1-76067-788-6 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 19 20 21 22 23 24
okapi educational publishing
Places We Call Home Written by Lucy Carroll Series Consultant: Linda Hoyt
WorldWise
WorldWise
™
Content-based Learning
Contents Chapter 1
Chapter 3
Different homes, different lives 4
The right to a home 22
Welcome to my home 6
Being homeless 22
Chapter 2
Temporary homes, uncertain futures 24
Houses for different environments 10 Life on the plains 12 Water world 14
A safe house 26 Chapter 4
There’s no place like home! 28
In the tropics 16 Life on ice 18 A temperate climate 20
Glossary 31 Index 32
Chapter 1
Different homes, different lives Where is your home? Where do you live? Maybe you live in an apartment in a city. Maybe you live on a farm in the country. Or maybe you live on a boat. Wherever you live, this is your home.
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Around the world, people build all kinds of houses that suit their environment. People living in freezing cold places need warm, waterproof housing. People who live in hot tropical climates need houses that stay cool on the inside. Sometimes people find themselves with no place to live. Hurricanes or floods can destroy people’s homes. People often have to leave their homes when there is a war or a famine. But when people have no home, others try to help them make sure they have a place they can call home.
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Different homes, different lives
Welcome to my home
Look up there. Can you see my home? It’s on the fifth floor. My father, sister, and I live there. My name is Mohammed. We have lived in this apartment building since we arrived here from Iraq as refugees. It wasn’t possible for my whole family to travel together so my mom and my older brother are waiting in another country. They need the government to give them permission to come here. It’s been hard for us to settle here, but I have made lots of new friends. We share the elevator to get up to our floor. 6
Hello. My name is Alberta. This is where my family lives. I’m the oldest. I have a younger sister and a baby brother who is two. I used to have a bedroom of my own but now I share with my brother, Matias. He always used to come into my room and play with my toys. Now it’s his room, too. Luckily our house and garden are big because there are 34 in my family – that’s including pets! There are five people, two dogs, four chickens, and 23 fish. Our dogs are called Benchy and Paco, and my favorite chicken is named Estefania.
My name is Dan. This is the house where I live most of the time, but some weekends I live in an apartment. The apartment is where my dad lives. I live in two places because my mom and dad are divorced. Everything was really confusing when they first split up, but now I am getting used to it. I felt sad about Dad leaving, but my sister and I spend time with him on weekends. Dad’s place is smaller than this house so my sister and I share a room when we go there. Even though we don’t all live together, we’re still a family.
Hi! I’m Maddie. I’m on my way home from school. My home is just around the next bend in the road. I live on a farm. The farm is where our family has lived for four generations. My grandparents live in an old farmhouse down the road, and my family lives here in a newer house. There are lots of buildings on the farm. We have a barn, a machinery shed, and stables for our horses. I love riding my horse. I go trail riding with my brothers on the weekend. We have a great time.
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Different homes, different lives
Welcome to my home (continued) Think about ... Think about how you would describe the place where you live. What is similar to these children’s places? What is different?
My home is on wheels, there are elephants close by, and I spend a lot of time in a tent.
Why do you like the place where you live?
Can you guess where I live? My name is Jesse, and I live and work in a circus! My family and I live in a trailer and we move around from place to place with the circus. I love being around the animals. There are elephants, lions, and lots of horses. Other children live at the circus too. We go to school at the circus. Our parents are our teachers. We also go to circus school to learn acrobatics and other skills. I love the circus.
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I’m Maggie. I live in an Inuit community in the territory of Nunavut in far north Canada. Nunavut is the homeland of the Inuit people. Our ancestors have lived on this land for thousands of years. Our culture is very important to us. In the summer, my father takes my friends and me fishing and tells us stories of his father’s fishing and hunting trips.
