Room 755

Water Issues of the Middle East

We have seen how PARASITES can pollute water sources - and Africa is our example.

Now we will look at another way that water can become scarce (not enough of something) for the people of an area.

In the Middle East, one way that fresh water is made scarce is through the building of dams, especially along the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.

The first video is by a tourist.  She does a good job of explaining the history of the village of Hasankeyf, Turkey.

 

 

In this next video you will see and hear of the controversy over the government of Turkey building a dam because some see the flowing of the water as a waste.

Others think that building the dam, and restricting the flow of the water, is a way to force the Kurd people from their land.

 

Do you think that thousands of years of history, and a village should be saved, or do you think that the collection of water is more important? 

Many of the Kurd (ethnic group) believe this is about forcing them to leave the area they have called home for hundreds of years.  If this is true, what do you think should be done for this ethnic group, since they are being forced to leave their homes?

 

In response to the people being forced to move, the government has offered money to the families who are being forced to leave the village of Hasankeyf.

 

Is $150,000 a fair trade for making them move?  Is it too much?  Is this the right thing to do?  What could be done differently?

 

Now, look carefully at the map below.

 

Every time a dam is built, the people on one side of the dam are able to have more water than they were able to have.  The dams create a lake that collects and keeps the water that would have flow away - going downstream.

QUESTIONS:

How is it good for the people who will live near the lake once a dam is built?

How could it be bad for the people who live downstream of the location of the dams that are built?

How does the building of a dam make water scarce for some people?

What is the cause of the water scarcity in the Middle East, along the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers?

 

Stepping Into the Environment

We have identified where locations are on the planet.

We have identified some of the features you can find when you visit these locations.

We have identified some of the people (ethnic and religious groups) you might encounter when you are there.

Now we begin to look at some of the environmental issues facing the people in the regions we study.

This is never an easy section of study, but it is most necessary for us to understand. It is the future of our world, and the people in it.

We will look at the INTERACTION between the humans and the places where they live.  How do the people adapt to the environment, and how do the people change the environment?  These are two questions that will cause us the most reflection this year.

To get started we will watch a few videos that demonstrate the SCARCITY of fresh water for the people around the world.

 

Example of Biological Pollution:

Guinea Worm

 

Elephantiosis

 

 

Moving Into Human Connections

Ethnic & Religious Groups

As we begin identifying basic information about major religions in the world, we will begin with several things that each religion have in common.  Among those commonalities is taking care of people.  We are about to make the biggest transition of the year.  Get ready.

 

Nickelback - If Everyone Cared

 

Sarah McLachlin - World on Fire

 

Brett Dennen - Ain't No Reason

Coming Up This Week: Catching Up, Digging Deeper, Creating Solutionaries

image: http://humaneconnectionblog.blogspot.com

 

This week (at least for 3 days) will be a time for us to review everything we have looked at so far.  This will include:

1. All of the countries (you must know the locations without error).
2. All of the features (we need more time on this, so focus and let's get this done)
3. Ethnic Groups of Africa & the Middle East (understanding the contributions and differences).

Each student will need to have their personal Text Book (Composition Book) up to date.  All notes, lists, and stories should be complete by Wednesday.

For some students, you have everything up-to-date.  You will have an opportunity to dig deeper into some issues that are happening in the areas of the world we are studying.

For most students, you are nearly ready to move forward.  This week will give you the opportunity to complete all of the things we have done so far.

For a few students, you have missed some days of class.  This week will provide you with time to get the help you need to fill in the gaps from the days you missed.

Students will be helping each other, I will be helping small groups, and hopefully by Thursday, we will be ready to move into studying about the Major Religions of the World

Once everyone knows where we are going, what we will see when we get there, who lives there and why, we can then concentrate on the problems, issues, and challenges that face all of us - so we can begin preparing ways to solve the problems of our world.

Getting ready to build Solutionaries in class.

Moving on to People - The Meat of Social Studies Class

We have looked at the countries we have to know - Where is it?

We have looked at the features we have to know - What is there in the countries we have to know?

We know get ready to move into the people who live in these places.

Here are the big questions:

1. When we get to these countries and see the sites that are there, WHO will we meet? 
   1. What are the people like? What do they do there? Why are they there?
2. What ethnic groups are there?
   1. Are there any cultural things we should know about? What are their traditions? What are their customs?  What do they believe about living life?
3. What religious groups are there?
   1. What do they believe about life after death? How do they worship? What do they worship? What days are sacred to them?
4. What do the people who live in these areas do?
   1. What is the work they do? How do they do the work they do? What kind of training did they have to get to do the work they do?

These are really big questions, with no easy answers.  But we will try to understand the people of the regions we study this year.

