1. Presentation, Graphic Organizers, & Activities
Southwest Asia’s
ETHNIC
GROUPS
ETHNIC
GROUPS
Presentation, Graphic Organizers, & Activities

2. STANDARDS:
SS7G8 The student will describe the diverse cultures of the people who live in Southwest Asia (Middle East).
a. Explain the differences between an ethnic group and a religious group.
b. Explain the diversity of religions within the Arabs, Persians, and Kurds.
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3. Ethnic Groups CLOZE Notes 1
Ancestry
Location
ARABS
Religious Group
Ethnic Group
Arabs make up the ____________________ who live throughout the Middle East.
Arabs of Southwest Asia believe themselves to be descendants of Abraham through his ____________________ .
Arabs also live in the United States, Canada, parts of ____________________ , and Europe.
The majority of people in the Middle East are ____________________ .
Three major religious groups in the Middle East are Jews, ____________________ , and Christians.
People from different ethnic groups may share the same religion; however, they may be from ____________________ .
Religious groups have many things in common:
They believe in the ____________________ (or gods) and have a common sacred text with a specific set of rules about ____________________ .
A religious group is identified based on common religious beliefs and ____________________ .
Three ____________________ in the Middle East are the Arabs, Persians, and Kurds.
All of these things make up a ____________________ that is shared by the members of the ethnic group.
These characteristics have been part of their community for ____________________ .
Ethnic groups can have many ____________________ :
They are identified on the basis of religion, ____________________ , or national origin.
This is a group of people who share a ____________________ .
God(s), prophets, ____________________ , history, ____________________ , religious laws, holy days, etc.
Shared history, common ____________________ , language, religion, ____________________ , beliefs, holidays, food, etc.
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Ethnic Groups CLOZE Notes 1

4. Ethnic Groups CLOZE Notes 2
Ancestry
Location
PERSIANS
Language
Religion
It is one of the ____________________ that is still spoken today!
Persians speak a language called ____________________ (or Persian).
Persian women have ____________________ as a result of strict cultural and religious practices.
Most Persians in Iran practice ____________________ , but some are Sunni and other religions.
The Persians’ ancestors were Indo-Europeans who migrated from central Europe and Southern Russia and formed a ____________________ .
The Persians lived in Iran before the ____________________ in the 7th century.
Some Persians can also be found living in ____________________ , Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and the Xinjiang province of China.
The country of Persia became known as Iran in ____________________ .
Most Persians ____________________ and make up about half of Iran’s current population.
Most Arabs, whether they are Muslim or Christian, speak ____________________ .
Shi’a Islam is dominant among the Arab population in ____________________ , Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, northern Syria, & northern Yemen.
Sunni Islam dominates in most Arab areas, especially in ____________________ .
Sunnis and Shi’a disagree about ____________________ of the Muslim world.
The majority of Muslims practice ____________________ , and most others practice Shi’a Islam.
Islam consists mostly of ____________________ .
Not all Arabs are Muslims, and ____________________ are Arabs.
Most Arabs practice ____________________ , while small numbers of Arabs practice other religions.
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Ethnic Groups CLOZE Notes 2

5. Ethnic Groups CLOZE Notes 3
Language
Religion
Ancestry
KURDS Location
There are ____________________ of Kurdish spoken throughout Southwest Asia.
____________________ is an Indo-European language related to Farsi (Persian) and other Iranian languages.
For example, there are ____________________ for how Kurdish women should dress than there are for Iranian and Arab women.
Kurdish Muslims tend to be ____________________ about certain Islamic practices.
Like the Arabs, the Kurds are overwhelmingly Muslim, and the great ____________________ ; only 5% are Shi’a.
In fact, Kurds share many aspects of their ____________________ .
Kurds of Southwest Asia believe themselves to be descendants of the ____________________ , an ancient Iranian people.
This has caused conflict with the countries in which Kurdish people live, and Iraq and Turkey have both ____________________ and their traditions.
There is a strong ____________________ among the Kurds for their own nation.
The Kurds are the largest ethnic group in the world ____________________ of their own.
Many Kurds live in an area of northern Iraq called ____________________ (not a separate country).
Kurds form almost 20% of the population of ____________________ .
Kurds now live in the ____________________ of Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran.
The Kurds are an ethnic group that originated as a ____________________ people.
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Ethnic Groups CLOZE Notes 3

