Session 1 Warm-Up: Mapping Observation (5 minutes)

• Display the WWI Middle East Map on the projector or interactive whiteboard.
• Prompt students: “What do you notice about the boundaries, countries, and key geographic features (deserts, ports, coastlines) on this map?”
• Have students write one observation in their notebooks:
  
  
  
• Ask students to turn to a partner and share their observation (Think–Pair–Share).
• Invite 2–3 volunteers to share an interesting point with the whole class.

Differentiation:

• Provide pre-labeled map copies for ELLs or students with IEP/504 accommodations.
• Challenge advanced learners to identify which countries might control key supply routes based on this map.

Map Analysis Activity (10 minutes)

• Organize students into pairs and give each pair a copy of the WWI Middle East Map.
• Task 1: Label Key Territories
  
  • Identify and label each Arab territory on the map.
  
  • Mark at least three major cities, two deserts, and two ports.
  
  
• Task 2: Geographic Insights
  
  • In your notebook, answer:
  1. Which natural features (e.g., deserts, mountain ranges) might make movement difficult?
     
     
     
  2. How could access to ports and coastlines affect supply lines or alliances?
     
     
     
• Group Discussion Prompt: How might the geography you’ve identified influence military strategy during WWI in the Middle East?
  
  
  

Differentiation & Support:

• Provide lower-achieving pairs with a partially labeled map template.
• Circulate and offer guiding questions (e.g., “What do you notice about the distance between City A and City B?”).

Extension for Advanced Learners:

• Propose one hypothetical supply route connecting an Allied port to an inland city. Label it and justify your choice in one sentence.
  
  
  

Primary Source Discussion (10 minutes)

• Distribute the Arab Revolt Primary Source Excerpt to each small group (3–4 students).
• Step 1: Silent Reading & Annotation (3 minutes)
  • Individually, read the excerpt and underline any mentions of allies, tactics, or motivations.
  • Use the margin to jot down one quick question or reaction.
  
  
  
• Step 2: Group Roles & Share (2 minutes)
  • Assign roles: Summarizer, Questioner, Connector, Reporter.
  • Summarizer briefly explains the excerpt.
  • Questioner shares their annotation question.
  • Connector links a point in the text to what we learned on the map.
  • Reporter prepares one key finding to share with the class.
• Step 3: Guided Discussion (4 minutes)
  In your group, discuss these questions:
  1. Who is speaking in this excerpt, and why might they have written it?
     
     
     
  2. What does this source reveal about Arab perspectives on fighting in WWI?
     
     
     
  3. Identify at least one military tactic or strategy mentioned. How does geography play a role?
     
     
     
  4. (Extension for Advanced Learners) How might this account differ from a colonial (e.g., British or Ottoman) source?
• Step 4: Whole-Class Share (1 minute)
  • Invite 2–3 groups to share their Reporter’s key finding.
  • Teacher highlights connections between the primary source and the map analysis.

Differentiation:

• Provide sentence starters on a handout (e.g., “The speaker believes…, This suggests that…, I notice that…”).
• Allow ELL/IEP students to discuss in pairs before sharing in the full group.
• Advanced students can propose how this perspective influenced later independence movements.

Map Analysis Worksheet

Use the WWI Middle East Map and the Arab Revolt Primary Source Excerpt to complete the tasks below.

Part I: Map Labeling

1. On your map, directly label each of these regions:
   • Hejaz
   • Nejd
   • Ottoman Syria
   • Mesopotamia
2. Mark and label the following key cities:
   • Mecca
   • Medina
   • Damascus
   • Baghdad
3. Shade and label two major deserts you identified on the map.
4. Circle and label two coastal ports that would have been strategic during WWI.

Part II: Geographic Insights

1. Which natural features (deserts, mountains, etc.) on this map would most hinder troop movement? Explain why:
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. How could control of the ports you labeled affect military supply lines or alliances? Provide specific examples:
   
   
   
   
   
   

Part III: Connecting to the Primary Source

1. According to the Arab Revolt Primary Source Excerpt, who is speaking and what motivates their actions? Support your answer with evidence from the text:
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Identify one military tactic or strategy mentioned in the excerpt. How does the geography you mapped either support or challenge that tactic?
   
   
   
   
   
   

Extension (Advanced Learners): Propose an alternative supply route connecting one of the ports you labeled to an inland city. On a blank map, draw your route and write a one-sentence justification below:

Arab World War I Quiz Cards

Use these cards for your Quick Quiz team game. Read the Front (Question) aloud, then reveal the Back (Answer) after teams respond.

