Social Studies Curriculum

Grade 7 - World Geography
Unit Guides

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Unit: Middle East

Time frame for unit: 3rd Quarter-- 3 weeks

Content Standards

National Standards for Geography:
Standards #1-#18 (See end of this document)

Alaska State Geographic Content Standards Addressed:
Standards A-F (See end of this document)

Enduring Understandings and Essential Questions

1. The five themes of geography allow us to explore patterns in location, place, human environment interaction, movement, and regions.
2. Geography has a range of helpful tools that can assist us in understanding our earth and its patterns.
3. Culture and experience influence people’s perception of place and region.
   • How do culture and experience influence people’s perception of place and region?
   • Why are people’s perceptions about the geography and cultures of the Middle East so varied and so much in flux?
   • How do cultural stereotypes emerge? Why do they sustain themselves? How can we identify and overcome them?
4. The Middle East reflects the characteristics, distribution, and complexity of earth’s cultural mosaics.
   • To what extent is the Middle East a cultural mosaic? How do its diverse elements affect its present and impact its future?
   • What are the common characteristics of all Middle Eastern regions and countries? What are the unique elements of each region?
   • How do religion and religious traditions influence the Middle East today?
5. Forces of cooperation and conflict among peoples influence division and control of the earth’s surface and resources.
   • How do forces of cooperation and conflict among peoples influence the division and control of the earth’s surface and resources?
   • To what extent do forces of cooperation and conflict related to oil and water in the Middle East influence political, economic, and social conditions there?

Knowledge

The student will be able to define / apply the following terms:
Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Mosque, Church, Synagogue, Arabs, Hebrews, Jews, Muslim, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Euphrates River, Tigris River, Nile River, Jerusalem, Mecca, Zionists, Koran, Torah, Bible, Sunni, Shi'ite, Kurds, Israelis, Armenians, Persians, Palestinians, Turks, Arabs, Persian Gulf Wars (I, II), Afghan War, Al Quada, OPEC, Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, Farsi, Yiddish, Arabic, Abraham, Mohammed, Bedouins, urbanization, oases, desertification, desalination, distillation, theocratic state, secular state, patriarchal, sheik, monotheism, prophet, mosque, temple, nationalism, petrochemicals, kibbutz, Ayatollah, muezzin, hajj, nomads, Islamist, Persian Gulf, Suez Canal, Crusades

The student will be able to explain the significance of the following concepts:

• The impact of natural resources of the Middle East on the economies of the world.
• The basic reasons behind major conflicts in the region.
• How culture and experience influences one’s perceptions of the people of the Middle East.

The student will be able to describe the following:

• How religion and traditions influence the Middle East.
• The role of women in this region.
• How being “in the middle” of three continents causes cultural diffusion.
• The impact of resource shortages in the Middle East.

Skills

The student will be able to:

• Label landforms, cities, and bodies if water of the Middle East on a map.
• Take notes of oral and written material.
• Interpret special purpose and thematic maps, graphs, and charts to better understand this region.
• Compare and contrast the dominant cultural groups of this region.
• Compare and contrast peoples and landforms of the region.
• Determine locations of importance using latitude and longitude.

Assessment Evidence

Example Performance Task:

1. Assume the role of a United States diplomat on a peacekeeping negotiation with the leaders of various Middle Eastern countries. Establish a peace plan that will resolve one topic of dispute.
2. Become a photojournalist documenting cultures of the Middle East. Identify ten elements that would accurately depict culture in this region; write a paragraph or caption for each picture explaining why it should be included a photo essay.

Example Evidence:

• Mental mapping quizzes.
• Quizzes of facts related to the Middle East.
• Use key words in context.
• Compare/contrast essay comparing the physical geography of the Middle East.
• Written responses to the Essential Questions.

Example Learning Activities:

1. Read and discuss Ch. 17-18 Holt text.
2. Create, label, and analyze maps of the Middle East.
3. Design models of a mosque and a synagogue.
4. Create a timeline of events comparing Middle Eastern and U.S. history.
5. Read and summarize either a book or short stories such as Shabanu.
6. Compare and contrast the three religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam), which began in the Middle East.
7. Have a food festival and students bring in traditional Middle Eastern foods. Optional: dress in traditional clothing.
8. View and discuss a video, for example, “National Geographic- The Hajj.”
9. Research the OPEC embargo of 1973 and use the findings to write a report explaining the immediate and long-term effects.
10. Conduct research on how Middle Eastern immigrants have influenced customs, religion, politics, language, and food of a particular U.S. region
11. Provide students with opportunities for self-evaluation such as reflective writing, rubrics, and peer discussions.
12. Review unit data through games such as bingo, jeopardy, and group competitions.

* These are suggested activities. Other assessments, performance tasks, and learning activities may be implemented.

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