In Arid Africa we discover how the continent is being ripped apart by continental drift, the African Great Lakes and the difference between Arid and Semi-Arid. We look at how famine is a daily threat of those who live on the Sahel and we investigate the shock westerners might feel at African culture, rites of passage marriage. Finally we take a look at urbanization and explore how its affects society at large.
 
Textbook topics include: 
	
The Great Rift Valley
	
The African Great Lakes
	
Paleontological Discoveries
	
Mountains and Plateaus
	
Arid Climate
	
The Sahara Desert
	
Egypt
	
The Suez Canal
	
The Sahel and the Semi-Arid
	
Famine
	
Culture Shock	
		
African Culture
		
Family in Africa
		
Rights of Passage
		
Marriage
	
	
	
Urbanization	
		
Housing
		
Water Supply & Sanitation
		
Waste & Pollution
		
Employment
		
Informal Economy 
		
Crime & Poverty
	
	
 
We recommend: GeoToys — GeoPuzzle Africa and The Middle East
 
The portfolio will ask learners to consider, research and discuss various questions relating to the topics in the textbooks through: 
	
Questions
	
Research tasks 
	
Practice maps
	
News articles 
	
Assignment to report on and presentation a topic of the learners' choice for which we have included an assessment matrix. 
 
*Bonus: Reading list of at least 50 novels related to this region.