Monday
Objective: SS.6.5B Identify geographic factors such as location, physical features, transportation corridors and barriers, and distribution of natural resources that influence a society's ability to control territory
SS.6.22A Use social studies terminology correctly;
SS.6.23A Use a problem-solving process to identify a problem, gather information, list and consider options, consider advantages and disadvantages, choose and implement a solution, and evaluate the effectiveness of the solution.
Warm-Up : Why would a region that lacks water use 70% of it to irrigate crops?
Classwork: Define OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries – 11 major oil exporting countries; point out the countries on a world map). [Also use this opportunity to discuss that Iraq currently has the largest untapped oil reserves in the region. What impact might that have on current US policy decisions?]
Generating and Testing Hypotheses USE DOCUMENT CAMERA TODAY
Introduce and model the use of this Problem Solving Model strategy to examine the use of available water.
Some suggestions are below:
•What is the problem? Lack of freshwater in the region.
•Restate the problem in new words. Most people in the region never have enough water to meet their needs.
•What facts do you know about this problem? [Introduce the importance of natural resources to the development of a country. Point out the three vital resources in this region: oil (petroleum), water, and arable land. Emphasize the concept of scarcity (not having a lot of something; opposite is abundant).
Important discussion points:
• Most people in the region never have enough water to meet their needs. Most of the water in the region comes from underground aquifers, oases, and rivers.
• Population growth in the region continues to increase and soon there will be too many people for the water supply.
• About 70% of the water in Southwest Asia is used to irrigate crops. Ask students why a region that lacks water would use 70% of it to irrigate crops.
•The region has major bodies of water nearby like the Mediterranean Sea, Arabian Sea, and the Red Sea.
Certain countries in Southwest Asia and North Africa use a process called desalination that turns saltwater into freshwater by removing the salt.
• Only about 3% of the earth’s total water supply is freshwater. Despite having several bodies of water near the region, these waters are not available for human consumption (saltwater).]
Most of the land is desert land. People in Egypt often rely on the Nile River for water; people in Libya rely on
Oases (plural of the word Oasis) ex. The use aquifers which are underground rock layers that store large amounts of water.
What are some possible solutions?
1. Some countries are recycling water to use on crops.
2. Advances in technology are making desalinization (taking the salt out) more affordable.
3. Countries are building dams to regulate water.
4. Pipelines are being constructed to carry water to where it is most needed. Libya built pipelines in the 1990s to carry water from the desert aquifers to coastal areas. People in northern and western Texas also rely on aquifers too .
See next page…

Monday
[continued]
Tuesday
Students will use the handout for the following question: What will happen if the OPEC nations decide to stop exporting petroleum [oil] to the United States?
To help students think about this question Ask students how it is possible that the United States consumes over 20 million barrels of oil a day, but only produces half that much?
What issues does the difference in production [the “makers”] vs. consumption [the “users”] create? [Possible answers]

Dependency on foreign oil

Decreased domestic oil production

Problems of conservation and efficiency

Use the overlay map transparencies of SW Asia/North Africa (provided with the text) to discuss the following:

The region of Southwest Asia and North Africa is rich in valuable resources, but lacks an abundance of another valuable resource-water.

Much of the region is covered by desert (physical overlay).

People in the region have learned to adapt and live in the desert like Syrian Bedouins - nomadic desert people who follow a traditional way of life.
ELPS: Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening.
Objective: SS.6.5B Identify geographic factors such as location, physical features, transportation corridors and barriers, and distribution of natural resources that influence a society's ability to control territory
SS.6.22A Use social studies terminology correctly;
SS.6.23A Use a problem-solving process to identify a problem, gather information, list and consider options, consider advantages and disadvantages, choose and implement a solution, and evaluate the effectiveness of the solution.
Warm-Up : Answer the following question: What problems are caused if your parent cooks food for a family of
10, but only 2 of them eat it all up before the other 8 gets a chance to eat?
Students will use the handout for the following question: What will happen if the OPEC nations decide to stop exporting petroleum [oil] to the United States?
What issues does the difference in production [the “makers”] vs. consumption [the “users”] create? [Possible answers]


Dependency on foreign oil
Decreased domestic oil production

Problems of conservation and efficiency

Use the overlay map transparencies of SW Asia/North Africa (provided with the text) to discuss the following:

The region of Southwest Asia and North Africa is rich in valuable resources, but lacks an abundance of another valuable resource-water.

Much of the region is covered by desert (physical overlay).

People in the region have learned to adapt and live in the desert like Syrian Bedouins - nomadic desert
 people who follow a traditional way of life.
Homework: Use the Problem Solving Model to answer the following question: Of all the countries in the world, what should we do with the few that are causing most of the pollution problems around the world?

Wednesday
Thursday
Objective: SS.6.18C Describe ways in which contemporary issues influence creative expressions
SS.6.19B Explain the significance of religious holidays and observances such as Christmas, Easter, Ramadan, the annual hajj, Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashanah, Diwali, and Vaisakhi in various contemporary societies.
SS.6.22A Use social studies terminology correctly;
Warm-Up : Get a textbook and read the Primary Source section at the bottom, “Comparing Scriptures.” On page
13 of your notebook, explain how you have done a good deed for someone during the past month.
Classwork: Students will listen to the teacher read about the drawing conclusions. Students will be referred to the Word Wall for a simple definition of the word Conclude . Students will then apply the skill by reading 3 charts on Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. They will then answer questions (drawing conclusions) on the religions .
Complete a chart comparing the 3 religions. {May be completed with information tomorrow and for homework.]
ELPS : Speaking, Listening, Reading, and Writing
Objective: SS.6.18C Describe ways in which contemporary issues influence creative expressions
SS.6.19B Explain the significance of religious holidays and observances such as Christmas, Easter, Ramadan, the annual hajj, Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashanah, Diwali, and Vaisakhi in various contemporary societies.
SS.6.22A Use social studies terminology correctly;
Warm-Up : Explain that the “Golden Rule” of the ethic reciprocity is found in the scriptures of nearly every religion. It is often regarded as the most concise and general principle of ethics. Basically it states that each person should treat others as they would themselves like to be treated. Ask students which principles they live by regarding their treatment of others.
[or Follow-up: Ask students what the following days have in common: Easter, Ramadan, and Passover. As they identify them as holidays [derived from holy days], explain that the day is a holy day because it is special to one of the world’s great religions.]
Classwork: HISD PowerPoint on Religions. Students will take notes today. As students view each slide ask them to record what they see in each example of religious art/architecture, listing terms such as towers[minarets], stained glass, menorah, altars, stone structures, etc. After viewing the entire PowerPoint, discuss the similarities and differences found within the artistic/architectural expressions of each religious culture. Continue working on religion chart from yesterday with information from PowerPoint chart and Do
Now [Warm-Up].
ELPS : Listen, Speaking, Reading, and Writing

Friday
Objective: SS.6.18C Describe ways in which contemporary issues influence creative expressions
Ⓟ SS.6.19A Explain the relationship among religious ideas, philosophical ideas, and cultures
SS.6.19B Explain the significance of religious holidays and observances such as Christmas, Easter, Ramadan, the annual hajj, Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashanah, Diwali, and Vaisakhi in various contemporary societies.
SS.6.22A Use social studies terminology correctly;
Warm-Up : Get a textbook and read the Section 2 information (page 95). Add details to the chart from the previous class. You should then go back and add final details from pages 88-93, if you need to.
Classwork: Students will use the information from the chart to complete a 3 part Venn Diagram to write about the similarities and difference between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
ELPS : Reading and Writing