Card 1
Front: Name the four Arab regions labeled on our WWI map.
Back: Hejaz, Nejd, Ottoman Syria, Mesopotamia.

Card 2
Front: Which two holy cities were key targets in the Arab Revolt?
Back: Mecca and Medina.

Card 3
Front: Which major desert is found in central Arabia and challenged troop movement?
Back: Rubʿ al-Khali (the Empty Quarter).

Card 4
Front: Name two coastal ports that were strategic for Allied supply lines.
Back: Jeddah and Aqaba.

Card 5
Front: Who issued the call for the Arab Revolt against the Ottomans?
Back: Sharif Hussein bin Ali.

Card 6
Front: Which British officer famously assisted the Arab fighters?
Back: T. E. Lawrence (“Lawrence of Arabia”).

Card 7
Front: According to our primary source, what tactic did Arab forces use against Ottoman supply lines?
Back: Guerrilla raids and sabotage of the Hejaz Railway.

Card 8
Front: How did geography benefit the Arab Revolt fighters?
Back: Their knowledge of desert routes and oases enabled surprise attacks and quick retreats.

Teams earn a point for each correct answer. Rotate through the cards until time is up or all cards are used.

Session 2 Warm-Up: Reviewing & Observing Outcomes Map (5 minutes)

• Step 1: Recall
  Ask students to write three takeaways from Session 1 in their notebooks:
  
  
  
• Step 2: Observe the Map
  Display the WWI Middle East Outcomes Map on the projector or whiteboard.
• Step 3: Notice & Note
  Prompt: “What new borders, mandate zones, or divisions do you see on this map compared to our last session?”
  Have students jot one insight or question:
  
  
  
• Step 4: Pair & Share
  Turn to a partner and share your observation.
  Invite 2–3 volunteers to share out with the class.

Differentiation:

• Provide sentence frames for ELL/IEP students (e.g., “I notice …, because …”).
• Challenge advanced learners to connect today’s map to the Sykes-Picot agreement or earlier geography.

Mandate Discussion (7 minutes)

• Step 1: Examine the Map
  In your small groups (3–4 students), look closely at the WWI Middle East Outcomes Map.
  • Identify which areas became British mandates (e.g., Mesopotamia/Iraq, Palestine) and which became French mandates (e.g., Syria, Lebanon).
  
  
• Step 2: Guided Group Questions
  Discuss and jot brief notes in your notebooks:
  1. Which territories were assigned to Britain versus France, and why do you think those powers received those regions?
     
     
     
  2. How did the 1916 Sykes-Picot Agreement influence the borders you see?
     
     
     
  3. What immediate challenges might local populations face under these new mandates?
     
     
     
• Step 3: Group Reporter Share
  Choose one “Reporter” to share your group’s key insight with the class (30 seconds each).
  • Focus on one surprising discovery or question your group raised.
  
  

Differentiation & Support:

• Provide sentence frames for ELL/IEP students (e.g., “This region became a ___ mandate because ___.”).
• Offer a version of the map with colored overlays to help students track British vs. French zones.

Extension for Advanced Learners:

• Debate: If you were a local leader in 1918, how might you negotiate with the mandate power to protect your community’s interests? Write a one-sentence proposal.

Border Comparison Activity (8 minutes)

• Pair students and provide each pair with:
  • WWI Middle East Outcomes Map
  • Modern Middle East Borders Map
• Step 1: Visual Linking
  • On a clean copy of the Outcomes Map, draw arrows linking each WWI mandate region to its corresponding modern nation-state(s) on the Modern Borders Map.
  • Use different colored pencils for British mandates vs. French mandates.
• Step 2: Written Reflection
  In your notebooks, answer both prompts with complete sentences:
  1. Two ways modern borders reflect the WWI mandate lines:
     
     
     
     
     
     
  2. Two ways modern borders diverge from the WWI lines:
     
     
     
     
     
     
• Step 3: Pair Share
  • Compare your reflections with another pair.
  • Identify one surprising similarity and one unexpected difference to share aloud.

Differentiation & Support:

• Provide lower-achieving students with a partially annotated map showing one or two arrow examples.
• Offer ELL/IEP students sentence starters (e.g., “One way borders reflect the mandates is…”, “A difference I notice is…”).

Extension for Advanced Learners:

• On the back of your map, annotate one modern country and list two historical events since 1918 that further altered its borders.

Campaign Outcomes Worksheet

Use the WWI Middle East Outcomes Map and the Modern Middle East Borders Map to complete the tasks below.

