Discovering the Middle East

Discovering the Middle East

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to describe the population, culture, and tension within the Middle East.

Begin the presentation with a clear objective to set expectations.

What do you already know about the Middle East?

Where is the Middle East?

The Middle East is a region located in Southwest Asia and North Africa.

Show a map of the region and ask students to identify the countries within the Middle East.

Population

The Middle East has a population of over 400 million people with diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds.

Ask students to name some of the ethnic and religious groups found in the Middle East.

Culture

The Middle East has a rich cultural heritage, including traditional music, dance, and art.

Play a short clip of traditional music and ask students to identify the instruments used.

Language

Arabic is the most widely spoken language in the Middle East, with over 300 million speakers.

Ask students to identify other languages spoken in the Middle East.

Religion

The Middle East is home to three major religions: Islam, Judaism, and Christianity.

Ask students to identify the holy book for each religion.

Islam

Islam is the dominant religion in the Middle East, with over 90% of the population practicing Islam.

Ask students to name the five pillars of Islam.

Judaism

Judaism is one of the oldest monotheistic religions and is practiced by a small percentage of the population.

Ask students to name the holiest city in Judaism and its significance.

Christianity

Christianity is practiced by both Arab and non-Arab populations in the Middle East.

Ask students to name the country in which Jesus was born.

Tension

The Middle East is known for its political and religious tensions, including conflicts between Israel and Palestine, and Sunni and Shia Muslims.

Ask students to identify other conflicts within the region and their causes.

Oil

The Middle East is home to some of the world's largest oil reserves.

Ask students to identify the countries with the largest oil reserves in the Middle East.

Food

Middle Eastern cuisine is known for its use of spices, herbs, and fresh ingredients, such as hummus, falafel, and tabbouleh.

Bring some Middle Eastern food for students to try.

Fashion

Traditional Middle Eastern clothing includes the abaya, hijab, and thobe.

Show pictures of traditional Middle Eastern clothing and ask students to identify them.

Art

Middle Eastern art includes calligraphy, geometric patterns, and Islamic art.

Show examples of Middle Eastern art and ask students to identify the characteristics.

Sports

Soccer is the most popular sport in the Middle East, with other popular sports including basketball, volleyball, and cricket.

Ask students to name some of the top soccer teams in the Middle East.

Review

Let's review what we learned about the Middle East today.

Ask students to answer questions about the topics covered in the presentation.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.