Basic Geography of Iraq. Subject: Geography General or Geography Middle East. Resources

Transcription

1 Basic Geography of Iraq Grade Level: elementary (grades 3-5) Subject: Geography General or Geography Middle East Duration: 60 minutes Overview & Purpose This lesson will give students an overview of important geography terms and an overview of the geography of Iraq, which is especially important given they may have heard the country s name in the news, but not be aware of where it is. This lesson can be used in different unit contexts: It is designed to teach basic geography terms (using the context of Iraq), and it can be used in a unit on general geography. It can be used in a unit on the Middle East or Iraq to teach learners about the geography of Iraq. Materials Needed Activity Sheet List of Important Geography Terms Check for Understanding Writing Instrument Colored pencils or crayons in at least six different colors Education Standards Addressed National Geography Standards: properties and functions of geographic representations AND using graphic representations Resources The map for the activity was created using National Geographic MapMaker ( Other Resources (e.g. Web, books, etc.) Additional maps (if available) so that students can see what other maps look like. Images or articles related to Iraq, if students are more curious about the region.

2 Objectives Input Check for Understanding Teacher Guide Student Guide Teacher will be able to practice teaching vocabulary and important terms to students. Teacher will be able to administer an independent activity and provide checks for understanding as students complete the activity. Start class by asking students to spend two minutes writing one thing they know about maps on a piece of paper. Collect the paper, and depending on time, draw some responses at random and read them, or have students read their responses aloud. Tell students they will be learning a little more about maps by learning some important words about maps. Read students a list of important geography/map terms. A list of definitions adapted to help students understand terms is provided with this lesson. Use the definitions from the dictionary or textbook, but supplement them with the attached list of terms. Tell students they will be using the definitions to work together to complete an activity about the geography of a country called Iraq. Each student should turn in his/her own activity sheet, but should complete it in small groups/with their tables. Checks for understanding can be accomplished by walking around as students complete the activity, or doing the activity as a class. Either at the end of class, as homework or at the beginning of the next class (depending on how checks for understanding and quizzes work in the class), hand out the Check for Understanding for students to complete independently. Students will be able to illustrate understanding of geographical concepts by responding to prompts about a map. SWBAT list key geographic aspects of Iraq. SWBAT complete an activity that indicates recognition of key geography terminology. Students should be given the opportunity to ask questions about the terms or to be shown other maps if they are curious about what a map of a certain place might look like. Students should be given access to local maps, or a map of the school, so they can relate the lesson to something familiar. After completing each item on the first activity, students can compare answers with their peers or ask the teacher questions as they arise.

3 Important Geography Terms border: A border is a line between two places, like countries or cities. For example, there is a line on the map where the District of Columbia and Maryland touch. This is called a border. We wouldn t see these lines if you really went to a place. They are drawn by mapmakers to help us read maps. capital: A capital is the city where you can usually find the government of a city and the people who work in the government. In some places, it is a busy city with lots of people, but not everywhere. compass rose: A compass rose is the part of a map that shows us directions. It points which way north, south, east, and west are on the map. This way, no matter what way we look at the map, we can know where some places are compared to others. directions: Directions are words that help us describe where we are compared to other things. We can see them on a compass rose. The main direction words are north, south, east, and west. For example, your house might be north of your school or west of your school. What if your house were between north and west of your school? Then, you would say it is northwest of your school. map: A map is a geographic representation of a place. This means that a map is used to show what a place looks like, even to someone who might never see it. Maps can tell us important things about a place, like its capital city, how big it is, what bodies of water are near it, and what other places are near it. Since the world is very big, mapmakers draw maps on paper so that we can see what the world might look like if we could see it all at once. Maps can show us pictures of places as small as our neighborhoods or places as big as outer space. map key: A map key tells us what the symbols, colors, and pictures on a map mean. For example, some maps use a star to show the location of a country s or state s capital city and some maps color rivers, lakes, and oceans blue. Sometimes, a map key is called a legend.

4 Name Date Activity: Geography of Iraq Use the map below to help you fill in your responses. Key capital 1. What country is east of Iraq? 2. True or False: Syria is east of Iraq. 3. The two countries of and border Iraq to the west. 5. What body of water borders Iraq? 6. If you lived in the city called Basra, in what direction would you have to travel to get to the capital of Iraq? 7. Write the name of the capital of Iraq. 4. What two countries border Iraq to the south?

5 Name Date Check for Understanding: Geography Terms Directions: Color each box in the left column with a different color. Then, find the box with the definition on the right side that matches the term from the left side and color it with the same color you used for the matching term. map key map directions compass rose capital border a line between two places the city where the government of a country, province, or state is words that describe where things are compared to other things the part of the map that shows where each direction is a geographic representation of a place, usually on paper or a computer the part of a map that shows what different symbols on a map mean

6 Name KEY Date Check for Understanding: Geography Terms map key a line between two places map directions compass rose capital border the city where the government of a country, province, or state is words that describe where things are compared to other things the part of the map that shows where each direction is a geographic representation of a place, usually on paper or a computer the part of a map that shows what different symbols on a map mean