Straw House Life Lesson Plan
		Building and Living in a Straw House

	Most straw houses in Pella, Iowa were half dugout, half above ground and half dug into the ground. Walls were made of sod or dirt piled up high enough for people to stand in the little house. Branches held up and formed the roof. The roof was covered with branches with long grass and cat tail leaves spread over the top. The floor was dirt. Beds were made from sticks fastened together with rope or vines. Sometimes there was a rope woven to hold a straw mattress. A wild flower plant called bed straw was also used as mattress stuffing. Cooking area: Three stones in the center of the straw hut. Cooking pot sat on the stones. The stone fireplace also heated the straw house. Usually, there was no chimney; smoke went up through holes in the grass roof. The farmers' animals sometimes nibbled on the grass roof. One time a cow fell through the grass roof. Another time a curious sheep fell into a house.
	Discussion Questions
	How would you feel if a cow or sheep fell through the roof? How would you like to have a dirt floor? Would you like to sleep on piles of straw or grass? Do you think the straw house would be warm in the winter? What if it snowed?    What if it rained? What about wild animals?   bugs? How was living in a straw house like going camping?

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