The Middle East
Georgia Performance Standards
SS7G5a-b
Bellringer-Name your countries 1-6
2
5
4
1
6
3
Enduring Understanding
LOCATION
Students will understand that location
affects a society’s economy, culture,
and development.
Georgia Performance Standards
SS7G5 The student will locate selected
features in Southwestern Asia (Middle
East).
a. Locate on a world and regional
political-physical map: Euphrates
River, Jordan River, Tigris River,
Suez Canal, Persian Gulf, Strait of
Hormuz, Arabian Sea, Red Sea, and
Gaza Strip.
Physical Features
Jordan River
Red Sea
Suez Canal
Tigris River
Euphrates River
Persian Gulf
Strait of Hormuz
Arabian Sea
Gaza Strip
Stuff to remember
Middle East Rivers and Seas
Strait
Of
Hormuz
Jordan River
• Jordan River: Found on the border of Israel
and Jordan. It flows from the Sea of Galilee
to the Dead Sea and is only 20 feet wide
and 17 feet deep in some parts. It is an
important source of water for Israel, Jordan,
and Syria. Many wars have been fought
over this river.
Pretty cool stuff - the Dead Sea
A large body of water called the
Dead Sea is one of the saltiest
bodies of water on Earth
Salt and other minerals have
collected in it because it has
no rivers running through it to
make the water fresh
The Dead Sea is more than a
thousand feet below sea level.
Nothing but bacteria lives here.
Everything floats!!
Red Sea and Suez Canal
• Red Sea: Found between Saudi Arabia
and Egypt.
• Suez Canal: Found in Egypt and is a manmade canal that connects the Red Sea
and Mediterranean Sea
Suez Canal cuts the
trip in half!!
Suez Canal shown here in
yellow
Suez Canal from Space
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
• They are like twins, starting in the mountains of
Turkey and running parallel to each other in
some places
• Tigris flows through Turkey to Iraq into the
Euphrates River, then into the Persian Gulf
• Euphrates is the longer of the 2 rivers and
flows from Turkey, through Syria (the Tigris
does not) into Iraq, then into the Persian Gulf.
**Going left to right, Euphrates comes first.**
Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz
and the Arabian Sea
• Persian Gulf: borders Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia,
and Kuwait. It holds some of the most important
oil fields in the world.
• Strait of Hormuz: narrow waterway that
connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea.
• Arabian Sea: Body of water found between
Saudi Arabia and India.
** In order, remember PSA**
Why would Pirates want to hang
out around the Strait of Hormuz???
Gaza Strip
Found in Israel and is very small (only about 25 miles
long and 4-7 miles wide -146 square miles total) and is
bordered by Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea. 1.4 million
Palestinian Arab inhabitants live here. Disputes over this
territory continue between Israel and the surrounding
countries.
Gaza
Golan Heights
Golan Heights
• Syria and Israel still contest the ownership
of the Heights but have not used open
military force since 1974. The great
strategic value of the Heights both
militarily and as a source of water means
that a deal is uncertain. Most countries
consider the Golan Heights to be Syrian
territory that is occupied by the Israeli
military.
Golan Heights
Golan Heights
West Bank
Why do they fight over this
area?
RELIGION!!!
Jews call this area "Judea and Samaria", but
this is also holy land for Muslims. Since
1967 most of the West Bank has been
under Israeli military occupation.
Most of the residents are Arabs, although a
large number of Israeli settlements have
been built in the region since 1967
Questions-were you paying attention???
1.Much of the world’s oil supply is shipped through his
narrow waterway.
2.This river is the key water source for Israel,
Lebanon, and Syria.
3.This small territory has been a source of dispute
between Israel and its neighbors for many years.
4.A body of water between Africa and Asia.
Questions-were you paying attention???
5.Man-made structure that connects the
Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea.
6.Two rivers that were the birthplace of ancient
civilizations and provide valuable water to the
Middle East today. (tell me which is longer)
7.Massive reserves of oil are found here.
Closing Activity
Color maps
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