1. Do Now Binder clean out Take out everything, BUT
STAND UP!!! NEW SEATS!!!
Binder clean out
Take out everything, BUT
Do Now section
Homework section
WHIL
Notebook Check
Quizlet instructions

2. Today we start the Fertile Crescent
Is a region in Western Asia.
The region is often considered the cradle of civilization.
It saw the development of many of the earliest human civilizations, and is the birthplace of writing and the wheel.

3. Crescent!

4. Activities for Today Directions: Use page 29. Label the following:
Label the following:
Tigris River ___
Euphrates River ___
Syrian Desert ___
Zagros Mountains ___
Taurus Mountains ___
Egypt ___
Pick a light colored pencil, shade:
Fertile Crescent
Create symbols for these geographic features in color and put them on the map:
 mountains = ______
 desert = ______
 river = ______
Activities for Today
With your group, analyze the map and respond to the questions on the back.

5. Review
Question #1: What kinds of geographic features do you notice in Mesopotamia?
Rivers, sea, gulf, lakes, etc.
Question #2: What does the color green represent?
The Fertile Crescent
Question #3 : Which two rivers run through the Fertile Crescent?
Euphrates and Tigris Rivers

6. Question #4: Look at the physical features of the region shown on the maps. How do the physical features of Mesopotamia compare with those of the areas surrounding it?
Lot more water compared to deserts; flatter land compared to mountains.
Question #5: Predict how you think the physical features of the Fertile Crescent will shape the civilization there.
Good farming, lots of cities

7. Closure
Here are the “answers” write the questions.

8. Do Now Open to page 30. Copy the definition for Fertile Crescent.
Using the vocab sheet:
Open to page 30.
Copy the definition for Fertile Crescent.
In your DO NOW section:
Predict one way rivers will affect life in Mesopotamia.
BONUS: What was yesterday?

9. Fertile Crescent
a region in Southwest Asia; site of the first civilizations

10. Sumer Region in southern Mesopotamia
Place where the first city-states began

11. Short video on Geography
1. The early humans in Mesopotamia were the first to figure out what important skill?
2. Mesopotamia means “land between the _____________________.”
3. It is easy to grow food in this area because the soil is __________________________
4. What was a big problem (with the rivers) in Mesopotamia?
5. How did the Mesopotamians solve this problem?
6. How are the rivers formed?

12. Short video on Geography
1. The early humans in Mesopotamia were the first to figure out what important skill?
Farming
2. Mesopotamia means “land between the rivers.”
3. It is easy to grow food in this area because the soil is fertile (rich).
4. What was a big problem (with the rivers) in Mesopotamia?
Flooded without warning and destroyed crops
5. How did the Mesopotamians solve this problem?
They built levees- walls that protected flood waters from reaching the farmlands.

13. How the Euphrates & Tigris are Rivers of life and death!
With your groups, read page 31 and 32.
Fill in details about how rivers were both full of life and death on the graphic organizer
Then, draw detailed pictures showing how they were both rivers of life and death.
 Reeds

14. The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
How were they like rivers of life?
Floods left good top soil
Good for farming
Fish
Clay for building
Tall, strong reeds to make boats
How were they like rivers of death?
Unexpected floods swept away people, animals, crops, and houses

15. 4 corners
It was worth it for people to live next to the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.

16. Closure
Who?
Did What?
To Whom?
Where?
When?
Why?
And How?