Economy7th Grade UBD - Unit 3 - Middle East

Reach Into Your Background

Work alone to complete

a list of facts you know

about Southwest Asia.

You should come up

with a list of at least

five things.

(4 minutes)

Partner Activity

Work with a neighbor and compare your answer with theirs. What things are the same and what things are different? (3 minutes)

What is Economy

An economy is not

just money, it's about

businesses and how

they work. It’s

lemonade stands and

how many dollars

they take in. It’s

taxes and salaries.

Key Ideas- Economy

Oil is important to many countries in Southwest

Asia. Nations without this resource have

different industries.

Water and mineral resources are scarce,

although several nations contain oil.

Middle Eastern nations have had to overcome

many obstacles to economic progress.

Agriculture

Parts of the Fertile Crescent have

rich soil.

Syria has rich soil thanks to the

Euphrates River and can produce

large amounts of crops such as

grains, fruits, and vegetables.

Syria and Israel have increased

food production by irrigating

desert areas.

Agriculture

Israel exports goods such as

fruit and vegetables.

Many crops, such as grapes,

olives and figs thrive along

the Black Sea.

However, much of the land

in Southwest Asia is not

suitable for farming due to

the harsh dry conditions.

Agriculture

Irrigation allows a little more

land to be used.

Most herders and farmers

struggle to earn a living in a

harsh and dry climate.

Irrigation makes farming

expensive. Still, the

government wants to

increase food output.

Water wells have also been

drilled.

Sandra PostelVideo- Differences Between Water & Oil Supply

Resources

The Fertile Crescent lacks

many useful mineral

resources, but has great

land for agriculture.

Syria and Iraq are fortunate

to have oil reserves.

Iran's landscape is dotted

with oil fields and pipelines.

Key Terms

Organization of

the Petroleum

Exporting

Countries– Also

known as OPEC,

is an

intergovernment

al organization

dedicated to

stability and the

shared control of

petroleum.

OPEC

OPEC consists of twelve

countries who sell oil on

the world market.

Because the members

of OPEC control most of

the world's oil supply,

they are also able to set

oil prices.

OPEC

For the developing nations of

OPEC, controlling the price of oil

is important.

These countries are primarily

exporters and do not consume

much oil.

Industrialized countries like the

United States depend on

foreign oil to fuel cars and run

their economies.

OPEC

Member countries

of OPEC are in

Africa, Southeast

Asia, and South

America; however,

the Middle Eastern

countries have the

largest oil reserves.

OPEC

An embargo is an

agreement among

suppliers to cut off access

to particular buyers.

OPEC refused to sell oil to

countries that supported

Israel.

OPEC raised the price of

oil, which had been

extremely low, and

refused to bargain.

OPEC

OPEC doubled the

price of oil and

caused massive

energy shortages and

economic distress,

the embargo became

a turning point for

many countries.

OPEC

OPEC proved that it could control

the world oil market.

Western countries realized that

they could no longer rely on

cheap, readily accessible energy.

As a result, countries began

devising plans to drive more

fuel-efficient cars and to avoid

the economic dangers of foreign

oil dependency.

Oil Today

Today, oil is more expensive

than during the oil crisis of

the 1970s.

Instability in Southwest Asia

has increased demand

worldwide, and shrinking

world resources are some

reasons for record level

prices.

Economic Modernization

Middle Eastern countries

are building modern

economies.

They have worked to

improve agriculture,

increase food production,

set up industries, and

end foreign influences.

Economic Modernization

Economic progress is slow.

Many countries lack good

farmland, water, and

technical know-how.

Diseases and drought

constantly threaten crops.

War has also slowed down

development.

Despite such problems,

Middle Eastern countries

have made gains.

Key Terms

Mixed

Economies- An

economy in

which some

industries are

privately owned

and others are

publicly owned

or nationalized.

Israel

Israel has developed

both agriculture and

industry.

Israel benefits from an

educated workforce.

It has a strong

electronics industry and

diamond-cutting

industry.

Saudi Arabia

They want to develop the

economy but preserve their

traditional culture.

They are using oil money to

diversify.

The Saudi government has

supported the development of

natural gas and small private

factories that produce steel,

cement, and chemicals.

Key Terms

Fossil Water-

Water collected

millions of years

ago in

underground pools.

Modern technology

has enabled this

water to be tapped

and distributed to

remote areas.

Fossil FuelsVideo- 300 Years of Fossil Fuels in 300 Seconds

Enrichment Activity

Create a timeline of gasoline prices

from 1973 till today.

Independent Activity

What has been the

“muddiest” point so

far in this lesson? That

is, what topic remains

the least clear to you?

(4 minutes)

Partner Activity

Work with a neighbor and compare your muddiest point with theirs. Compare what things are the same and what things are different? (3 minutes)