1. Presentation, Graphic Organizers, & Activities
Southwest Asia’s
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
ENVIRONMENTAL
ISSUES
Presentation, Graphic Organizers, & Activities

2. STANDARDS:
SS7G6 The student will discuss environmental issues across Southwest Asia (Middle East).
a. Explain how water pollution and the unequal distribution of water impacts irrigation and drinking water.
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3. SW Asia’s Environmental Issues SW Asia’s Environmental Issues
Name:
Name:
SW Asia’s Environmental Issues
Anticipation Guide
SW Asia’s Environmental Issues
Anticipation Guide
Directions: You will make predictions about the answers to the following questions BEFORE learning about this unit. Write the letter of the vocabulary term that matches the descriptions below. Some countries will be used more than once!
Directions: You will make predictions about the answers to the following questions BEFORE learning about this unit. Write the letter of the vocabulary term that matches the descriptions below. Some countries will be used more than once!
Iraq
B. Syria
C. Israel
D. Jordan
E. Turkey
F. Saudi Arabia
Iraq
B. Syria
C. Israel
D. Jordan
E. Turkey
F. Saudi Arabia
_______ This country has built over 22 dams with the Anatolia Project.
_______ Three decades of warfare have damaged many of this country’s water treatment facilities.
_______ This country has used advanced technology to build pipelines to carry water throughout the country.
_______ Oil spills in the Black Sea have polluted the water supply here.
_______ Turkey’s dams have decreased this country’s water supply by 40%.
_______ Citizens can only get water from public sources twice a week in this country.
_______ This country has built the world’s largest desalination plant.
_______ is one of the ten most water scare countries in the world.
_______ Dams in Turkey and Syria have decreased this country’s water supply by 80%.
_______ This country has been in conflict with Jordan, Syria, & Palestine over water rights to the Jordan River for many years.
_______ This country has built over 22 dams with the Anatolia Project.
_______ Three decades of warfare have damaged many of this country’s water treatment facilities.
_______ This country has used advanced technology to build pipelines to carry water throughout the country.
_______ Oil spills in the Black Sea have polluted the water supply here.
_______ Turkey’s dams have decreased this country’s water supply by 40%.
_______ Citizens can only get water from public sources twice a week in this country.
_______ This country has built the world’s largest desalination plant.
_______ is one of the ten most water scare countries in the world.
_______ Dams in Turkey and Syria have decreased this country’s water supply by 80%.
_______ This country has been in conflict with Jordan, Syria, & Palestine over water rights to the Jordan River for many years.
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4. Environmental Issues CLOZE Notes 1
Turkey
Scarcity
Water
Pollution
Pollution also comes from _______________________ in the Black Sea.
Chemical fertilizers from agriculture and _______________________ from industries pollute the rivers.
Unfortunately, the country has had to deal with the increasing problem of _______________________ .
This project has greatly improved the _______________________ for Turkey’s citizens.
Turkey has developed the Southeastern Anatolia Project, which consists of _______________________ and 19 hydroelectric plants along the Euphrates River.
Turkey has a “water advantage” over other Middle Eastern countries because the _______________________ form here.
Let’s take a look at how _______________________ in several of these countries.
Middle Eastern countries are _______________________ over these water problems.
Water is a precious resource and there is _______________________ available to meet the population’s needs.
_______________________ of the world’s fresh water is available to the area’s inhabitants (5% of the world’s population).
_______________________ is a major concern in Southwest Asia.
Rapid growth of industry in cities and towns has caused _______________________ to build up in rivers and streams.
Chemicals also lead to _______________________ in the soil, which eventually makes farming in those areas impossible.
Farmers have begun using _______________________ that run off from the fields and contaminate water supplies.
Many countries in Southwest Asia are experiencing the increasing problem of _______________________ .
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Environmental Issues CLOZE Notes 1

5. Environmental Issues CLOZE Notes 2
Jordan
Israel
Iraq
Syria
Jordan & Israel have been involved in _______________________ over water rights.
Israel has _______________________ that redirect the river’s water away from Jordan and into its own lands.
The country’s major surface water sources are shared with Israel and Syria, who leave only a _______________________ for Jordan.
Citizens can only get water _______________________ .
Jordan cannot meet the basic needs of its people and has to _______________________ supply.
Jordan is one of the ten most _______________________ countries in the world.
Israel has been involved in many conflicts over water rights to the _______________________ with Syria, Jordan, and Palestine.
Unfortunately, the aquifers are in jeopardy because more water is _______________________ than is replenished by rain.
Because rainfall is down, Israel has to rely on drawing water from its _______________________ (underground layer of rock and sand that contains water).
Since its creation in 1948, Israel has developed _______________________ and advanced farming techniques that have turned the once-barren desert land into farmland.
Also, three _______________________ have caused damage to Iraq’s water treatment plants.
Iraq also faces water pollution problems as a result of industry and _______________________ equipment.
Wheat and rice production has decreased dramatically, and many farmers are _______________________ .
This has negatively impacted the country’s _______________________ .
The dams that Turkey & Syria built along the Euphrates have also greatly reduced the amount of water reaching Iraq (_______________________ ).
This has reduced the river’s flow into Iraq, thus causing _______________________ .
In order to keep some water in the country, Syria has _______________________ along the river.
Syria already suffers from _______________________ , and irrigating new land is extremely difficult with the diminished water supply from the Euphrates.
The dams that Turkey built along the Euphrates have greatly _______________________ of water reaching Syria (40% less).
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Environmental Issues CLOZE Notes 2

