Basic 5 · Our World and Our People · Plants and Animals
Designing and Making an Animal House
In this topic you will design and make a simple house for a pet or domestic animal using local materials.
By the end of these notes you should be able to:
- State the features of a good animal house
- Design an animal house with a labelled sketch
- Make a model animal house from local materials
What you already know
- Caring for animals
Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.
- Strand
- All Around Us
- Sub-strand
- Plants and Animals
- Indicator
- B5.2.2.1.1 – Design and make a simple animal house and keep a pet
Introduction
Domestic animals and pets need a safe, clean home just as people do. A good animal house protects animals from rain, sun, thieves and predators such as snakes and hawks.
1. Types of Animal Houses
| Animal | House |
|---|---|
| chickens | coop or fowl house |
| rabbits | hutch |
| dog | kennel |
| goats and sheep | pen or shed |
| pigs | sty |
| pigeons | dovecote |
2. Features of a Good Animal House
- Strong enough to keep out predators and thieves.
- A roof that keeps out rain and sun.
- Good ventilation (air holes or wire mesh) for fresh air.
- Enough space for the animals to move and rest.
- A raised or well-drained floor so it stays dry.
- Easy to clean, with a door for removing waste.
- Places for food and water containers.
- Built on high ground away from the family's living rooms.
3. Designing Your Animal House
- Choose the animal and find out its needs.
- Decide on the size, materials and shape.
- Draw a labelled sketch showing the roof, walls, door, floor and ventilation.
- List the materials and tools.
- Check the design: is it safe, strong and easy to clean?
4. Making a Model
| Material | Use |
|---|---|
| old cartons or cardboard | walls and floor of the model |
| sticks or bamboo | frame and legs |
| raffia or string | tying parts together |
| palm fronds or grass | thatched roof |
| bottle tops | food and water containers |
| glue and scissors | joining and cutting |
Work carefully with scissors and sharp sticks. Test your model by pouring a little water on the roof to see if it keeps the inside dry, and check that the door opens and closes.
A real animal house is built from stronger materials such as wood, bamboo, cement blocks, roofing sheets and wire mesh. The roof should slope so that rainwater runs off. Wire mesh should be fine enough to stop snakes and rats from entering. The house should be cleaned every day and disinfected regularly to prevent diseases such as Newcastle disease in chickens.
Safety: Handle scissors and knives carefully and point them away from your body.
New words
- coop
- A house for chickens.
- hutch
- A house for rabbits.
- kennel
- A house for a dog.
- ventilation
- The flow of fresh air.
- predator
- An animal that hunts other animals.
- design
- A plan or drawing for making something.
Summary
- Different animals need different houses.
- A good animal house is strong, dry, ventilated and easy to clean.
- Plan your design with a labelled sketch.
- Local materials can be used to make a model.
Class activity: Build a Model
- Choose an animal and design its house.
- Build a model from cartons, sticks and raffia.
- Present it and explain how it meets the animal's needs.
You need: Old carton pieces, Sticks, Raffia string
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. A house for rabbits is a…
- A. hutch
- B. kennel
- C. sty
- D. coop
Show answer
Answer: hutchRabbits live in hutches.2. Why should an animal house have ventilation?
- A. To let in fresh air
- B. To keep out light
- C. To make it heavy
- D. To store food
Show answer
Answer: To let in fresh airAnimals need air.3. A dog's house is called a…
- A. kennel
- B. pen
- C. dovecote
- D. hutch
Show answer
Answer: kennelFor dogs.4. Animal houses should keep out predators.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueTo keep animals safe.5. An animal house should have a wet floor.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: FalseIt should be dry.6. A house for pigs is called a ______.
Show answer
Answer: styPigsty.7. State three features of a good animal house.
Show answer
Answer: Strong, good ventilation, dry raised floor (or easy to clean, roof).Any three.8. Why should an animal house be built away from living rooms?
Show answer
Answer: To prevent smells, noise and the spread of diseases from animals to people.Hygiene.
Homework
- Draw a design for a chicken coop and label its parts.