People live in many different types of homes. Some homes are built with natural materials, such as grass. Other homes are built with human-made materials, such as glass and concrete.

Some homes are built with both natural and manufactured materials, like the rondavel in this story.

Kabo and Thabo live in the Kgatleng District of Botswana, near the village of Mochudi. They live in a rondavel with their parents.

"A rondavel is a traditional round house with a thatched roof. These homes are built in many parts of southern Africa," explains Kabo.

Thabo continues, "Most rondavels are round, with a door and windows. We have glass windows, which they didn't have in the old days."

"Our grandfather built this rondavel in the traditional way. Our father added some modern materials," says Kabo.

"Let's explain the building process," suggests Kabo.

He says, "The builders used timber, thatch, stones, mortar and plaster.

They began by digging a pit. They packed the pit with small stones, soil, and sand. This made a firm and strong foundation to build on."

Thabo continues, "The builders pushed long wooden poles into the foundation, around the outer edge. They tied the poles together, making a wooden frame for the outside walls.

Once the basic structure was finished, the builders put stones closely together in the frame."

"Next, the builders mixed clay, water, and cow dung. This makes a natural mortar that is extremely hard when dry. They packed the mortar between the stones to fix them in place," says Kabo.

"Building with stones and mortar makes strong walls that last a long time," adds Thabo.

Kabo says, "The thick outer walls insulate our rondavel."

Thabo explains, "Insulation means that it stays cool inside when the weather is hot outside. The sun's heat can't get through the walls.

In places with cold winters, this insulation keeps rondavels warm in winter by keeping the heat inside."

"Builders created the floor of our rondavel by packing mud into the foundation they made," says Thabo.

Kabo says, "To complete the floor, they spread a final layer of mud and packed it down. This dried hard and created a flat, even surface for the floor."

Thabo says, "The last stage was putting on the roof. Rondavels usually have a pointed thatch roof.

Builders made a wooden frame with poles joined together in a point in the middle. They sewed bundles of thatch grasses to the poles in layers. A thatch roof is waterproof."

Thatch is a useful material for a roof. But this natural material also makes a good home for insects and other animals. Many of them are pests!

Look at the picture and find: three spiders, a scorpion, a beetle, a termite, and a mouse?

Natural materials such as thatch grass create a good environment for spiders to live and hunt.

Spiders don't damage the thatch and they help to control other insects.

We need to look after the thatch to keep out pests such as mice, fleas, and termites.

"There are a lot of us living in this rondavel!" says Thabo, looking at the thatch. He is afraid of spiders.

"I wonder what other creatures live around us?" asks Kabo, nervously.

"When I build my home, I will build a rondavel with a tiled roof!" laughs Kabo.