6. Ethnic Groups Southwest Asia’s Arabs, Persians, & Kurds
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7. Ethnic Group This is a group of people who share a common culture.
They are identified on the basis of religion, race, or national origin.
Ethnic groups can have many things in common:
Shared history, common ancestry, language, religion, traditions, beliefs, holidays, food, etc.
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8. Ethnic Group
These characteristics have been part of their community for generations.
All of these things make up a common culture that is shared by the members of the ethnic group.
Three major ethnic groups in the Middle East are the Arabs, Persians, and Kurds.
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10. Religious Group This is a group of people who share a belief system.
A religious group is identified based on common religious beliefs and practices.
They believe in the same god (or gods) and have a common sacred text with a specific set of rules about how to live.
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11. Religious Group Religious groups have many things in common:
God(s), prophets, prayers, history, sacred text, religious laws, holy days, etc.
People from different ethnic groups may share the same religion; however, they may be from different cultures.
Three major religious groups in the Middle East are Jews, Muslims, and Christians.
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13. ARABS
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14. Location The majority of people in the Middle East are Arabs.
Arabs also live in the United States, Canada, parts of northern Africa, and Europe.
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17. Ancestry
Arabs of Southwest Asia believe themselves to be descendants of Abraham through his son Ishmael.
Arabs make up the majority of the people who live throughout the Middle East.
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19. Religion
Most Arabs practice Islam, while small numbers of Arabs practice other religions.
Not all Arabs are Muslims, and not all Muslims are Arabs.
Islam consists mostly of two different groups.
The majority of Muslims practice Sunni Islam, and most others practice Shi’a Islam.
Sunnis and Shi’a disagree about who is in charge of the Muslim world.
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20. Religion
Sunni Islam dominates in most Arab areas, especially in North Africa.
Shi’a Islam is dominant among the Arab population in southern Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, northern Syria, & northern Yemen.
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21. The Kaaba, located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia is the center of Islam.
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22. Language
Most Arabs, whether they are Muslim or Christian, speak Arabic.
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24. PERSIANS
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25. Location
Most Persians live in Iran and make up about half of Iran’s current population.
The country of Persia became known as Iran in 1935.
Some Persians can also be found living in Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and the Xinjiang province of China.
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26. Iran’s Demographics
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27. Ancestry
The Persians lived in Iran before the arrival of Islam in the 7th century.
The Persians’ ancestors were Indo-Europeans who migrated from central Europe and Southern Russia and formed a great empire.
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28. Persian Empire
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29. Religion
Most Persians in Iran practice Shi’a Islam, but some are Sunni and other religions.
Persian women have faced many challenges as a result of strict cultural and religious practices.
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33. Language Persians speak a language called Farsi (or Persian).
It is one of the oldest languages that is still spoken today!
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34. Farsi
Translations
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35. KURDS
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36. Location
The Kurds are an ethnic group that originated as a semi-nomadic, tribal people.
Kurds now live in the mountains of Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran.
Kurds form almost 20% of the population of Turkey and Iraq.
Many Kurds live in an area of northern Iraq called Kurdistan (not a separate country).
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38. Location
The Kurds are the largest ethnic group in the world without a country of their own.
There is a strong nationalist movement among the Kurds for their own nation.
This has caused conflict with the countries in which Kurdish people live, and Iraq and Turkey have both suppressed the Kurds and their traditions.
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40. Ancestry
Kurds of Southwest Asia believe themselves to be descendants of the Medes, an ancient Iranian people.
In fact, Kurds share many aspects of their culture with Iranians.
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42. Religion
Like the Arabs, the Kurds are overwhelmingly Muslim, and the great majority are Sunni; only 5% are Shi’a.
Kurdish Muslims tend to be less strict about certain Islamic practices.
For example, there are fewer laws for how Kurdish women should dress than there are for Iranian and Arab women.
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44. Language
Kurdish is an Indo-European language related to Farsi (Persian) and other Iranian languages.
There are many different dialects of Kurdish spoken throughout Southwest Asia.
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45. Southwest Asia’s Ethnic Groups
Directions: Complete the chart below after discussing the presentation.
Location
Ancestry
Religion
Language
Arabs
Persians
Kurds
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46. TEACHER INFO: Caricatures
Print off the Ethnic Group Caricatures handout for each student.
The students will create statements from the perspective of each of the ethnic groups discussed in the presentation.
The statements should include information about the person’s location, ancestry, religion, language, etc.
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47. Ethnic Group Caricatures
Directions: If the people below were speaking about their ethnic groups, what would they say? Include information about the group’s ancestry, language, location, etc. Add clothing, facial expressions, and symbols to help distinguish who the people are when you are finished writing.
What is an ethnic group?
Arab: ____________________________________________
Persian: ____________________________________________
Kurd: ____________________________________________
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48. TEACHER INFO: Comprehension Check
Print off the Comprehension Check for each student.
The students will complete this handout at the end of the lesson. You can count this as a quiz!
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49. Comprehension Check Ethnic Groups
1. What is a community of people sharing a common culture, ancestry, customs, and language known as?
2. What do members of a religious group have in common?
3. The majority of people in the Middle East are members of which ethnic group?
4. Most Arabs are followers of which religion?
5. Kurds live in mountainous parts of the Middle East, an area informally called:
6. Which modern day country is home to Persians?
7. What language do Persians speak?
8. Most Kurds practice __________ Islam, while most Persians practice __________ Islam.
9. True or False (and explain): “Arabs, Persians, and Kurds all live in roughly the same region of the world and are virtually the same people except they live in different countries.
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Comprehension Check
Ethnic Groups

50. Graffiti Wall Graffiti Wall
Name:
Name:
Graffiti Wall
Graffiti Wall
Create a colorful graffiti wall that is full of information that you learned in class today.
Create a colorful graffiti wall that is full of information that you learned in class today.
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