In Africa we will look at 4 ethnic groups:

1. Arab
2. Ashanti
3. Bantu
4. Swahili

In the Middle East we will look at 3 ethnic groups:

1. Arab (the same people group as in Africa)
2. Kurdish
3. Persians
4. [we will also look at the Jewish people in order to understand the conflicts of the Middle East]

The Religions we will study:

Those which started in the Middle East:

• Christianity
• Islam
• Judaism

Those which started in Asia:

• Buddhism
• Hinduism
• Shinto
• Confucianism (a philosophy instead of religion)

We have lots of work to do in the next few days.  We should be able to have a beginning understanding of these by the end of September.

We will continue to master the maps: countries and features.

Homework: Moving To Dalton

Where we've been: We know the locations of the countries we are studying this year.
We know what we can find when we get to those countries in the form of land and water features. We will continue to review these places throughout the year.

Where we're going: The next pieces of this year's story is 1) Who lives in these places? 2) what do they do there? 3) why do they live there and do the things they do?

We discussed the concept of MOVEMENT (except for 2nd period) today. Your HOMEWORK was to talk with your parent(s) about why your family moved to Dalton. We discussed that there are three bog reasons why people move:

1) Natural disasters that take away the land and homes of people, forcing them to move.

2) Better opportunities for jobs, money, better life, better standard of living, education, etc.

3) No choice in the matter of moving as is the case with slavery, children moving with their parents, deportation, governments taking land from people, etc.

We are about to move into discussions of ethnic groups and religious groups in the places we have identified in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. The cultures, customs, and beliefs of different people groups have often led to change, which has led to many conflicts. We will see if we can identify patterns of behaviors among people groups that might give us clues about societies and there abilities to get along together.

Six Maps: The Countries & Features We Must Know This Year

 

Videos With Lyrics - All 6 Songs in 1 Place

Africa Countries

Egypt - Sudan - Kenya - South Africa - Nigeria - Democratic Republic of the Congo

 

(Sing to the tune of Happy Birthday)

Egypt, Sudan, Kenya,

South Africa, Nigeria,

Democratic RePUBlic of the Congo

Are all countries in Africa.

_________________________________________________________________

Middle East Countries

Turkey - Israel - Saudi Arabia - Iraq - Iran - Afghanistan

 

(Sing to the tune of Pop Goes the Weasel - it plays through twice)

There's Turkey and Israel,

Saudi Arabia,

Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan,

Middle Eastern Countries

_________________________________________________________________

Asia Countries

Japan - China - Vietnam - Indonesia - India - North Korea - South Korea

 

(Sing to the tune of The ABC song)

Japan, China, Vietnam,

Indonesia, India.

North and South Korea

These are countries in Asia.

Now I know all these countries,

Next time you must sing with me.

_________________________________________________________________

Africa Features

Nile River - Niger River - Congo River - Lake Victoria - Lake Tanganyika

Sahara Desert - Sahel - Savanna - Tropical Rain Forest - Kalahari Desert - Atlas Mountains

 

(Sing to the tune of La Cucaracha)

The Nile River

The Niger River

Don't forget the Congo too.

Lake Victoria and Tanganyika

Is the water there for you.

 

The Atlas Mountains

Sahara Desert

The Sahel, Savannah too.

Tropical Rain For'st, the Kalahari

Are all waiting there for you.

_________________________________________________________________

Middle East Features

Jordan River - Euphrates River - Tigris River

Persian Gulf - Strait of Hormuz - Arabian Sea - Red Sea - Suez Canal

Gaza Strip

 

(Sing to the tune of the Mexican Hat Dance - just the first stanza)

There's the Jordan, Euphrates, and Tigris,

The Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz;

Arabian Sea and the Red Sea,

Suez Canal, Gaza Strip.

_________________________________________________________________

Asia Features

Yellow River - Yangtze River - Mekong River - Ganges River - Indus River

Indian Ocean - Bay of Bengal - South China Sea - Yellow Sea - Sea of Japan

Himalayan Mountains - Taklimakan Desert - Gobi Desert - Korean Peninsula

 

(Sing to the tune of La Cucaracha)

The Yellow River, the Yangtze River,

don't forget the Mekong too.

The Ganges River, the Indus River,

are the rivers here for you.

 

Indian Ocean, the Bay of Bengal

And here is the South China Sea,

The Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japan

Are all waiting there for me.

 

The Himalayas are the mountains

A desert called Taklimakan

The Gobi desert, what's with Korea

Their land is a peninsula.

_________________________________________________________________

Middle East Features

 

Here are the lyrics:

(Sing to the tune of the Mexican Hat Dance - just the first stanza)

There's the Jordan, Euphrates, and Tigris,

The Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz;

Arabian Sea and the Red Sea,

Suez Canal, Gaza Strip.

Africa Features (Water and Land)

Now it begins to be work.  Land and Water Features take concentration and determination - ganas - to learn them and be the knowledgeable social studies student.

There are 11 features in Africa we must know this year.

We can't forget the countries!  The features are in addition to the countries. 

You can do it!