CULTURAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN: POPULATION AND CULTURE

Essential Questions: How has physical geography affected where people have settled in North Africa, Southwest and Central Asia? Learning Target: IWBAT explain how the Eastern Mediterranean’s culture is unique. Formative Assessment(s): What are three aspects of Eastern Mediterranean culture?

BELLWORK Write down anything you know about Eastern Mediterranean culture. Reminder, aspects of culture include: Social organization, Customs and traditions, Languages, Arts and literature, Religion, Forms of government, Economic systems, Food and clothing, Music and dance

MOSQUE FUN FACTS Most mosques in the world are equipped with a tall thin tower. It is called a minaret. When the five ritual times of the day come, the muezzin will stand at the top of the minaret to call the Muslims. Men and women have separate areas in the mosques. Istanbul’s Blue Mosque is very famous in the world. It was called as a blue mosque because the inside area is decorated with striking blue tiles. However, the exterior does not have any blue color. Mosques always face Mecca, no matter what direction that is.

CLASSWORK TOGETHER, read about Population Patterns on page What group makes up the majority of people in Israel? 2.How many wars have the Jews and Arabs fought? 3.What three countries have Palestinians been displaced to? 4.What are three of the biggest cities in the region and what countries are they in? 5.How many different countries have people immigrated to Israel from?

CLASSWORK TOGETHER, read about History and Government on pages What is one of the oldest continually occupied cities in the world? 2.What three religions began in Eastern Mediterranean? 3.Who was Muhammad and what city is he from? 4.What countries gained independence from European countries in the early 1940s? 5.How was Palestine divided by the UN in 1947? 6.Why are Israel and Palestine still fighting?

RAMADAN FUN FACTS Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam Ramadan occurs on the 9th month of the Islamic Lunar Calendar. This is the month that the Angel Gabriel reportedly came to the prophet Muhammad to reveal the Koran. Ramadan was based on a pagan festival that celebrated the “Moon God” lasting from moon rise to moon set. It was adapted to later be sunrise to sunset by Muhammad. 4. Every person is expected to abstain from food and liquid, as well as anything deemed sinful from sunrise until sunset during the month of Ramadan.

CLASSWORK TOGETHER, read about Culture on page What is the main branch of Islam practiced in the Eastern Mediterranean? 2.How is Ramadan celebrated? 3.What is the main language in this region? 4.What two topics did Muslim scholars write about?

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT What are three aspects of specifically Eastern Mediterranean culture? Reminder, aspects of culture include: Social organization, Customs and traditions, Languages, Arts and literature, Religion, Forms of government, Economic systems, Food and clothing, Music and dance