Topic: The Middle East – the economy, cultural features, armed conflicts

Target group

VIII class of elementary school

Program basis

XIV. Selected problems and geographical regions of Asia. Asia as a continent of geographical contrasts;

10) indicates on the map the place of armed conflicts in the Middle East, identifies their main causes and effects;

11) shows attitudes of curiosity and respect for cultures and religions.

General aim of education

Student will characterize the Middle East and explain the causes of armed conflicts in this area

Key competences

• communication in foreign languages;

• digital competence;

• learning to learn.

Criteria for success
The student will learn:

• indicate countries included in the Middle East;

• define the characteristics of the natural environment of this region;

• discuss the economic importance of the countries of South‑West Asia, including the role of oil - the main energy resource in the region;

• indicate the countries of South‑West Asia in which armed conflicts have occurred or are still going on, give their causes and effects.

Methods/techniques

• expository

  • talk.

• activating

  • discussion.

• exposing

  • exposition.

• programmed

  • with computer;

  • with e‑textbook.

• practical

  • exercices concerned.

Forms of work

• individual activity;

• activity in pairs;

• activity in groups;

• collective activity.

Teaching aids

• e‑textbook;

• interactive whiteboard, tablets/computers;

• geographical atlas.

Lesson plan overview

Before classes

• Students get acquainted with the content of the abstract. They prepare to work on the lesson in such a way to be able to summarize the material read in their own words and solve the tasks themselves.

Introduction

• The teacher gives the topic of classes and informs students about the goals of the lesson.

• The teacher asks students to find information in their source materials, which countries belong to the Middle East.

• On the interactive whiteboard launch the Google Earth application - search for the location of the Middle East countries. Discussion.

Realization

• Students work in pairs. Using the political map displayed on the interactive whiteboard, they orientate the Middle East countries, determine the geographical location. They indicate the largest and the smallest countries..

• The indicated pupil approaches the map, discusses the class forum, indicating the individual geographical elements of the region.

• On the interactive whiteboard, the teacher displays a hypsometric map of South‑West Asia. Students define the natural environment of the Middle East. Characteristic features are recorded on the mental map.

• Using geographical atlases and a textbook, pupils characterize the climate of the Middle East.

• Using geographical atlases, students search for mineral wealth in this area. They indicate countries with the largest mineral deposits.

• Work in groups. Each group is working on the same topic: Causes and effects of armed conflicts in the Middle East. It uses information contained in various sources. The topic develops based on the Metaplan method: 1. How is it? 2. How it should be, 3. Why is not it like it should be? 4. Applications and solutions.

• The teacher displays the map of Israel on the interactive whiteboard - the area of conflicts with the e‑textbook.

• Each group discusses their work on the forum. Discussion.

Summary

• At the summary of the lesson, students perform interactive exercises on the interactive whiteboard.

• The teacher evaluates students within one group drawn. It takes into account the contribution and their possibilities. It also evaluates the work of other students.

Homework

• The teacher asks homework. Create a Quiz containing issues related to the Middle East. Use the Quizziz.com application.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

The Middle East – the economy, cultural features, armed conflicts

In South‑West Asia, or the Middle East, there are 15 sovereign states and Palestine, the status of which is not fully regulated and therefore it is not recognised as a legitimate state; it is merely a non‑member observer state in the United Nations. Two countries in the Middle East lie partially on other continents – Egypt in Africa and Turkey in Europe. Considering the dominant population group in a given country, there are Arabic and non‑Arabic countries. The division of the countries is provided in table number 1.

South‑West Asia is a large region of 6.3 million kmIndeks górny 2² (bigger than half of Europe). It includes: Asia Minor and Arabian Peninsula (which is the world’s largest peninsula) as well the area south of the Caspian Sea and the Turan Depression. The region has clear sea borders. From the north, Asia Minor is surrounded by the Black Sea, from north‑west by the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits and the Sea of Marmara between them, and the Mediterranean Sea from the west. The Arabian Peninsula is surrounded by the waters of the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf cutting deep into the land. The eastern border of the region is a borderline between Iran and Afghanistan (although some studies count Afghanistan as a country within the Middle East). A conventional line which separates Africa from South‑West Asia is the Suez Canal.

The Middle East is a region where armed conflicts have been fought for decades. The longest one was the conflict between Israel and Arabic countries, which started in 1948, when, as a result of United Nations’ decision, Israel was granted 50% of Palestinian territory. Arabic countries did not recognise Israel as a sovereign state and an armed conflict broke out. In addition, also Arabic countries themselves wage local wars between one another.
Table 4presents key armed conflicts in the Middle East. However, it does not present material damage, civilian deaths, refugees, and all the other atrocities of war.