The Inuit have a deep connection to their homeland. They continue to practice their traditional hunting and fishing methods that are many thousands of years old. 9
Chapter 2
Houses for different environments People around the world build the house they need based on their way of life, the climate, and the materials that are available to them. Some people live nomadic lives, moving from place to place, so they need houses that are easy to build. People living in tropical climates need to build houses that keep them cool. In cold places, people need houses that will help them keep warm. The houses described in this chapter have been specially adapted by people to suit their environment.
Think about ‌ As you read this chapter, think about the following questions: Where is this house? Who lives here? What material is this house made from? What are the special features of this house? How is this house adapted to its environment?
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Houses for different environments
Life on the plains The Masai are semi-nomadic people who move about on the plains of Kenya and Tanzania in East Africa. They live in houses that are quick and easy to build. Their houses also need to provide protection from the hot climate. The women build the houses. They place wooden sticks in the ground to make the supports. The walls are made from woven branches. They mix cow dung with mud and then wipe it over the branches to make the walls smooth. The roof is made from woven twigs and grass, and the floor is trampled earth. There is a stone hearth in the middle for cooking and a separate space for sleeping.
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Masai huts are arranged in a circle inside the village. Thorn tree branches are used to create a barrier around the houses. These keep the Masai and their farm animals safe from wild animals. In the center of the village, there is another fenced-off area called a kraal, where cows and goats are kept.
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Houses for different environments
Water world Imagine living in a house that floats on water. Lake Titicaca borders Peru and Bolivia in South America. The Uros people of Lake Titicaca live on floating islands made from reeds. There are more than 50 floating islands that support the hundreds of people who live there. These people eat fish, birds, and plants from the lake. The Uros people use totora reeds to make houses, boats, and the floating islands that they live on. People using dried totora reeds to make a boat
People on the Uros islands make their houses from wooden stakes that form the frame of the house, and a wooden platform that makes the floor. They use bundles of dried totora reeds to make the walls and the roof. Some houses have solar panels that create energy so people can have modern conveniences in their homes.
Problems facing the Uros people: • t he waters of Lake Titicaca have become polluted by human and industrial waste • fish are in danger of extinction from overfishing and pollution • visits from tourists affect their traditional culture • sewage causes environmental damage to the reeds and health problems for the people.
The reed base of the floating islands slowly decays in the water. As the bottom layers rot, new layers of totora reeds are spread over the islands.
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Houses for different environments
In the tropics Traditional Malay houses in the villages of Malaysia are well designed for a tropical climate. long shuttered windows high-pitched thatched roof wide veranda
stilts
Traditional Malay houses are made from wood and are built high on stilts to keep them dry during the wet season, when up to three feet of rain can fall in a single day. Each house has a high-pitched gabled roof with eaves that provide shade and protection from the tropical rain. Hot air rises and escapes through the thatched roof. Many houses have a wide veranda where people can stay cool. The houses have long shuttered windows that can be opened to catch the breeze. Building a house is a special event in a Malay village. The whole community helps, and everyone celebrates when the building is completed.
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Malay words kampong – village attap – thatched roof anjung – veranda 17
Houses for different environments
Life on ice
Making an igloo
The Canadian Inuit live in the Arctic region north of Canada, where the land is frozen for most of the year. In the past, the Inuit built igloos to stay in when they hunted. Today, igloo building is taught as a survival skill and to pass on this tradition.
1 T he hunter draws a circle in the snow to mark the diameter of the igloo, which is anywhere from 9 to 18 feet.
Igloos are small buildings made from blocks of snow. Oil lamps are used to heat and light the inside of the igloo. If an igloo is too big, it is difficult to keep it warm inside. People’s body heat also helps warm the space inside. Inside the igloo, people make beds from packed snow covered in animal skins or furs; this is where the people sit and sleep when they stay in an igloo. The igloo door always faces away from the wind and is low to the ground so that the warm air doesn’t escape when people come in and out of the igloo.
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2 R ectangular blocks are cut from the snow using a saw.