6. Environmental Issues CLOZE Notes 3
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Saudi Arabia
Desalination is the process of taking _______________________ and using it for drinking water.
The country has built a number of _______________________ that provide most of the country’s drinking water.
Water is scarce in the country, and what little water that is available is of poor quality because of _______________________ .
Saudi Arabia has a _______________________ and has struggled to meet the water needs of its growing population.
Environmental Issues CLOZE Notes 3

7. Water Pollution & Unequal Distribution
Southwest Asia’s
Environmental
Issues
Water Pollution & Unequal Distribution
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8. Pollution
Many countries in Southwest Asia are experiencing the increasing problem of water pollution.
Farmers have begun using chemical fertilizers that run off from the fields and contaminate water supplies.
Chemicals also lead to salt build-up in the soil, which eventually makes farming in those areas impossible.
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9. Pollution
Rapid growth of industry in cities and towns has caused garbage and sewage to build up in rivers and streams.
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10. Tigris River Pollution
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11. Water? Water availability is a major concern in Southwest Asia.
Less than 1% of the world’s fresh water is available to the area’s inhabitants (5% of the world’s population).
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13. Scarcity
Water is a precious resource and there is simply not enough available to meet the population’s needs.
Middle Eastern countries are constantly in conflict over these water problems.
Let’s take a look at how water is distributed in several of these countries.
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15. Turkey
Turkey has a “water advantage” over other Middle Eastern countries because the Tigris and Euphrates rivers form here.
Turkey has developed the Southeastern Anatolia Project, which consists of 22 dams and 19 hydroelectric plants along the Euphrates River.
This project has greatly improved the standard of living for Turkey’s citizens.
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16. Turkey’s Ataturk Dam
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17. Turkey
Unfortunately, the country has had to deal with the increasing problem of water pollution.
Chemical fertilizers from agriculture and industrial wastes from industries pollute the rivers.
Pollution also comes from oil spills in the Black Sea.
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18. Water Pollution in Istanbul
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19. Syria
The dams that Turkey built along the Euphrates have greatly reduced the amount of water reaching Syria (40% less).
Syria already suffers from food shortages, and irrigating new land is extremely difficult with the diminished water supply from the Euphrates.
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21. Syria
In order to keep some water in the country, Syria has also built dams along the river.
This has reduced the river’s flow into Iraq, thus causing more conflict.
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22. Lake Assad – Syria’s largest reservoir was created in 1974
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23. Iraq
The dams that Turkey & Syria built along the Euphrates have also greatly reduced the amount of water reaching Iraq (80% less).
This has negatively impacted the country’s food supply.
Wheat and rice production has decreased dramatically, and many farmers are now without jobs.
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25. Iraq
Iraq also faces water pollution problems as a result of industry and petroleum drilling equipment.
Also, three decades of warfare have caused damage to Iraq’s water treatment plants.
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26. The Glory Canal (built by Suddam Hussein in 1993) was a disastrous project that diverted natural water flow from the country’s marshes and converted wetlands into desert.
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27. Israel
Since its creation in 1948, Israel has developed new technology and advanced farming techniques that have turned the once-barren desert land into farmland.
Because rainfall is down, Israel has to rely on drawing water from its aquifers (underground layer of rock and sand that contains water).
Unfortunately, the aquifers are in jeopardy because more water is taken out than is replenished by rain.
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28. National Water Carrier of Israel –
A pipeline that transfers water from the Sea of Galilee to the highly populated center and arid south.
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30. Israel
Israel has been involved in many conflicts over water rights to the Jordan River with Syria, Jordan, and Palestine.
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31. Jordan
Jordan is one of the ten most water scarce countries in the world.
Jordan cannot meet the basic needs of its people and has to ration the water supply.
Citizens can only get water two days a week.
The country’s major surface water sources are shared with Israel and Syria, who leave only a small amount for Jordan.
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33. Desalinates brackish water from the Dead Sea
Mujib Dam, Jordan –
Desalinates brackish water from the Dead Sea
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34. Jordan
Israel has built pipelines that redirect the river’s water away from Jordan and into its own lands.
Jordan & Israel have been involved in military battles over water rights.
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35. Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia has a desert climate and has struggled to meet the water needs of its growing population.
Water is scarce in the country, and what little water that is available is of poor quality because of salt water intrusion.
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37. Saudi Arabia
The country has built a number of desalination plants that provide most of the country’s drinking water.
Desalination is the process of taking salt out of seawater and using it for drinking water.
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38. World’s Largest Desalination Plant – Jubail Industrial City, Saudi Arabia
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39. TEACHER INFO: Bumper Sticker
Print out the Bumper Sticker handout for each student.
The students will choose one of the issues from the lesson and create a bumper sticker that educates others about the issue.
*You may want to show them a few examples of actual bumper stickers (from the internet).
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40. Bumper Sticker
Directions: Create a bumper sticker with a short statement or message convincing others who read it to solve one of the issues that we discussed in class.
The bumper sticker MUST have:
1. Thoughtful message or statement describing your choice of which issue to solve.
2. Colorful visual
3. Underneath your creation, describe the issue and your ideas for how it can be solved.
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41. TEACHER INFO: Water Issue Prescription
Print off Prescription handout for each student.
The students will write a prescription to cure one of SW Asia’s water “ailments”.
The “ailment” is where they will describe the issue and the “prescription” is where they will write their idea for solving it.
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42. Water Issue Prescription
Directions: You are the doctor! Write a prescription to cure one of Southwest Asia’s water “ailments”.
Name: ______________________
MD Signature:___________________________________
Ailment:
Prescription:
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