Peace in the Middle East

Grade Levels: 6 - 8

Introduction

Students will work together to form a portrait of the history of the Middle East and how specific people, places, events, and groups affect the search for peace in the region.

Suggested Time Allowance

Three one-hour long class periods

Objectives

Students will gain an overview of the history of the Middle East and various issues involved in establishing peace in the region.

Materials

• Website: http://www.infoplease.com/atlas/country/jordan.html (print out map for Jordan)
• Website: http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107670.html
• Almanac
• Worksheet: Middle East Primer
  
  

Procedure

1. As a class, read The Path to Peace Runs Through a History of Tumult (http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2001/mideast/stories/overview/). Discuss the article and identify questions students have about the article or the situation.

2. Break the class into four groups: People, Places, Events, and Groups & Isms. Give all students a copy of the Middle East Primer worksheet. The groups’ tasks are to identify the items on their assigned list, creating a brief (2-5 sentences) description of each one that explains the item’s relation to the situation in the Middle East. They should also find an interesting and informative way to share the information with their classmates. Group members must decide how to divide the work.

3. Have each group present their findings to their classmates in whatever format they’ve chosen. Allow for a "question & answer" period.

Assessment

• Class members, group participants, and the teacher should complete the Middle East Primer Assessment for each of the four presentations.
• Use the group presentations to create a class quiz about the information. Allow students to use each other’s materials for the quiz.
• Middle East Primer Answer Key

Standards Correlation

Standards at McRel: http://www.mcrel.org/standards-benchmarks/

• Understands how the Balfour Declaration affected British policy toward Palestine and the political goals of the Arab League and the Zionist Movement, and how the White Paper Reports affected Jewish and Arab inhabitants of Palestine
• Identifies and uses the strengths of others
• Evaluates the overall progress of a group toward a goal