The document is an introduction to a 7th grade social studies unit on the Middle East that will address the ongoing conflicts in the region. It poses four essential questions about the causes of conflicts in the Middle East, disputes over land entitlement, why the US is involved in Iraq and Afghanistan, and possible solutions. It includes a KWL chart where students can record what they already know, want to learn, and ultimately learn about topics like the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, oil, Islam, 9/11, and weapons of mass destruction.