Learning Unit -Global Studies:
The Commonwealth of Independent States
(2 week unit)
 by Bob Culpepper, ED-448, Winter 1996


Course Goal:
The purpose of this unit is to introduce students to a region of the world they hear a lot about, but know very little of:The Commonwealth of Independent States (Russia, Ukraine, etc...). This unit will cover a variety of topics including geography, culture, music, forms of government, population, economy, language and much more. By learning about other cultures, we can learn to appreciate our differences and recognize our similarities, with the goal of better understanding our world.


Concepts:
RussiaUkraineBelarusArmenia
AzerbaijanGeorgiaKazakhstanKyrgyzstan
MoldovaTurkmenistanTajikistanUzbekista
USSRBarents SeacommonwealthCaucasus Mountains
Baltic SeaChecheniaRubbleCaspian Sea
Ural MountainsCarpathian MountainsBalalaika Music


Specific Objectives:
  1. Given a map of the world, students will be able to identify the approximate location of the Commonwealth of Independent States.
  2. Given a map of the C.I.S., students will be able to locate and name nine (9) states of the Commonwealth of Independent States.
  3. Given a map of the C.I.S., students will be able to locate and label the Baltic Sea, Carpathian Mountains, Caspian Sea and Ural Mountains.
  4. After participating in the activities, the students will be able to name two different styles of Russian, or Ukrainian folk music.
  5. After participating in the activities, students will be able to identify the governmental structure of the C.I.S., and give examples of where this model has been used in the world previously.
  6. After participating in the activities, the student will be able to identify the predominant currency in the C.I.S. and compare it to other world currencies.
  7. Using Microsoft Encarta, or MS World Atlas, the students will write a two page essay over the state of their choice, or students can write a two page essay over what they learned from the unit and in-class activities.


Activities:
  1. Introduce the unit with the video The Last Russian Revolution. Give students a quick quiz over the concepts before continuing -no grade recorded.
  2. Introduce students to the book The Collapse of Communism. Assign reading for the chapters over rise of the USSR and the fall as well as economic conditions.
  3. Introduce students to the geography of the region, and hand out blank maps for the students to write on. Pass out list of cities and features to locate on the map.
  4. Invite speaker from Wright State, U.D. or Miami to speak on the C.I.S. and Russian region.
  5. Invite a speaker to introduce the students to Russian and Ukrainian folk music. Use the music clips with MS World Atlas and the CD Russian Folk Music.
  6. Use money-exchange activity to show the students the Russian Rubble and its relationship to the U.S. dollar, British pound, French Frank and German Mark.
  7. Use Forms of Government video tape to introduce students to the different types of government and explain which type the C.I.S. and its states uses.
  8. Using a Russian recipe book, have the students create Russian or Ukrainian cultural food for a class wrap-up to include native music and dance(?).
  9. Assign the essay, and explain the different choices.


Evaluation:
  • Were the students interested in the speakers and presentations?
  • Did the students ask any questions of the speakers or the teacher?
  • Did everyone participate to some degree in the class wrap-up?
  • Did everyone complete the assigned essay?


    Content Mastery