The birthplace of three of the world's major religions, the home of the world's oldest known civilization, hotspots where people are fighting and the important worldąs resource-oil, make the Middle East, the region where the continents of Asia, Africa and Europe met , important to the rest of the world. Introduce your students to the Middle East with this short cyberhunt and try some of the extension activities.

1. http://www.nationalgeographic.com/resources/ngo/maps/view/images/mideastm.jpg
   Look at the map of the Middle East
   
   1. What bodies of water touch SA?_______________________
   2. Which Middle East countries touch the Med. Sea?________________________________
   3. Name four countries that touch the Persian Gulf.____________ _________________ ____________________ __________________
2. http://www.mrdowling.com/607-suez.html
   
   1. The 101 mile man made waterway is nicknamed this Crossroads of Europe , Africa and Europe.Although the first evidence of a canal dates back to 1850BC, when was the actual Suez Canal started and who was the engineer?______________________ ____________________
   2. What is the problem with the canal that it needs constant maintainance?_____________________________
3. http://www.mrdowling.com/607-deadsea.html
   
   1. The Dead Sea is really a 50 mile/ 11 wide LAKE, not a sea. So, why is it called a SEA?_____________________________
   2. SEVEN times saltier than the ocean, the Dead Sea has no fish. Name THREE other salt water bodies of the world.__________________ ___________________ ___________
4. http://www.geographia.com/egypt/sinai/bedouin02.htm From the Arabic word, Bedu, bedouin means "inhabitant of the desert". Look along the left margin. What is a custom about Bedouin woman's hair?____________________Why are clothes left on the grave of a Bedouin who has died?__________________________
5. http://www.mrdowling.com/607-bedouins.html
   What religion and language are most Bedouins?______________________ Known for herding sheep,camels and goats, many of these nomadic people are settling down and working in which occupation?_____________________
6. http://www.whereincity.com/india-kids/animals/camel.htm
   Learn some cool facts about the camel. Did you know they originated in NORTH America? Did you know they have three eyelids?___________________________ Write FIVE cools facts about the camel.__________________________ _______________________ _____________________ _______________________ ____________________
MORE cool facts about the camel:http://camelfarm.com/camel_information.html


7. http://www.mrdowling.com/607-oil.html
   1. Name the top five oil producing nations.___________________ ___________________ ____________________ __________________ _________________
   2. What is the organization which regulates oil production and prices?___________________ According to estimates, oil will run out by which year?____________________

1. http://dessert.allrecipes.com/az/MrzipnII.asp
   Simple Marzipan recipe
   1 cup almond paste
   2 egg whites
   3 cups confectioners' sugar
   1/2 teaspoon vanilla
   In a large bowl, knead almond paste to soften. Mix in egg whites and confectioners' sugar 1 cup at a time. Add vanilla. Work the mixture until it feels like pie dough. Try adding different food coloring to the dough. Shape into balls.
   Have students try matzo, a Jewish cracker.
   
2. Write your name in Hebrew http://www.my-hebrew-name.com
   Write your name in Arabic
   http://www.krysstal.com/writing_arabic.html
   
3. Read a story from the Middle East
   http://web.utk.edu/~gwhitney/tales/1001/fish.htm
   Read the Story about the fisherman
   Go to the library and get a short version of Tales for A Thousand and One Nights and Scheherazade. Another good short story is to tell the students, Sheik Justice and have them try and figure out the secret. A Sheik was traveling in the desert on a large white donkey. With him were 19 men. The sheik had 80 gold pieces in a leather bag. One night, the gold and the bag went missing. Being in the desert, the sheik had to determine WHO was the thief and to see that the guilty person was punished. The sheik told the men that his white donkey had the power to tell him just who stole the money. He told the men that each had to walk into the tent where the donkey waited and they were to TOUCH the donkey's tail. The donkey would bray when the thief touched its tail. Each man went into the tent. Yet, when the last exited the tent, the donkey still had not brayed. Did the donkey fail to determine the guilty person? The sheik lined the men up outside the tent telling them to hold their hands out. As he passed each man, he laid his face into each of their hands. Finally, he drew his sword at the twelfth man. You are a thief and I will kill you on this spot. Begging forgiveness, he returned the bag of gold and his life was spared. HOW did the sheik know WHO was the thief?(Answer:See Key)
   
4. Rugs have long been important to the people of the Middle East, especially the nomadic Bedouins. They "carried" their floor with them using the rugs to sit so they didnąt get dirty sitting in their tent on ground. Since human forms are not used in Islam, the religion of most Bedouin, plant shapes, patterns and abstract shapes were used. Have students make a rectangular shape on paper. Show the students a sample of a Persian rug or Turkish rug. Have students design spirals desings, curves and scroll shapes to create their own rug.
   
5. Many words in English have origins in the Hebrew and Arabic languages. Some Arabic Words include: giraffe, cotton, syrup, genie, lemon, zero, sherbet, sofa, sugar and almanac. Some Hebrew words include: jubilee, amen, cinnamon and hallelijah. Get a copy of the Hebrew and the Arabic writing systems and have students try writing something in their writing systems.
   
6. Draw a picture of a camel and write FIVE facts learned about the Middle East from the cyberhunt activity. Remember to write your facts in complete sentence form.
   

Although I have tried to review each link, please check the site to see if it is appropriate for your grade level. Also, please monitor that students stay at the link. Should you find something questionable, please let me know. Thanks!