Climate and biomes of the Middle East
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain how climate and biomes differ across the Middle East.
Key learning points
- The region has desert, temperate, and Mediterranean biomes.
- Hot, dry summers and low rainfall shape the land.
- It is cooler and wetter in the north of the Middle East.
- Climate affects where people live.
Keywords
Biome - a large region of the world with places that have similar climates, vegetation and animals that have adapted to living there
Climate - an average of weather conditions in a place over a long period of time (usually 30 years or more)
Arid - a place that receives less than 250 mm of precipitation a year
GIS - a geographic information system (GIS) is a computer mapping system that captures and displays geographic data to help understand spatial patterns
Common misconception
The Middle East is all desert.
The Middle East is so vast that it contains a number of different biomes.
Teacher tip
Use climate graphs and satellite images to help students visualise differences. Students may struggle with abstract biome names unless shown what these places actually look like.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the keywords to their meaning.
movements inside Earth's crust
land higher than a hill
flat land at high elevation
area with very low rainfall
Q2.What type of landscape covers much of the Arabian Peninsula?
Q3.Which country in the Middle East has many high mountains?
Q4.A large, high flat area is called a .
Q5.Which of these is not a physical feature?
Q6.Which landform is shaped by very low rainfall?
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.Match the keywords to their meanings.
large area with similar climate and life
average weather over 30+ years
very dry, with little rain
computer mapping of data patterns
Q2.Which of these is an example of a biome?
Q3.Which best describes the climate in much of the Middle East?
Q4.Why is it wrong to say “The Middle East is all desert”?
To help you plan your 9 geography lesson on: Climate and biomes of the Middle East, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 9 geography lesson on: Climate and biomes of the Middle East, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 geography lessons from the The Middle East: How have natural resources shaped the Middle East? unit, dive into the full secondary geography curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.