3 T he blocks are placed around the circle.
4 E ach new layer of blocks is laid on top in a slightly smaller circle.
5 F inally, the blocks form a dome.
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Houses for different environments
A temperate climate Some people live in places where it can be hot in summer and cold in winter. This is called a temperate climate. In these kinds of places,a house that stays warm in winter and cool in summer is very important. This house is designed to be warm in winter and cool in summer. In winter the warmth from the sun comes into the house through the windows. The warmth stays in the brick walls and the floor, keeping the house warm at night. During summer, shade from trees, the external blinds, and the overhanging roof help keep the house cool.
brick walls
The house shown below is a solar-powered house. When sunlight strikes the solar panels, an electric current creates power so that appliances such as the television and washing machine can be used. The power also heats the water for the house instead of burning gas or wood. Solar power is a clean and quiet form of renewable energy.
Other uses for solar power Solar cells are used to power things such as swimming pool pumps and heating, outdoor lighting, calculators, wristwatches, highway signs, and roadside call boxes. How else could solar power be used around the home?
shade trees
external blinds
solar panels
overhanging eaves small windows
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Find out more One hour of sunlight shining on the earth could meet the world’s energy needs for a whole year. Find out more about how solar power is made.
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Chapter 3
The right to a home Being homeless A person who does not have safe and adequate housing is considered to be homeless. Being homeless can affect the young, the old, families, or single people.
How do people become homeless? People become homeless for different reasons. In some countries, people are homeless because war or a natural disaster has destroyed their home. Others need to leave their homes in rural areas to look for work in a city. Unfortunately, some cannot find work or a place to live. Some people are homeless because they are poor or unemployed and can’t afford housing. Some have been victims of violence and others suffer from mental illness.
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How do people help the homeless? Nobody should have to sleep in a park, on the roadside, or under a bridge. Some charitable organizations operate shelters that provide accommodation to people who are homeless. They offer three meals a day, a hot shower, and a warm bed. Most importantly, they provide a place where people feel secure. They can find help, companionship, and a place where they belong. Some people need help only during a time of crisis; others need assistance for many years.
What else can be done to help people who are homeless? Governments can create jobs and affordable housing. Individuals can volunteer their time to work with the homeless. Volunteers do jobs such as cooking, cleaning, and serving meals. People can donate money or items such as food or clothing to people who are homeless.
The right to a home On April 25, 2015, a massive earthquake of magnitude 7.8 occurred in Nepal. This earthquake and the aftershocks that followed killed nearly 9,000 people and destroyed at least 900,000 buildings. Many people were forced to live in temporary shelters because they no longer had a home. A worldwide aid effort was started to help the survivors. It will take more time and effort for them to rebuild their lives.
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The right to a home
Temporary homes, uncertain futures Sometimes people are forced to leave their homes, the people they love, and everything they own, to take refuge in another country. These people are refugees. People become refugees for many different reasons. Sometimes war has destroyed their home, there has been a natural disaster, or it is unsafe to stay in their country. There are laws that protect the rights of refugees. The United Nations, and other aid organizations, help refugees find a place to live and offer them hope for the future.
Think about ‌ If you had to flee your home quickly, what would be the one thing you would like to take with you?
Find out more There are around 66 million people in the world today who have been forced to leave their homes. Find out about some of the main reasons why this happens.
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The right to a home
A safe house In 1996, the United Nations said that everyone in the world has the right to a safe house. A safe house must provide: • protection from the weather • s pace for everyone who lives there • a clean supply of water • waste removal • a safe place for storing and preparing food.
Do you think this home fits the UN description of a safe house?
The right to adequate housing is recognized by the United Nations as being a basic human right.
In poorer parts of the world, 1 in 4 families lives in poverty. 26
In the USA, 1 in 10 families lives in poverty.
In cities around the world, 3 in 10 people live in slums.
In Africa, only 1 in 5 houses is connected to running water.
In poorer parts of the world, 4 in 10 cities don’t have a sewage system.
In the United Kingdom, 1 in 200 families doesn’t have a home. 27
Chapter 4
There’s no place like home!
