Download North Africa - Lee County Schools

7th Grade UBD – Unit 2 – Africa

North Africa- The population of North Africa is unevenly
distributed. Most people live within 200 miles of either the
Mediterranean Sea or the Atlantic Ocean.

Society and Culture- People in North Africa face the
challenge of how to preserve the traditions they value as
their countries modernize.

Suppose you have been
given the assignment of
describing your way of
life to students in North
Africa. How would you
answer the following
questions: What is a day
in your life like? What is
your school like? What is
your home like?
(5 minutes)

Work with a
neighbor and
compare your
answer with theirs.
What things are
the same and what
things are
different? (3
minutes)

The physical environment encourages
people to settle along the region’s coast
or in the Nile River Valley.

Cities in North Africa are growing rapidly.

The Suez Canal separates Asia from
Africa.
Video- Destination North Africa

All the countries of North
Africa have coastlines that
open on the Atlantic
Ocean or Mediterranean
Sea.

Much of the interior of
North Africa is a vast
stretch of desert.
Key Term
Maghreb- Is
the Arabic
name for
northwest
Africa.

Most people of the Maghreb
live near the coast because the
high mountains block the path
of moisture bearing winds.

This area receives between 40
to 50 inches of rain and snow
each year.

Moisture combined with soil
has made this area fertile.

Population is unevenly distributed.

People live mostly within 200
miles of either the Mediterranean
Sea or the Atlantic Ocean.

In Egypt the population is
concentrated along the Nile River.

The only places where people can
live in the Sahara Desert are near
desert oases.
Key Term
Oases- A
place in the
desert made
fertile by a
steady supply
of water.

Cities offer the promise of jobs,
education, better medical care,
and exciting daily life.

For most, the promise fades
quickly because cities cannot
offer the jobs and housing that
villagers expect.

Many new arrivals end up in
crowded slums on the outskirts
of the cities.
Video- The Women of Kibera

Egypt has enjoyed remarkable
success due to the Nile River.

However, Egypt like many countries,
still struggles to meet the needs of
its growing population.
 People in Egypt need more food,
housing, schooling, and jobs.
These needs alarm government
planners.
Key Term
Fellaheen- The
Egyptian name
for peasant
farmers.

Aswan High Dam is
located in the middle of
the Egyptian Desert and is
one of the largest dams in
the world.

Aswan High Dam is 11,811
ft long, 3,215 ft thick at its
base and 364 ft tall.
Constructed in the 1960's, Aswan High Dam was built to
control the annual flooding of the Nile river.

At present the dam provides for
irrigation and generates electricity
for the whole of Egypt.

The dam added a whole new
aspect to the economy of Egypt as
well as to the environment of
Egypt.

Because of the dam, farmable land
in Egypt has increased by thirty
percent.

The Suez Canal separates Asia
from Africa.

The Canal is about 105 miles long
and provides the shortest water
route between Europe and the
Indian and Western Pacific
Oceans.

It was completed in 1869 and still
plays a major importance in
world trade.
Reading Activity- Eyewitness To History 3
1.
What physical features do all North African
nations share?
2.
Why is the population of Africa so unevenly
distributed?
3.
What are some problems that have come
about as a result of rapid population
growth?
What physical features do all North African nations share?
1.

All the countries of North Africa have coastlines that open on the
Atlantic Ocean or Mediterranean Sea.
Why is the population of Africa so unevenly distributed?
2.

Most people live where the climate is milder and water is available.
What are some problems that have come about as a result of rapid
3.
population growth?

Some of the problems that have come about as a result of rapid
population growth are a lack of food, housing, schooling, and jobs.

Islam influences daily life throughout North
Africa through laws and religious practices.

North Africa is largely rural, but big cities are
growing since people want to live there due to
the better job opportunities.

The Nile River valley is home to one of the
world’s oldest civilizations.

Culture has many elements.
Culture includes food, clothing,
homes, jobs, language, and so
on.

It also includes things that are
not so easy to see, such as how
people view their world and
what their religion is.

These ideas shape the way
people behave.
Key Term
Culture- Is the
way of life of a
group of people
who share
similar beliefs
and customs.

Religion is an important
part of North African
culture.

Islam is the main religion
of most North Africans.

More than 95 percent of
North Africans practice
Islam and are called
Muslims.

Like Jews and Christians,
Muslims believe in one
God.

Monotheism is the belief
that there is one God

Allah is the Arabic word
for God.

The sacred book of Islam is
the Quran. Besides teaching
about God, the Quran
provides a guide to life.

Like the Bible, the Quran
forbids lying, stealing, and
murder. It also prohibits
gambling, eating pork, and
drinking alcohol.

Islam unifies the people
of North Africa.

Islamic law governs all
aspects of life, including
family life, business
practices, banking and
government.

North Africa today mixes
traditional and modern ways of
life.

Culture does not stay the same
forever. It changes all the time.

Cultural changes often occur
when people travel. As they
travel, people bring their new
customs and ideas with them.

The movement of customs
and ideas is called cultural
diffusion. The word diffuse
means “to spread out.”

People pick up new ideas
and customs all the time.
Because of this customs
and ideas spread from one
place to another.
Key Term
Cultural
Diffusion- The
movement of
customs and
ideas from one
culture to
another.

One of the more recent
influences on North Africa is
Western Culture.

Some Muslims are concerned
that their countries are
becoming too Western.

Some Muslims fear that this will
lead to the loss of Muslim values
and traditions. They want to
preserve their way of life.
1.
What percent of North Africans practice
Islam and are called Muslims?
2.
What does the Quran forbid?
What percent of North Africans practice Islam
1.
and are called Muslims?

More than 95 percent of North Africans practice
Islam and are called Muslims.
What does the Quran forbid?
2.

The Quran forbids lying, stealing, murder, gambling,
eating pork, and drinking alcohol.

What has been the
“muddiest” point so far
in this lesson? That is,
what topic remains the
least clear to you? (4
minutes)

Work with a
neighbor and
compare your
muddiest point with
theirs. Compare
what things are the
same and what
things are different?
(3 minutes)

What traditions in your
culture do you think are
worth preserving? Write
a one page essay
describing the customs
you value most.

Work with a neighbor
and find the population
of each country in North
Africa. Then create a bar
graph to show this data.