Where is it and What is it Like?

Day 1: Land Between Two Rivers

Earlier in the year, we studied Mesopotamia, the land where Iraq  lies. In this lesson, we will take a look at some of the basic geographic challenges that Iraq has faced geographically and what has been done to overcome such challenges in the land between two rivers (Tigris and the Euphrates).

Procedures

1) Go over some of the major challenges that Iraq faces today geographically.

Challenge one: Very hot summers all year round

Challenge two: little rain

Challenge three: few resources

Challenge four: Mostly parched dry land except for the area between the two rivers. 

2) Go over how these challenges can be overcome or have been overcome.

Map link http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/middle_east/iraq/map.html

Day 2: US Roots of Conflict with Iraq

Material Link: http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/indepth/war-iraq/lesson_helper/pdfs/roots.pdf

1) Go over the timeline. (10 minutes)

2)  Give students 10 minutes to work on the questions. (10 minutes)

3)  Put students into 7 groups of 3-4 people and designate them to one question each. (Think, Pair, Share) (5 minutes)

4)  Give each   group 3 minutes to present their ideas to the class.  (25 minutes)