This nine-week unit on the Middle East for sixth graders was developed as part of a series by the Public Education Religion Studies Center at Wright State University. A major objective is to help students understand and appreciate sacred times and sacred places within this cultural setting. They learn how beliefs and practices cause the people to manifest a certain behavior or life style. The unit traces the early development of Western civilization in the Middle East and describes how the geography, history, and religion of the area influence the Middle Eastern culture. Students examine the economic development in Saudi Arabia, Iraq Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, Turkey, and Egypt. They study how economic security can be attained through the development of natural resources, particularly oil, and the effect this has upon international power. Vocabulary, generalizations, and subject matter are outlined. Nine cognitive objectives each with several sub-points are given. For each objective there are corresponding suggestions for evaluation. Three affective objectives are listed, and references for both teacher and student are provided. (Author/BC)