Part I: Mandate Mapping

1. On your Outcomes Map, shade all territories under British mandates and label them, then shade all territories under French mandates and label them.
   Which British mandate is the largest by area? Explain in one sentence:
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. List each mandate region and the corresponding modern nation-state(s) that emerged from it:
   
   
   
   
   
   

Part II: Border & Independence Timeline

1. Using the Modern Middle East Borders Map, identify which modern country corresponds to the former mandate of Mesopotamia. When did it officially gain independence? (Year):
   
   
   
2. Identify the modern state(s) that emerged from the French mandate of Ottoman Syria. Provide two examples:
   
   
   
   
   
   

Part III: Local Reactions & Long-Term Effects

1. Choose one mandate region and describe two immediate local reactions (e.g., uprisings, negotiations, petitions). Provide specific examples if possible:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Explain one long-term effect of the mandate system on modern national borders or identities in the region. Support with evidence from the maps or class discussion:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Extension (Advanced Learners):
Propose an alternative division of these territories after WWI (different from the Sykes-Picot lines). On a blank map, draw your proposed borders and write a one-paragraph justification below:

Session 2 Quiz Cards

Use these cards for your Quick Quiz team game in Session 2. Read the Front (Question) aloud, then reveal the Back (Answer) after teams respond.

Card 1
Front: Which territories became British mandates after WWI?
Back: Mesopotamia (Iraq), Palestine, and Transjordan.

Card 2
Front: Which two modern countries emerged from the French mandate of Ottoman Syria?
Back: Syria and Lebanon.

Card 3
Front: In what year did Iraq officially gain independence from the British mandate?
Back: 1932.

Card 4
Front: What was the name of the 1916 agreement that divided the Middle East between Britain and France?
Back: The Sykes-Picot Agreement.

Card 5
Front: What was the purpose of the League of Nations mandate system?
Back: To place former Ottoman territories under the administrative control of Allied powers until they could govern themselves.

Card 6
Front: Name one major local uprising against the mandates and its location.
Back: The Iraqi Revolt of 1920 (Mesopotamia) or the Great Syrian Revolt of 1925 (Syria).

Card 7
Front: Which city served as the administrative center for the British mandate of Palestine?
Back: Jerusalem.

Card 8
Front: Give one long-term effect of the WWI mandate borders on the modern Middle East.
Back: They created state boundaries that often ignored ethnic and religious divisions, contributing to future regional conflicts.

Teams earn one point for each correct answer. Continue through the cards until time is up or all cards have been used.

Test Answer Key

This answer key provides model responses, key points for grading, and step-by-step reasoning for each question on the End-of-Unit Test. Use this to award full, partial, or minimal credit based on student responses.

Question 1

Prompt: Using the WWI Middle East Outcomes Map, shade British mandates in one color and French mandates in another. Label each mandate region (Mesopotamia, Palestine, Transjordan, Syria, Lebanon).

Model Answer

• British mandates (shaded, e.g., blue):
  • Mesopotamia (Iraq)
  • Palestine
  • Transjordan
• French mandates (shaded, e.g., red):
  • Syria
  • Lebanon
• All five regions are clearly labeled next to their shaded areas.

Grading Rubric (5 points total)

1. Correct shading of British mandates: 2 points
2. Correct shading of French mandates: 2 points
3. Accurate labeling of all five regions: 1 point (0.2 per region)

Step-by-Step Reasoning

1. Identify which areas on the outcomes map were assigned to Britain vs. France.
2. Choose distinct colors and shade accordingly.
3. Write the name of each mandate next to its area.
4. Check that Mesopotamia, Palestine, and Transjordan are in one color, and Syria and Lebanon in the other.

Partial credit guidelines:

• If only one set of mandates is shaded correctly, award half of the shading points.
• If 3–4 labels are correct, award proportional credit (0.2 per correct label).

Question 2

Prompt: Briefly explain how the Sykes-Picot Agreement influenced the modern borders of the Middle East. Provide two specific examples.

Model Answer (Example)

The Sykes-Picot Agreement secretly divided Ottoman territories between Britain and France in 1916. First, it drew the line that placed Mesopotamia, Palestine, and Transjordan under British control—this directly became the borders of modern Iraq and Jordan. Second, it assigned Syria and Lebanon to French control, shaping the present-day boundaries of those nations. These colonial decisions ignored ethnic and geographic realities, setting the stage for later conflicts.

