Connecticut Technical High School System
Global Studies 11/2/2010
Unit: The Middle East
Goal: Students will demonstrate an understanding of the geographic, historical, economic, political and social
characteristics of the Middle East through the study of culture, conflict and change in the region.
Big Idea (s):
 The distribution of natural resources and the traditions and religions of a region can unify people
as well as cause conflict and change.
 The three dominant religions of the Middle East region, Christianity, Judaism and Islam,
influence the governments, the interactions between people and countries and cause conflicts
throughout the region.
 Religion, lack of access to clean water and other current issues, including globalization, can
impact the day-to-day lives of the citizens of a region.
 Demographic data is a useful tool in analyzing culture, conflict and change.
Essential Question (s):
 What causes conflict and change in the Middle East? How does this influence the way people live
in the region?
 How do Christianity, Judaism and Islam affect the lives of the people of the Middle East?
 How can you use demographic data? How can demographic data inform people’s decisions on
global issues?
 What are some issues of global concern that challenge the Middle East region today?
Learning Outcomes
Students will:
Literacy 1. Define and apply key
vocabulary/concepts: religion, beliefs, religious,
Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Koran, Bible,
Allah, God, hajj, monotheistic, mosque, temple,
Hebrew, Jew, Christian, Catholic, Muslim, Arab,
Five Pillars, Muhammad, pope, rabbi, ethics,
shrine.
 Paraphrase/summarize
 Compare/contrast
 Classify
 Categorize
 Discuss/explain
 Illustrate
 Demonstrate
 Reflect/relate
 Infer
9.6 Explain how the characteristics of a region
(i.e. geographic, historical, economic, political
and/or social) influence how people live and
analyze how a region’s characteristics impact its
relations with the rest of the world.
 Geographic
 Historical
 Economic
As evidenced by written, oral and/or performance:
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Vocabulary journals
Narrative descriptions
2-3 Column Notes (i.e.
term/definition/illustrate/paraphrase/relate)
Lincs/Frayer Model
Visual representation (i.e concept diagram/map,
graph, chart, drawing, poster, comic strip,
cartoon)
Discussion
Oral presentation
Short answer
Essay
Comparison chart of geographic, economic, political
and social characteristics.
Synthesis of different ways people live:
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(H) Interpretations and evaluations of oral,
written, and visual texts
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Charts, maps and/or graphs of the region.
(H) Honors. Honors students will complete a cross cycle/over trade assignment.
Connecticut Technical High School System
Global Studies 11/2/2010
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Summary of the geographic, historical, economic,
political and social characteristics.
Political
Social
Learning Outcomes
Students will:
9.7 Compare similarities and differences in the
ways groups, societies and cultures meet human
needs and concerns.
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Cultural features
o Traditions
o Beliefs
o Values
o Behaviors
Living conditions of day to day life
Family structure
Socioeconomic levels
As evidenced by written, oral and/or performance:
A compare and contrast analysis of two or more
Middle Eastern:
 Cultures
 Countries
 Economies
 Comparison of the lives of people in the region.
All classes will complete a photo analysis using
Material World and text vignette analysis using
Global Eyewitness My World (Maayan, Israel;
Muhammad, Israel).
(H) 1 page comparison writing assignment on the
Jews and Palestines (History Alive 6).
9.8 Use and analyze maps, diagrams and charts
to interpret physical and human characteristics:
 Identify and locate the major political
and physical features of the region.
 Identify and analyze the demographics
of the region:
o Population
o Language
o Literacy (Education)
o GDP (Economy)
o Ethnic Groups
o Religion
o Government
o Life expectancy
9.9 Describe and analyze current issue in the
region such as:
The role and status of women in the Middle East,
Israeli/Palestinian conflict, Iraq War
 Use and synthesize a variety of print and
visual sources
 Make critical judgments
 Identify comparison and contrast.
9.10 Identify the major religions of the area, their
evolution and impact on the world:
 Origins and basic tenets and current
influences and challenges
1. Judaism
Create and revise mental maps about people, places
and environments.
Evaluation of various pictures, maps, charts and/or
graphs.
Chart data to
 Classify and categorize
 Compare and contrast
 Evaluate
 Formulate descriptions
(H) Regional Handbook on the Middle East (History
Alive Activity 5).
Persuasive essay of the issue.
(H) Webquest and presentationhttp://zunal.com/webquest.php?user=25843
Compare and contrast chart
Summary and evaluation
(H) Honors. Honors students will complete a cross cycle/over trade assignment.
Connecticut Technical High School System
Global Studies 11/2/2010
2. Christianity
3. Islam
Learning Outcomes
Students will:
9.11 Describe and evaluate how the resources of
the region affect how inhabitants live and how
they have caused conflict in the region:
 Form questions
 Research multiple sources,
 Develop and defend an opinion
 Support with evidence
As evidenced by written, oral and/or performance:
Position paper/Debate i.e. oil, water, desertification.
