EDUCATION / SMART RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS AND PARENTS : LAUNCH POINT: Where Homework and the Internet Meet : Middle East

The Middle East has been called “the cradle of civilization” because it was the source of the earliest cities, governments, law codes and alphabets. This region in southwestern Asia and northeastern Africa is home to many nations, which, while having deep political chasms, offer unique cultural treasures and important natural resources. Take a magic carpet ride through Middle Eastern history and culture by exploring the direct links on The Times’ Launch Point Web site: https://www.latimes.com/launchpoint/.

Level 1

Internet Public Library: The Middle East: Israelis consider Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year, so important that they celebrate this holiday for 48 hours. Explore the cultures of Israel and Egypt by learning about their holidays, reading folk tales, and even trying some games and recipes.

https://www.ipl.org/youth/cquest/middleeast/middle-east.html

Arab Names: Arab names are structured to reveal a person’s ancestry. Learn about the traditions behind men’s and women’s names and learn how to decode the names of several Middle Eastern rulers.

https://www.arab.net/arabnames/welcome.html

Little Horus Web Site: Through their studies of the stars, ancient Egyptian astronomers devised a 365-day calendar that was a model for the Julian calendar introduced by Roman leader Julius Caesar. Travel back in time through Egyptian history and culture and take a tour of modern Egypt in this site that features photos, maps and colorful illustrations.

https://www.horus.ics.org.eg/

Level 2

Mr. Dowling’s Electronic Passport--Middle East: The Suez Canal links the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea and enables trade among Europe, Africa and Asia. From ancient history to modern politics, discover the pivotal role the Middle East plays in the world, such as the importance of its oil exports.

https://www.mrdowling.com/607mena.html

Future Culture--Middle East: Are you interested in the intricate cultural details of countries such as Israel, Bahrain, Egypt, Qatar and Iran? Explore this fascinating corner of the world through maps, history and interesting facts on every country in the region.

https://www.wcpworld.com/future/mideast.htm

Encarta: Middle East: The Middle East is the birthplace of four major religions--Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Zoroastrianism--and religious beliefs figure prominently throughout its history and culture. Get acquainted with Middle Eastern geography, history and culture through this site, which details the area’s beginnings in Egypt and Sumer and continues to the present day with the Palestine Liberation Organization.

https://encarta.msn.com/find/Concise.asp?z=1&pg;=2&ti;=06CCC000

Level 3

Center for Middle Eastern Studies: What is the story behind ancient Yemenite megaliths or the designs employed in traditional Turkish rugs? This site helps you investigate everything from national histories and economies to religions and natural resources in 23 Middle Eastern nations.

https://link.lanic.utexas.edu/menic/

Library of Congress Country Studies: Learn about the history, geography, culture, economy and government of the following Middle Eastern countries: Bahrain, Cyprus, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.

https://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/

CNN: Struggle for Peace: Explore the background of the Middle Eastern peace talks and read updates on negotiations. Participate in a global discussion of current issues.

https://www.cnn.com/WORLD/struggle_for_peace/

EXPLORER’S QUEST

The answer to this Internet quiz can be found in the sites at right.

How much saltier is the Dead Sea than the ocean?

CLUE: See Mr. Dowling’s Electronic Passport--Middle East

Find What You Need to Know: Have a project on California history? Need help doing a math problem? Launch Point now covers more than 100 topics for getting your schoolwork done. Go to https://www.latimes.com/launchpoint/ for the full list of subjects and direct links to the best Internet sites.

Answer to last week’s Quest: “The Kegelstatt Trio”--kegelstatt means “bowling alley” in German.

Launch Point is produced by the UC Irvine department of education, which reviews each site for appropriateness and quality. Even so, parents should supervise their children’s use of the Internet. This column was designed by Steve Bluestone, Jodie Howerton, Angela Kehlet and Anna Manring.