Working+Draft+1

Back ** Russia Preliminary ** 1. What is the gist of Russia? The basic elements that compose Russia. (2) a. Geography (including natural resources) b. Climate c. Religion d. Government (past and present) e. People (population) 2. 3. What are the main periods in Russian history? 4. What occurred in the Russian Revolutions? 5. Who are the important figures in Russian history? 6. How do Russia and the environment interact? a. Nuclear Power (3 day mini-unit) b. environmental issues (pulp and paper mill next to Lake Baikal and dead seals) c. Moscow air 7. How has the past shaped the present-day Russia? (More inquiry or opinion?) 8. Russia and the media/ stereotypes 9. What are the advantages and disadvantages about being the largest country? (1) 1. For students to see the merits of living in a democratic country 2. For students to learn about Russian culture and the people (and hardships of people) 3. To raise an awareness of how the past can impact the present and future 4. To see the implications of pollution, waste, and the responsibility we have to the environment to protect future generations 5. Maybe address stereotypes associated with Russia during certain periods and try to negate them 6. For students to learn about the revolutions in Russia, their causes, the effects and to know the key players in each 1. Students will be knowledgeable of an overview of Russia that includes geography, climate, religion, government, people, etc. 2. Examine how Russia interacts with the environment through nuclear power, mills, and air pollution. 3. They should identify the impact of pollution on the environment and the people of Russia as well as people in other locations that are affected by Russia. 4. They should speculate reasons why Russia “allows” pollution. (Nuclear power and tragedies, Baikal seals, Moscow’s air) 5. Identify certain shifts in the Russian government/politics over time and compile characteristics of each. 6. Be knowledgeable of important figures in Russian history and connect the roles/contributions of important rulers or people in Russia (Ivan IV, Peter the Great, Catherine the Great, Nicholas II, Romanov Family, Lenin, Stalin, Gorbachev, Yeltsin, Putin). They should also be able to comment on these individuals and their contributions 7. Speculate on how Russia in the past helped to shape the Russia of today. 8. Be able to chart a timeline of Russian history. 9. Extract information from readings and research on the chronology of the history of Russia including major events, revolutions, leaders, etc. 10. Students should be able to craft an opinion on which period in Russian history was the best (in their opinion) for the Russian people. 11. Students will be able to work collaboratively and peacefully within groups 12. Students will be able to use technology in a way that enhances the learning experience. 13. Students will be able to write to reinforce learning 14. Students will write for assessment of learning 15. Students will craft responses that are insightful and demonstrate their connection with the material taught 16. Students will be able to access information from internet sources, the textbook, and distributed resources that will facilitate their learning. NCSCOS Objectives ELA **1.02** Respond to expressive materials that are read, heard, and/or viewed by:
 * Organizing Questions:**
 * Goals**
 * Objectives**
 * monitoring comprehension for understanding of what is read, heard, and/or viewed.
 * summarizing the characteristics of expressive works.
 * determining the importance of literary effects on the reader/viewer/listener.
 * **making connections between works, self and related topics.**
 * comparing and/or contrasting information.
 * **drawing inferences and/or conclusions.**
 * **determining the main idea and/or significance of events.**
 * generating a learning log or journal.
 * maintaining an annotated list of works read/viewed.
 * creating an artistic interpretation that connects self and/or society to the selection.
 * constructing and presenting book/media reviews.

**1.03** Interact in group settings by: **2.01** Respond to informational materials that are read, heard, and/or viewed by: SS 1. Picture slideshow of Russian geography and people groups 2. Maps of Russia on the European side and Asian side 3. Character maps (maybe bubble maps?) of key individuals in Russia (Ivan IV, Peter the Great, Catherine the Great, Nicholas II, Vladimir Lenin, Josef Stalin, Mikhail Gorbachev, Boris Yeltsin, Vladimir Putin) 4. Laptop with internet access and projector 5. Large, table sized sheets of paper 6. Construction paper or poster board 7. Markers, glue, tape, rulers, scissors, etc. 8. Nuclear power Sources a. Glogster ([]) b. [] c. http://www.guardian.co.uk/flash/page/0,,1748554,00.html d. http://www.solcomhouse.com/nuclear.htm e. [] f. http://www.nti.org/db/nisprofs/russia/fissmat/pumayak/pomayak.htm g. [] h. [] i. http://www.cncp.ru/eng/cities/seversk/seversk.shtml j. [] k. [] 9. Possible film clips: a. Despicable Me (how Gru, with the Russian accent, is portrayed- social commentary) b. Enemy at the Gates c. How to Train Your Dragon (look at stereotypes of Vikings- are they depicted accurately?) d. The Cranes are Flying 10. Russian Music a. T.A.T.u b. Regina Spector c. YouTube Russian Folk Music 11. Poetry a. Anna Akhmatova “Memory of Sun” b. Andrei Voznesensky “Russian-American Romance” (relation to Cold War- have students write a response poem, from American back to Russia) 12. Short stories : [|www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/13437/pg13437.txt] 13. Advertising a. Maria Sharapova and Anna Kournikova (Tennis) b. Propaganda: Russophobia and [|www.englishrussia.com] 14. If you really knew me guidelines 15. Russian language - [] 16. Interactive Russia Peter’s Map ([]) 17. Strange maps - [] 1. If You Really Knew Me Activity (?) based off the MTV reality show. A stereotype dispelling activity. Perhaps students pretend to be in the place of a Russian citizen during a certain period of time. Have to accurately depict them as they are rather than as the US (maybe during Cold War time) sees them or as someone else sees them. 2. Generating a What We Know pictures/words sheet at beginning of unit .(10 minutes) Place a big sheet on the board at the front of the room. Have Russian folk music playing in the background. All students have markers and go to the board and write or draw something they know or think about Russia. At the top of the paper: (Что Вы знаете о России?) ( What do you know about Russia?) Note: Russia - Россия 3. Timeline on historical events in Russia 4. Comparison and contrasting of American democracy and Russian communism 5. A commentary on the leaders/important people or a writing from one of the important people’s point of view 6. Which period or space in time was the best in Russian history for the people? (in your opinion)
 * responding appropriately to comments and questions.
 * offering personal opinions confidently without dominating.
 * giving appropriate reasons that support opinions.
 * soliciting and respecting another person's opinion.
 * monitoring comprehension for understanding of what is read, heard and/or viewed.
 * analyzing the characteristics of informational works.
 * **summarizing information.**
 * determining the importance of information.
 * **making connections to related topics/information.**
 * **drawing inferences and/or conclusions.**
 * **generating questions.**
 * 1.02** Generate, interpret, and manipulate information from tools such as maps, globes, charts, graphs, databases, and models to pose and answer questions about space and place, environment and society, and spatial dynamics and connections.
 * 2.01** Identify key physical characteristics such as landforms, water forms, and climate and evaluate their influence on the development of cultures in selected African, Asian and Australian regions.
 * 3.01** Identify ways in which people of selected areas in Africa, Asia, and Australia have used, altered, and adapted to their environments in order to meet their needs and evaluate the impact of their actions on the development of cultures and regions.
 * 3.02** Describe the environmental impact of regional activities such as deforestation, urbanization, and industrialization and evaluate their significance to the global community.
 * 4.03** Examine key ethical ideas and values deriving from religious, artistic, political, economic, and educational traditions, as well as their diffusion over time, and assess their influence on the development of selected societies and regions in Africa, Asia, and Australia.
 * Resources/Materials**
 * Activities:**