Students are introduced to the physical geography of Russia. They create a geographic passport of the country. Then they identify and compare features of Russia with the United States using maps. Finally, students create a poster that presents the climate, terrain, and natural resources of Russia.
Students read an introduction to Russia’s physical geography and the lesson objectives. They contribute to a word cloud by sharing words or short phrases that come to mind when they think of Russia, then add one question about the geography of Russia to a class table to guide their inquiry throughout the experience.
Teacher MovesPreview the experience, highlighting that students will explore Russia’s physical features, climate, and natural resources and compare them with those of the United States. Facilitate a brief discussion of students’ prior knowledge using the word cloud, then review and keep visible the class list of geography questions, revisiting it as students find answers and encouraging additional research for any unanswered questions.
Students read an overview article on Russia to learn about its size, time zones, and key physical characteristics, then answer multiple-choice and inline-choice questions to check their understanding. Using online sources, they complete a geographic passport graphic organizer for Russia, recording information such as area, climate, terrain, natural hazards, natural resources, population rank, and urban population. Finally, they post to a class wall describing what they notice about how Russia compares to the United States.
Teacher MovesEnsure students access and read the Russia overview article, then monitor and support them as they answer the embedded questions, clarifying misconceptions about Russia’s size and time zones. Guide students in using reliable internet sources to complete the geographic passport, prompting them to use precise geographic language. Lead a brief discussion of wall posts, drawing out observations about Russia’s large landmass, relatively smaller population, and colder regions compared with the United States. Organize students into small groups for the next scene, assign each group either Task 1 (human geography) or Task 2 (physical geography), and designate or have them choose a group reporter.
In small groups, students are assigned one of two tasks: (1) compare and contrast population density and language diversity in Russia and the United States using the World Population Density and Language Diversity maps, or (2) compare and contrast climate zones and landforms in Russia and the United States using the Climate Zones and Landforms maps. A group note taker uploads a screenshot of one of the group’s maps and adds a title. Students then review a map from the task they did not originally explore and discuss it within their group. Finally, they post to a small-group wall describing similarities and differences between Russia and the United States.
Teacher MovesClarify the two task options and ensure each group understands which maps to use and how to navigate them. Provide technical support for taking and uploading screenshots and for basic map-tool functions as needed. Circulate to prompt deeper comparison between Russia and the United States, emphasizing patterns in population density, language diversity, climate zones, and landforms. During the wall discussion, highlight key similarities and differences students identify, such as Russia’s lower population density, slightly less language diversity, and the distribution of plains, plateaus, basins, and mountains in both countries. Transition students to completing the remainder of the experience individually.
Students synthesize what they have learned by creating a poster that presents Russia’s climates, terrains, and natural resources. They include clear definitions of key terms and select or create images that illustrate different climates and landforms. Students either design the poster directly on the digital canvas or create it on paper and upload a photo, then review classmates’ posters to see additional examples and perspectives on Russian geography.
Teacher MovesReview expectations for the poster, emphasizing accurate information, clear definitions, and effective visual representations of climate, terrain, and natural resources. Support students in organizing their information and using appropriate geographic vocabulary. Arrange opportunities for students to view and, if possible, present their posters to peers in this or another class, prompting constructive feedback and discussion about how climate and terrain influence human settlement and resource use in Russia.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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