My window is the best thing about our apartment. We are so high up that I get a great view of the city. But the best thing is that I can look down and see if my friends are outside playing in the park next door, then I take my soccer ball and go down to meet them.
I like being outside in our garden. It is shady and cool there, and I enjoy feeding our hens. I like all our pets, but the chickens are my favorite. Sometimes my little brother comes outside to play in the garden, but he keeps away from the chickens because he’s scared they’ll peck him.
I spend lots of time in the backyard at Mom’s place. I love using tools and scrap materials to make things. I can use my imagination and make anything I want. There is no garden at Dad’s place so when I stay with him on the weekends I make things inside, or we go to the park to play.
Tonight Mom needs our help in the kitchen. We’re making a big pot of soup. I get the job of picking and washing vegetables from our garden. My brother is in charge of chopping the vegetables. We have a huge vegetable patch where we grow all kinds of delicious vegetables.
Think about ... What do you like about your home? 28
Which of these children would you like to visit? Why?
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There’s no place like home!
Glossary accommodation a place to live
refugees people who are forced to leave their homes
adapted something or someone that has changed to suit its environment
renewable energy natural energy such as from the sun or wind
crisis an emergency
shelter a place that gives protection from the weather
diameter a straight line passing through the center of a circle
Welcome to the circus! I love it when we do a show and I can perform for the audience. It has taken us many months of practice to learn this new trick. I hope the audience enjoys the show.
In winter, the sea turns to ice, so hunters make holes in the ice and spear the fish. You need to be very skilled to catch fish on the ice.
solar energy from the sun
famine when there is no food for a long time
solar panel a panel that changes sunlight into electricity
generations people belonging to similar age groups
unemployed someone who doesn’t have a paid job
natural disaster an event such as avalanche, earthquake, flood, wildfire, hurricane, tornado, tsunami, or volcanic eruption
United Nations an international association of countries formed in 1945 to promote international peace and cooperation
nomadic a race or tribe who move from place to place
volunteer a person who works or does service without payment
poverty being poor Think about ‌ Choose a sentence starter from the list below to discuss places we call home with a partner or group. The most interesting thing in this book was ... What I have learned is ... I did not know that ... This book made me think about ... 30
I wonder why ...
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Index Arctic 18 Bolivia 14 Canada 9, 18 circus 8, 30 homeless 22–23 igloo 18–19 Inuit 9, 18 Lake Titicaca 14, 15 Malaysia 16 Masai 12–13 Nepal 23 Nunavut 9 Peru 14 refugees 6, 24, 31 solar 15, 21, 31 totora reeds 14, 15 United Nations 24, 26, 31 Uros people 14–15
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WorldWise: Content-based Learning | Grade 4 Curriculum-linked titles Guided Reading Levels Q–S (40)*
Next Generation Science
C3 Social Studies
Our Changing World
Homes and Shelters
Survival and Safety
Don’t Throw It Away! – Q (40)
Animal Shelters – Q (40)
Awesome Oceans – Q (40)
That’s a Good Idea! – Q (40)
Animal Architects – R (40)
Talented Animals – Q (40)
From Me to You – R (40)
Exploring Caves – R (40)
Wild, Wild Weather – Q (40)
Solving Problems: Dams, Bridges, and Canals – R (40)
Nature’s Rooming House – R (40)
Adventures in Wild Places – S (40)
It’s All About Energy – S (40)
Shells on their Backs – R (40)
How Animals Communicate – S (40)
Our Moving Earth – S (40)
Living With the Tides – S (40)
Our Bodies – S (40)
Helping Hands – Q (40)
Places We Call Home – Q (40)
Against the Odds – S (40)
Heroes R – (40)
What Makes a City? – R (40)
Your Rights – S (40)
* Levels indicated by letters are Okapi’s unique measurements, comparable to the Guided Reading levels of Fountas and Pinnell. Numerical levels in parentheses align with DRA.
WorldWise: Content-based learning | Grade 4 Curriculum-linked titles Next Generation Science
C3 Social Studies
okapi educational publishing