New
New
Year 9

The greening of the Arabian Desert

I can explain the challenge of desertification and recognise the strategies to respond to it.

New
New
Year 9

The greening of the Arabian Desert

I can explain the challenge of desertification and recognise the strategies to respond to it.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Desertification is a major challenge in the region.
  2. Desalination provides water for farming.
  3. Tree planting projects aim to combat desert spread.
  4. Vertical farming is used to grow food sustainably.

Keywords

  • Desertification - the process by which fertile land becomes desert

  • Desalination - the process of removing salt from seawater

  • Sustainable - able to continue over a long time

Common misconception

We cannot grow new plants in the desert, it is too dry.

Plants can have special features, or adaptations, to help them survive in the desert. This, alongside new technology, means that plants can sustain life in the desert and overcome the issue of desertification.


To help you plan your year 9 geography lesson on: The greening of the Arabian Desert, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Students may find it easier to grasp desertification when they can compare it to issues closer to home. Briefly mention how parts of southern Europe or areas in Africa are also affected by desertification. This helps them realise it's a global challenge—not just a distant issue in the Middle East.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the keywords to their definitions:

Correct Answer:Aquifer,Underground layer storing water

Underground layer storing water

Correct Answer:Desalination,Process of removing salt from seawater

Process of removing salt from seawater

Correct Answer:Scarcity,A shortage of resources

A shortage of resources

Correct Answer:Irrigation,Man-made water supply for farming

Man-made water supply for farming

Correct Answer:Groundwater,Freshwater beneath Earth’s surface

Freshwater beneath Earth’s surface

Q2.
Which resource is under increasing pressure in the Middle East?

Gold
Correct answer: Water
Diamonds
Coal

Q3.
Which country uses desalination plants most heavily in the region?

Jordan
Syria
Correct answer: Saudi Arabia
Turkey

Q4.
What is groundwater used for in the Middle East?

Mining
Correct answer: Agriculture
Housing
Tourism

Q5.
Why is desalination controversial?

It removes oil
It’s cheap
Correct answer: It uses a lot of energy
It makes water dirty

Q6.
Why is it wrong to say all Middle Eastern countries face the same water problems?

Correct answer: Water needs and availability vary by country
They all get heavy rainfall
They all have lakes
Oil solves water issues

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

4 Questions

Q1.
Match the keywords to their definitions:

Correct Answer:Desertification,Fertile land turning into desert

Fertile land turning into desert

Correct Answer:Desalination,Removing salt from seawater

Removing salt from seawater

Correct Answer:Sustainable,Able to continue over a long time

Able to continue over a long time

Q2.
What is vertical farming?

Growing plants on slopes
Farming done with helicopters
Correct answer: Growing crops in stacked layers
A method for mining underground

Q3.
What causes desertification?

More rainfall
Correct answer: Over-farming and drought
Tree planting
Urban development

Q4.
Why is the belief that “we can’t grow plants in deserts” incorrect?

Deserts are now cooler
Some deserts are not real
Correct answer: New technology and plant adaptations allow plant growth
The desert turns into rainforest