The Sahara: Home of the Tuareg

Every year the Tuareg travel 1,000 miles over a six-month period in the hostile African desert. Based on the DESERT ODYSSEY episode of the AFRICA series, airing Sunday, September 16th at 8:00 PM, this lesson encourages students to explore how the environment influences the Tuareg semi-nomadic culture and experience. Students research and analyze other groups as well, including their own, and examine the impact culture has on environment.

Grade Level:
High School

Time Allotment:
Five 50-minute class periods

Subject Matter:
Social Studies, Language Arts

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

gain an understanding of the relationship between environment and culture.
analyze their own environment and explain its impact on their culture and human experience.
explore the effects environment has on culture.

Standards

New York History Standards

Standard 2 - World History, Commencement
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/socst/pub/sslearn.pdf
Students:

define culture and civilization, explaining how they develop and change over time. In addition, they investigate the various components of cultures and civilizations (including social customs, norms, values, and traditions), political systems, economic systems, religions and spiritual beliefs, and socialization or educational practices.
explain the dynamics of cultural change and how interactions between and among cultures have affected various cultural groups throughout the world.

New Jersey Geography Standards

Social Studies/Behavioral Studies Standard 6.5
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/socst/pub/sslearn.pdf
Cumulative Progress Indicators:
Building upon knowledge and skills gained in the preceding grades, by the end of Grade 12, students:

analyze the mutual influences among different cultures throughout time.
interpret how various cultures have adapted to their environments.
analyze how beliefs and principles are transmitted in a culture.
understand the multiple influences of gender, family background, religion, ethnicity, socio-economic position, and nationality as the bases for analysis of individual identity.

Connecticut Geography Standards

Content Standard 12
Human and Environment Interaction
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/socst/pub/sslearn.pdf
Students will use geographic tools and technology to explain the interactions of humans and the larger environment, and the evolving consequences of those interactions.

This lesson was prepared with Laurel Blaine.

Overview | Procedures for Teachers | Organizers for Students