Key Points for Grading (4 points total)

• Explanation of Sykes-Picot dividing Ottoman lands between Britain and France: 1 point
• Example 1 (British mandate → modern state): 1 point
  (e.g., Mesopotamia → Iraq or Palestine → Israel/Palestinian territories or Transjordan → Jordan)
• Example 2 (French mandate → modern state): 1 point
  (e.g., Syria or Lebanon)
• Connection to modern border outcome: 1 point
  (mentions how those lines became national boundaries)

Step-by-Step Reasoning

1. State the purpose of Sykes-Picot (division of Ottoman provinces).
2. Identify one territory placed under British mandate and name the modern state that emerged.
3. Identify one territory placed under French mandate and name its modern successor.
4. Explain that the straight-line or arbitrary divisions became official borders after independence.

Partial credit guidelines:

• Award 0.5 points for a mention of the agreement without examples.
• Award 0.5 points per correct example if the student names one zone and its modern nation.

Question 3

Prompt: Choose one long-term effect of the WWI mandate borders on a modern Arab country (more than 50 years later). Describe the effect and support your answer with specific evidence.

Model Answer (Example)

One long-term effect is the division of Kurdish populations across Iraq, Syria, Turkey, and Iran. Because the mandate borders ignored ethnic boundaries, Kurds in northern Iraq have sought autonomy, leading to repeated uprisings (e.g., 1961–70 Iraqi Kurdish revolt) and the formation of the Kurdistan Regional Government after 2003. This illustrates how arbitrary lines have fueled ethnic conflicts even into the 21st century.

Key Points for Grading (5 points total)

• Identification of a specific long-term effect: 2 points
  (e.g., ethnic division, border conflicts, state identity issues)
• Clear connection to a modern Arab country: 1 point
  (e.g., Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine)
• Supporting evidence or example: 2 points
  (e.g., historical event, statistic, ongoing conflict, political arrangement)

Step-by-Step Reasoning

1. Choose one modern country that experienced a lasting impact from mandate-era borders.
2. Describe the effect (such as sectarian tension, partition of an ethnic group, disputed territory).
3. Provide at least one piece of supporting evidence (uprising date, political arrangement, conflict name).
4. Show how this effect is still relevant today (e.g., civil war, autonomy movement, border dispute).

Partial credit guidelines:

• If a student gives a valid effect but weak evidence, award 3–4 points.
• If the effect is vague or unsupported, award 1–2 points.

Use this key to ensure consistent and transparent grading. Adjust partial credit based on the depth and accuracy of each student’s response.

Project Guidelines: Modern Legacies of WWI in Arab Countries

Project Overview
In this project, you will research how a former WWI mandate region in the Arab world has evolved since the end of World War I. You will analyze the long-term political, social, and geographic effects of the mandate borders on a modern country or territory, and then present your findings in a written report and visual poster.

Learning Objectives

• Investigate the historical origins of modern borders in one former mandate region.
• Analyze long-term effects of WWI mandates on national identities, conflicts, or development.
• Develop research, critical thinking, and presentation skills.
• Communicate findings clearly in writing and visuals.

Project Steps & Timeline

1. Select Your Focus Region (In Class, 5 minutes)
   • Choose one former mandate region (e.g., Mesopotamia/Iraq, Palestine, Transjordan/Jordan, Syria, Lebanon).
   • Confirm your choice with the teacher.
2. Conduct Research (Homework, 3–4 days)
   • Use class maps, library resources, and approved websites to gather information on:
   • Date of mandate start and independence.
   • Key political or social events (e.g., uprisings, treaties, boundary changes).
   • Current challenges or controversies tied to mandate-era borders.
3. Write a 2-Page Report (Due Day 1 of Next Week)
   • Page 1: Introduction and historical background (mandate assignment, Sykes-Picot, early reactions).
   • Page 2: Analysis of long-term effects (political, social, economic, or geographic) with specific examples.
   • Cite at least three sources in a bibliography (MLA or APA format).
4. Design a Poster (Due Day 1 of Next Week)
   • Visually summarize your key findings:
   • Map showing original mandate and modern borders.
   • Timeline of major events.
   • One chart or photo illustrating a long-term effect.
5. Present to Class (Next Week, 3–5 minutes each)
   • Explain your region’s trajectory from mandate to modern state.
   • Highlight one surprising discovery or ongoing issue.
   • Answer 1–2 questions from classmates.

Project Deliverables

• Written Report (2 pages)
• Visual Poster (11×17" or digital slide)
• Bibliography (minimum 3 sources)
• Oral Presentation (3–5 minutes)

Assessment & Rubric

Notes & Support

• For IEP/504 accommodations or ELL support, you may submit an outline in advance or use sentence frames.
• Workshops on research and poster design will be offered during lunch hour.