Oil and Water in the Middle East Region
In this lesson, students will explore the roles of oil and water in the Middle East, especially in Iraq. Students will use maps to look at the distribution of oil in the Middle East and discuss what it means for the different countries in the region. They will also examine how water has influenced the region historically (in the "fertile crescent" region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers) and politically (for example, how Iraq's access to water is limited to one small part of its border). Finally, they will study specific aspects of Iraq's struggles with water, using satellite imagery to understand and illustrate the problem.

Help Wanted! Jobs in Ancient Mesopotamia
Students discover varied occupations of ancient Mesopotamia.

Where in the World Am I? 
Regions are created by physical, cultural, global, and local criteria.  In this lesson, students will define the term region and be able to determine criteria used in regionalization of particular places.

Spatial Organization
Identification of Functional Regions. This lesson places the student in the role of geographer—thinking geographically and using geographic skills. During this lesson, students will connect data and visual representations to see how the links that sustain a region can be visually represented by maps of flow lines or overlapping "cobwebs."

The Laws of Hammurabi
This site gives excellent background information on the Laws of Hlammurabi.

This education site can be great for "brush-up."  Both children and parents can learn about geography (especially the five themes) by using the site's effective visual aids and links: Helping Your Child Learn Geography.  Or simply click each hyperlink below to get an informative lesson on one of the five themes of geography:
Place: Physical and Human Characteristics

Location: Position on the Earth's Surface

Movement: People Interacting on the Earth

Relationships Within Places: Humans and Environments

Regions: How They Form and Change 

The Five Themes of Geography
Presented  only as National Geographic can explain them!  In addition to defining the themes, this site provides activities to reinforce each theme.

How far is it?
This interactive website calculates distances between cities.

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