7th Grade UBD - Unit 3 - Middle East

Work alone to complete
a list of facts you know
about Southwest Asia.
You should come up with
a list of at least five
things.
(4 minutes)

Work with a
neighbor and
compare your
answer with theirs.
What things are
the same and what
things are
different? (3
minutes)

An economy is not just
money, it's about
businesses and how
they work. It’s
lemonade stands and
how many dollars they
take in. It’s taxes and
salaries.

Oil is important to many countries in Southwest
Asia. Nations without this resource have different
industries.

Water and mineral resources are scarce, although
several nations contain oil.

Middle Eastern nations have had to overcome many
obstacles to economic progress.

Parts of the Fertile Crescent have rich
soil.

Syria has rich soil thanks to the
Euphrates River and can produce large
amounts of crops such as grains,
fruits, and vegetables.

Syria and Israel have increased food
production by irrigating desert areas.

Israel exports goods such as
fruit and vegetables.

Many crops, such as grapes,
olives and figs thrive along the
Black Sea.

However, much of the land in
Southwest Asia is not suitable
for farming due to the harsh dry
conditions.

Irrigation allows a little more land
to be used.

Most herders and farmers struggle
to earn a living in a harsh and dry
climate.

Irrigation makes farming
expensive. Still, the government
wants to increase food output.

Water wells have also been drilled.
Video- Differences Between Water & Oil Supply

The Fertile Crescent lacks
many useful mineral
resources, but has great land
for agriculture.

Syria and Iraq are fortunate
to have oil reserves.

Iran's landscape is dotted
with oil fields and pipelines.
Key Terms
Organization of the
Petroleum Exporting
Countries– Also
known as OPEC, is an
intergovernmental
organization
dedicated to stability
and the shared
control of petroleum.

OPEC consists of twelve
countries who sell oil on the
world market.

Because the members of
OPEC control most of the
world's oil supply, they are
also able to set oil prices.

For the developing nations of
OPEC, controlling the price of oil is
important.

These countries are primarily
exporters and do not consume
much oil.

Industrialized countries like the
United States depend on foreign oil
to fuel cars and run their
economies.

Member countries of
OPEC are in Africa,
Southeast Asia, and
South America;
however, the Middle
Eastern countries have
the largest oil reserves.

An embargo is an agreement
among suppliers to cut off
access to particular buyers.

OPEC refused to sell oil to
countries that supported Israel.

OPEC raised the price of oil,
which had been extremely low,
and refused to bargain.

OPEC doubled the price
of oil and caused
massive energy
shortages and economic
distress, the embargo
became a turning point
for many countries.

OPEC proved that it could control
the world oil market.

Western countries realized that
they could no longer rely on cheap,
readily accessible energy.

As a result, countries began
devising plans to drive more fuelefficient cars and to avoid the
economic dangers of foreign oil
dependency.

Today, oil is more expensive
than during the oil crisis of
the 1970s.

Instability in Southwest Asia
has increased demand
worldwide, and shrinking
world resources are some
reasons for record level
prices.

Middle Eastern countries
are building modern
economies.

They have worked to
improve agriculture,
increase food production,
set up industries, and end
foreign influences.

Economic progress is slow.
Many countries lack good
farmland, water, and technical
know-how.

Diseases and drought constantly
threaten crops.

War has also slowed down
development.

Despite such problems, Middle
Eastern countries have made
gains.
Key Terms
Mixed
Economies- An
economy in which
some industries
are privately
owned and others
are publicly owned
or nationalized.

Israel has developed both
agriculture and industry.

Israel benefits from an
educated workforce.

It has a strong electronics
industry and diamondcutting industry.

They want to develop the
economy but preserve their
traditional culture.

They are using oil money to
diversify.

The Saudi government has
supported the development of
natural gas and small private
factories that produce steel,
cement, and chemicals.
Key Terms
Fossil Water- Water
collected millions of
years ago in
underground pools.
Modern technology
has enabled this
water to be tapped
and distributed to
remote areas.
Video- 300 Years of Fossil Fuels in 300 Seconds

Create a timeline of gasoline prices from 1973
till today.

What has been the
“muddiest” point so far in
this lesson? That is, what
topic remains the least
clear to you? (4 minutes)

Work with a
neighbor and
compare your
muddiest point with
theirs. Compare
what things are the
same and what
things are different?
(3 minutes)