Content:

Southwest and Central Asia Unit 6

Major Concepts: World Geography

The physical and political geography of Southwest and Central Asia and embed five major concepts: location, place, human interaction with the environment, movement and regions.
  • Introducing the Region: Physical and Human Geography
  • Oil in Southwest Asia: How “Black Gold” has Shaped a Region
/ Standards:
WA1 On a map of the world, locate Western Asia, or the Middle East. On a map of the Middle East, locate the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Caspian Sea, Red Sea, Indian Ocean, Arabian Peninsula, and the Persian Gulf.
WA2 Use a map key to locate countries and major cities in the Middle East.
WA3Explain how the following five factors have influenced settlement and the economies of major Middle Eastern countries.
  • Absolute and relative location
  • Climate
  • Major physical characteristics
  • Major natural resources
  • Population size
EC12 Define supply and demand and describe how changes in supply and demand affect prices of specific products.
EC15 Compare the standard of living in various countries today using gross domestic product per capita as an indicator.
Key Questions:
  • How might having a valuable resource affect a region?
/ Skills and Outcomes: When students have finished studying this topic, they will know and be able to:

  • Identify major physical features, countries/cities outlined in the Learning Standards.
  • Define and explain key geoterms.
  • Explain how oil is formed and distributed in Southwest Asia.
  • Investigate the effects of these large oil reserves on Southwest Asian countries.
  • Investigate the role of geography in the development of primate cities.
Lesson 24
  • Mapping Lab:Label political and physical boundaries. Use Student Interactive Notebook pg.172-173.
  • Transparency 24A. I See/It Means. How might having a lot of oil affect Southwest Asia?
  • Content/Response Notes on reading
  • Response Group Activity: Students are in mixed ability groups analyzing data on oil countries of Southwest Asia. Students will work in their groups on critical thinking questions. Groups will share answers with the class. Use Reading Notes 24 in the Student Interactive Notebook to record group responses.
/ Formative/Summative Assessments: Students will complete the following products/other assessments to demonstrate the skills and understandings they have acquired.
Lesson 24
  • Map Quiz-political and physical boundaries of Southwest and Central Asia.
  • Processing 24 Activity: Content/Response Notes
  • Mastering the Content Quiz-Assessment 24-GA2 Pg.553.
  • Descriptive Writing Assignment: Exploring the Essential Question. How might having a valuable natural resource affect a region? Studentswill write a story book for young readers describing how oil is formed andit’s many uses. (Teacher could arrange for students to read their storybooks to younger readers in grades 1 or 2.)
Technology:
  • Students will create a slide show explaining how oil waas formed. Slide.com