Water, water, everywhere
Arabs have camels, sheep, and tents. And they live in sandy deserts,
right? Well, not always. In Iraq, there are Arabs who have canoes, water
buffaloes, and reed houses. And they live in a big, wet marsh.
Growing in this marsh are giant reeds, often 25 feet high. The marsh
dwellers build their houses with the reeds. But first, they have to make
an island. To do this, they drive short, stiff bundles of reeds into
water about three feet deep. The enclosed area is filled with plants to
make the “ground.”
Big bundles of full-length reeds are stuck into the “ground.” These are
the sides. The tops are bent in and tied to form an arched roof. Smaller
bundles of reeds are tied across the upright bundles. Finally, this reed
framework is covered with reed mats.
Iraq has little rain. But in spring, melting snow in the mountains makes
the rivers overflow and flood the marshes. So each house has a platform.
The family lives on it until the water goes down.
United States
Playing in the snow is lots of fun. But it\’s also good to come into a
nice warm house. A house made of wood is just right for the cold winters
and cool summers in Minnesota.
Summers are cool and winters are long and cold in Siberia. Many people
in this part of Russia build their houses out of wood.