Webquest- http://zunal.com/webquest.php?user=25843
Resources:
World Cultures: A Global Mosaic, Prentice Hall
DK Global Eyewitness My World, Prentice Hall
Contemporary World Cultures, Teachers’ Curriculum Institute,:
Activity 1 Cultural Impressions of the Middle East
Activity 2 Adapting the Geography of the Arabian p|Peninsula
Activity 3 Mapping the Modern Muslim World
Activity 4: Understanding Christianity, Islam and Judaism
Activity 6 “Jeds & Pads” Iraq/Palestinian conflict- Short Synopsis
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/flash/world/israel/IsraelHistory.htm
Activity 5: Creating a Regional Handbook on the Middle East.
Building Bridges, National Geographic Education Foundation
Material World, Peter Menzel
Literature From Around the World, Scott Foresman
Nystrom World Atlas, Nystrom Publishing
Compact World Atlas, Dorling Kindersley Publishing
Brief Review in Global History, Prentice Hall
What’s Going On Video/DVD Series, Social Studies Services
WebQuest and presentation - Turning in to Turning Points by Lisa Adeli:
http://zunal.com/webquest.php?user=25843.
Global Concerns Project- http://www.concernusa.org/globalproject/teachingresources
http://www.concernusa.org/globalproject/student_resources.asp
Choices – Iraq Unit
Extension Activity:
Teacher(s) Designed Formative Assessment(s)
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TBD
District-wide Trimester Assessment(s)
http://sde-cthsi/DWTA/academic.html
Preteach-Activity 4: Understanding Christianity,
Islam and Judaism
(H) Honors. Honors students will complete a cross cycle/over trade assignment.
Connecticut Technical High School System
Global Studies 11/2/2010
Concepts
Students need to know about:
Skills
Students need to be able to do:
Key vocabulary and concepts: religion,
beliefs, religious, Christianity, Islam,
Judaism, Koran, Bible, Allah, God, hajj,
monotheistic, mosque, temple, Hebrew, Jew,
Christian, Catholic, Muslim, Arab, Five
Pillars, Muhammad, pope, rabbi, ethics,
shrine
Define and apply, paraphrase/summarize,
compare/contrast, classify, categorize, discuss/explain,
illustrate, demonstrate, reflect/relate, infer (key
vocabulary and concepts in journals, narratives, notes,
visual representations, discussion, oral presentation, short
answer, essay)
9.6
Interpret maps, primary sources, news articles, charts,
graphs, and literature.
Characteristics
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Geographic
Historical
Economic
Political
Social
9.7 Similarities and differences in the ways
groups, societies and cultures meet human
needs and concerns.
Culture
 Quality of Life
 Standard of Living
 Cultural features
o Traditions
o Beliefs/Religions
o Values
o Behaviors
 Living conditions of day to day life
 Family structure
 Socioeconomic levels
9.8 Maps, diagrams and charts to interpret
physical and human characteristics:
 The major political and physical
features of the region.
 The demographics of the region:
o Population
o Language
o Literacy (Education)
o GDP (Economy)
o Ethnic Groups
o Religion
o Government
o Life expectancy
9.9 Issue: i.e. role and status of women in the
Compare (similarities and differences in the ways groups,
societies and cultures meet human needs and concerns).
Describe (cultures)
Analyze (photographs)
Assess (standard of living)
Use and analyze (maps, diagrams and charts to interpret
physical and human characteristics:
 Identify and locate (major political and physical
features of the region).
 Identify and analyze (demographics of the
region).
Analyze (role and status of women in the Middle East):
(H) Honors. Honors students will complete a cross cycle/over trade assignment.
Connecticut Technical High School System
Global Studies 11/2/2010
Middle East:
(H) Topic: Origins of the Arab/Israeli
Conflict
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Use and synthesize a variety of print and
visual sources
 Make critical judgments
 Identify comparison and contrast.
9.10 The three major religions of the area,
their evolution and impact on the world:
 Judaism
 Christianity
 Islam
9.11 Resources affect inhabitants and conflict
in the region:
 Oil
 Water
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use and synthesize a variety of print and visual
sources
Make critical judgments
Identify comparison and contrast.
(H) research the origins of the Arab/Israeli Conflict and
develop a solution to the problem/conflict.
Identify (three major religions of the area, their evolution
and impact on the world)
Discuss ( how the resources of the region affect how
inhabitants live and how they have caused conflict in the
region):
 Form questions
 Research multiple sources,
 Develop and defend an opinion
 Support with evidence
(H) Honors. Honors students will complete a cross cycle/over trade assignment.