Section Section Opener AN OVERVIEW OF THE MIDDLE EAST a Introduction In this section students learn about the history, culture, and major religions of the Middle Bast, First, in a Writing for Understanding activity, students view and identify various elements of culture in eight slide images of the modern Middle East. Then, they write a postcard about the cultural similarities and differences that were depicted in the images. Next, in a Social Studies Skill Builder activity, students create spoke diagrams depicting key aspects of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. Then, in groups of three, they create a Venn diagram showing similarities and differences among the three religions, Finally, students match descriptions of eight key historical periods with corresponding maps and dates to construct a timeline of Middle Eastern history in a Social Studies Skill Builder activity. Objectives Students will be able to * identify various elements of culture in images of the Middle East; + explain the similarities and differences between Christianity, Islam, and Judaism; + describe eight key periods in Middle Easter history. Student Reading * In World History: Patterns of Civilization (Prentice-Hall), students should read Chapter 3: The Ancient Middle East, Section 2 in Chapter 8: ‘The Roman Heritage, Sections 3 and 4 in Chapter 13: Byzantine and Islamic Civilizations, and Section 1 in Chapter 36: The Middle East. * In History of the World (Houghton Mifflin), students should read Chapter 2: The First Civilizations, Section 2 in Chapter 6: The Legacy of Rome, and Chapter 10: The World of Islam. Materials In addition to the slides and student handouts (which you will copy for the students) provided in this section, you will need a stide projector, an overhead projector, a cassette player, highlighters, scissors, and tape.Impressions of the Middle East Writing for Understanding Overview This Writing for Understanding activity introduces students to cultural similarities and differences in the Middle East. Working in pairs, students view cight slides, each of which portrays a scene of the contemporary Middle East, such as a market in Jerusalem, a magazine stand in Syria, and a mosque in Iran, For each slide, students identify elements of culture they see—such as Arabic writing, geometric designs, and Islamic clothing—and label these elements on the corresponding drawing of the slide on their handout. Afterward, students identify cultural elements they recorded for at least three slides. Finally, pairs write and illustrate a posteatd summarizing their initial impressions of cultural similarities and ifferences in the Middle East. Procedures at a Glance Before class, divide your students into mixed-ability pairs, Tell them they will leam about cultural similarities and differences in the Middle East. Project Slide 1.1, and introduce students to the map of the Middle East, Then, pass out Student Handout 1.14 to each student, and project Slide 1.1. Allow paits approximately two minutes to examine the slide, identify cultural elements they see, and label the drawing on their handout, Then, project Slide 1.1C, review with students the cultural elements depicted in the slide, and use the ‘Teacher’s Guide to Slides to give them more information about the image. Have students complete their handout for Slides 1.1 through 1.1J. After pairs have viewed all the slides, have them identify cultural elements they recorded that. appear in at least three slides. Finally, project Overhead ‘Transparency 1.1B, review the guidelines for writing and illustrating a postcard summarizing their impressions of the cultural similarities and differences in the Middle East, and have students write their postcards, WH-10-6, Activity 11, Page 1a Procedures in Detail 1, This activity is designed to introduce students to cultural similarities and differences in the Middle East by briefly acquainting them with some of the peoples and environments of the region. It is not intended to be an in-depth study but rather to provide an overview of Middle Eastern cultures through images selected based on their representation of various cultural elements. 2. Before class, divide your students into mixed-ability pairs. Prepare an overhead transparency that shows students who their partners are and how to arrange their desks. Project the transparency, and ask students to move into their correct places. 3. Tell students they will learn about cultural similarities and differences in the contemporary Middle East by viewing slides that portray scenes of the region. Introduce students to the Middle East by projecting Slide 1.1A, which shows a map of the Middle East. Have students examine the slide carefully and respond to these: What do you see in the slide? What continent lies to the southwest? ‘To the northwest? To the east? What might this region be called? Why? Tell students that the stars on the map represent the locations of the slide images they will see, El Idea for Student Response: On the left side of their notebooks, have students list elements —objects, clothes, shapes, practices, people—of American culture. For example, they might list television, blue jeans, stars and stripes, playing sports, and diverse types of people. Afterward, allow several students to share their responses. Tell students that in this activity they will look for cultural elements in slides of the contemporary Middle Eas 4, Pass out Student Handout 1.1A: Labeling Cultural Blements of the Middle Bast to each student. Tell students they will see eight slides, each of which depicts several cultural elements of the contemporary Middle East, Explain that for cach slide they will identify cultural elements they see—such as Arabic writing, geometric designs, and Islamic clothing—and label these elements on the corresponding drawing of the slide on their handout. Tell students that afterward they will write and illustrate a postcard summarizing their initial impressions of cultural similarities and differences in the Middle East. 5. Tell students you will model this process by completing the first slide with them. Project Slide 1.1B, which shows two Muslim girls in a magazine stand in Syria, Allow pairs approximately two minutes to examine the slide. Have them discuss this question: What cultural elements do you see in this slide? Then, have pairs record their answer by labeling on the corresponding drawing on Student Handout 1.1A as many cultural WH10.6, Atty L., Pago?