Traveling to the Arabian Peninsula?

As part of the revised history curriculum this year, students in Mike Adamowicz’s 8th grade history class recently completed a unit studying the history, culture, and environment of the Arabian Peninsula. They were given several opportunities and ways to demonstrate their knowledge of the material. Here are two examples of student work from his class.

Book Cover – This student created a book cover for a fictitious book about the life of Muhammad.

Muhammad Book Cover (click for larger view)

Travel Article – This student wrote an article providing travel tips to people traveling to the Arabian Peninsula during the time of Muhammad.

Ten Tips for Living Large on the Arabian Peninsula

There are many important considerations to keep in mind when traveling to the Arabian Peninsula. Before you embark on your journey, make sure to properly prepare for deserts, oases, coastal plains, and mountains. Properly preparing for these four very different environments includes having appropriate clothing and resources.

The Desert is a dry sandy land that receives scarce precipitation. The weather during the day is blazing hot, but at night it is chilly. There are excessive amounts of violent sandstorms. Life in the desert can hardly exist because of lack of soil and precipitation. In order to adapt to the desert you should store or find water; this will keep you hydrated, so you can battle the intensity of the sun. You should bring your camel along so you can ride. Make sure your camel is hydrated too. This will keep you both moving at a steady rate. In order to keep warm at night you should pack a blanket and a tent, this won’t only keep you warm but away from small critters such as lizards. Pack light!

Oases are parts of the desert that provide fresh water from underground. There are plants and animals that exist there. Oases also provide fertile land. You should use the oases as places to get clean. It is also a good place for a permanent settlement. Farming and irrigating and building wells will play a tremendous roll in getting your “civilization” started.

Coastal plains are the lining of the lands. The air is damp. There is a great supply of food, and boats. Boats are good for trade, so there are plenty of resources to keep the coastal plain’s civilizations successful. There are many trees here, so this is a very good place, especially for asthmatics.

Mountains range from 1000-1200 ft. On mountains there are much cooler temperatures, more precipitation, and rougher vegetation. You should keep in mind food when adapting to mountains. Terrace farming is a great method for growing food. Melons and Pomegranates are very popular crops that grow from terrace farming. Bring layered clothing because of the weather changes.

Whenever you decide to embark upon your journey to the deserts, oases, coastal plains, and mountains remember and use these tips. These tips will keep you “alive!”