FOCUS QUESTION:
To what extent are the Mongols a product of their environment?

Materials

• Handout 1: Physical Map of Mongolia
• Handout 2: Physical Geography Map of Mongolia
• Handout 3: The Changing World of Mongolia's Nomads.

Performance Objectives

• Students will be able to define and identify the geographic features of the steppe
• Students will be able to evaluate the relationship between people and their environment.
• Students will be able to analyze how the environment of Mongolia helped the people of the region to develop a unique civilization

Springboard

Place the following on the chalkboard and ask students to respond.

How do the physical characteristics of your region affect how some people earn a living?
Discuss the connection between the physical features and the activities that take place such as farming, fishing, hunting, manufacturing or recreation.

Procedure

(Teacher's Note: If students are not familiar with terms such as nomad and steppe, it may be necessary to briefly explain or review these words.)

1. Distribute Handout 1: Physical Map of Mongolia and Handout Physical Geography Map of Mongolia. Allow students time to complete the questions at the bottom of Handout 1 and Handout 2.
   
   
2. Bring the class back together and summarize student findings on the chalkboard.
   
   An understanding of the geography gives us important insights into the history and the culture of a region. Life for people who live on an island is very different from life for those who live in a rugged, mountainous area. With much of the land covered by deserts and mountains, Mongolia's small population of 2.3 million is spread thinly over the broad steppes and deserts in an area larger than Alaska. Population density for the country as a whole is only about 4 people per square mile. About one-fourth of the population live in the capital, Ulan Bator, which is located in a river basin. How do Mongolia's physical features affect the lifestyles of its people?
   
   
3. Distribute Handout 3 - The Changing World of Mongolia's Nomads. Select several students to read this excerpt aloud to the class.
   
   
4. Discussion Questions
   
   
   1. There is an old expression which claims that " Necessity is the mother of invention." Read the excerpt from and make a list of the technological adaptations that the nomads had to make in order to survive.
   2. Most cultures have a set of rituals surrounding food and hospitality. Describe the way in which Mongolian nomads welcome strangers. How do the foods that are served reflect their environment?
   3. Cultures are shaped partially by the way in which people meet their needs. From the excerpt that you read, what conclusions can you draw about the life of nomadic Mongols?
      
      
      
5. Homework Assignment
   
   Have students write a letter to a friend in which they describe how Mongolia differs from their own area in landforms, water, vegetation and climate. Explain to your friend how the environment in Mongolia helped create a unique civilization.