1. Notes for CultureGrams & World Conflicts Today Users
2. Did You Know?
3. Holiday Focus/Upcoming World Holidays
4. Teaching Idea
5. Quiz
6. Recipes
7. In the News
8. Email Service Information & Newsletter Forwarding

• East Timor, a tiny country in Southeast Asia, independent since 2002.
• Liberia, a West African nation founded by freed U.S. slaves in the 19th century.
• Palau, a former U.S. territory of more than 300 islands spread between the Philippine Sea and the Pacific Ocean.

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• In Saudi Arabia, people prefer to talk before and after a meal rather than during it.
  
  
• Shi‘i (Shi’ite) Islam has been Iran’s state religion since the 1500s.
  
  
• In Lebanon, Qahwah Saadah, a bitter Bedouin coffee, is served on special occasions.
  
  
• Damascus, the capital of Syria, is one of the oldest continuously inhabited capitals in the world.
  
  
• Lebanon's national parliament has an equal number of seats reserved for Christians and Muslims.

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Some Upcoming World Holidays

U.S. Virgin Islands – Organic Act Day – June 21
Commemorates the granting of local rule to the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Luxembourg – Grand Duke’s Birthday – June 23
This celebration of the monarchy is also called National Day.

Estonia – Jaanipäev (Midsummer's Day) – June 24
Marks the start of the summer's “white nights,” during which the sun sets for only a few hours. Similar midsummer celebrations are held in nearby countries, including Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Sweden.

Slovenia – National Day – June 25
Commemorates independence, which was won in 1991.

Barbados – Crop Over Festival – June to early August
Celebrates the end of the sugarcane harvest.

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McREL Geography Standards

The World in Spatial Terms

Standard 2: Knows the location of places, geographic features, and patterns of the environment. Level II [Grades 3–5] Benchmark 3: Knows the approximate location of major continents, mountain ranges, and bodies of water on Earth.

Developed by Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning

National Geography Standards

Human Systems

Standard 2: The geographically informed person knows and understands how to use mental maps to organize information about people, places, and environments.

Developed by the National Council for Geographic Education

• CultureGrams Kids Edition
• Map: North America
• Map: South America
• Map: Europe
• Map: Africa
• Map: Asia
• Map: Oceania

1. Divide the class into four groups, and assign each group one of four regions:

   North and South America
   Europe
   Africa
   Asia and Oceania

2. For each region, print out a list of the countries available in the Kids Edition. Have each group locate these countries on the regional maps (listed above).
   
   
3. Have students access the “Games and Sports” page for each country on their list. Have them determine in which countries soccer is played and highlight these countries on their regional maps. What number or percentage of the countries on their lists play soccer?
   
   
4. As a class, discuss their findings. Explore some reasons why soccer is such a popular sport around the globe (inexpensive to play, introduced by colonial powers, etc.).
   
   
5. During the 2006 World Cup, assign each student a country to follow during the competition. Use the success of particular teams to launch a discussion about those countries. Internet sites that may be useful include:
   FIFA World Cup
   International Football Federation (FIFA)
   U.S. Soccer Federation
   BBC “World Football”
   Union of European Football Associations
   
   
6. Extension Activity: Share recent news articles with students about tournament celebrations in soccer-loving countries. For example:
   “In Pictures: Africa’s fan fever”
   “Thousands Welcome Ivory Coast”
   “Football frenzy”
   
   
7. Discuss the impact soccer success can have on a nation.

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1. What tiny Persian Gulf nation consists of 33 islands, only 3 of which are inhabited?
   
   
2. Excluding coastal waters, no permanent body of water exists within this country on the southwestern tip of the Arabian Peninsula.
   
   
3. What loose federation of seven emirates has its capital in Abu Dhabi?
   
   
4. What nation has the largest oil reserves in the world?
   
   
5. The number of expatriate workers living in these three Persian Gulf nations is larger than the number of citizens.

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Main Dish from Iraq
Maraq
Lamb and Vegetable Stew

Ingredients:

1 pound dried beans
1 pound lamb meat, cut into pieces
2 medium onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Cooking oil
Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Wash beans and soak for one hour. Boil until tender.
2. Sauté onions, garlic, and meat in a pot with cooking oil until meat is tender.
3. Add chopped tomatoes, salt and pepper, and 2 cups of water. Mix well over medium-high heat.
4. Add tomato paste diluted with water; mix.
5. Let mixture cook on medium heat for 30 minutes.
6. Add lemon juice, and cook mixture for another 10 to 15 minutes.
7. Serve hot with rice.

Hint:
To add okra to the stew, wash 1 pound of small okra, cut ends, boil for about 10 minutes, then add to meat and tomato paste mixture during step 4. Then continue with above directions.

Side Dish from Jordan
Pita Bread

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons dry yeast
1 cup warm water
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Dissolve the yeast in one cup warm water. Sift together the flour and salt. Add to the yeast and water mixture. Work the mixture into a dough and knead for several minutes. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for
three hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F.
3. Divide the dough into six equal portions and roll into balls. With hands or a rolling pin, pat and press each ball of dough into a five-inch circle about 1/2 inch thick. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, or until the pitas are light golden brown.

Yields: 8 pitas

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