The Middle East

Middle East Place Studies

Studying the Middle East as part of KS3 Geography curriculum is valuable for several reasons that span educations, cultural and geographic reasons. The Middle East has geographical significance across the world, not just the physical geography of deserts, mountains and rivers that shape human settlement and economic activity, but also over climate and water security. The region faces extreme climate challenges across its arid and semi-arid zones, which make valuable case studies on water scarcity and resource management. The region also has significant cultural and historical importance, giving ample opportunity to explore cultural diversity, religious significance, and historical relevance. Then, studentscan also explore the economic and political relevance of the region based on important factors like oil and energy resources, and the political tensions and conflict that have come hand-in-hand with these resources and their importance in global affairs.

This KS3 Middle East Place Studies module will enable students to:​

• Describe the physical geography of the Middle East
• Describe the human geography of the Middle East
• Describe the climate patterns and variations across the Middle East
• Explain how plants and animals have adapted to the climate in the Middle East
• Explain the challenges and coping mechanisms related to water scarcity
• Describe the significance of oil in the economic development of the Middle East
• Explain why the shift from oil-based economies to tourism in the UAE