Students explore a range of examples of Russian art: architecture, music, visual and folk art, literature, and ballet. Then, they learn about Soviet defectors and analyze the influence of totalitarianism on the arts.
Students explore a range of examples of Russian art: architecture, music, visual and folk art, literature, and ballet. Then, they learn about Soviet defectors and analyze the influence of totalitarianism on the arts.
Students read an overview of Russia’s rich cultural history and how the Soviet Union’s totalitarian control affected artistic expression. They examine images of Russian Orthodox church architecture, including the Kremlin Church and St. Basil’s Cathedral, and respond to a word cloud prompt describing what the domes make them think of. Students then watch a video about St. Basil’s Cathedral, exploring interactive pop-up links, and answer several polls about the cathedral’s location, architectural features, and descriptive qualities.
Teacher MovesIntroduce the experience by highlighting the lesson objectives and explaining the historical context of Russia’s “Golden Age” of art and the later impact of Soviet totalitarianism. Clarify the symbolism and practical purpose of the onion-shaped domes. After students view the St. Basil’s Cathedral video and complete the polls, review their responses to reinforce key architectural details and correct misconceptions before moving on.
Students are introduced to major Russian composers and their works, then listen to excerpts from The Nutcracker Suite, Peter and the Wolf, and The Firebird to experience different examples of Russian classical music. As they listen, they complete a graphic organizer by recording descriptive words or phrases that capture the mood, style, or musical qualities of each piece.
Teacher MovesBriefly introduce Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, and Stravinsky and situate their music within Russian cultural history. Guide students in accessing and playing the recordings, prompting them to focus on elements such as tempo, instrumentation, and emotion as they fill in the organizer. Circulate to support students’ listening and vocabulary, then debrief by inviting volunteers to share descriptors and compare how the pieces are similar or different.
Students examine examples of Russian visual and folk art from the imperial era, including Fabergé Easter eggs and matryoshka dolls, and learn about their cultural significance and audiences. They are introduced to Wassily Kandinsky and view one of his abstract paintings, using their imagination to interpret what it might represent. Students then contribute to a word cloud by suggesting a title for the painting.
Teacher MovesExplain how imperial patronage shaped Russian art and highlight the symbolism and social meanings of Fabergé eggs and matryoshka dolls. Introduce Kandinsky as a pioneer of abstract art and encourage students to look closely at color, shape, and composition before naming the painting. After students submit word cloud responses, reveal that the work is titled Composition 6, share its date and museum location, and discuss how their suggested titles compare to the actual one.
Students read a brief overview of Russian literature’s global influence and then examine four quotations from classic Russian novels by Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, Gogol, and Solzhenitsyn. They choose one quote that interests them, post an explanation of what they think it means on a class discussion wall, and then read classmates’ posts and respond to at least two with questions or positive comments.
Teacher MovesIntroduce the featured authors and, as needed, provide context for each quotation, including Solzhenitsyn’s criticism of the Soviet regime and his experience in labor camps. Monitor the discussion wall, prompting students to clarify or deepen their interpretations and modeling respectful, evidence-based responses. After students have interacted with peers’ posts, lead a whole-class discussion to identify and synthesize the universal themes represented in the quotations.
Students learn about the Bolshoi Ballet and Rudolf Nureyev’s career and defection from the Soviet Union. They watch a video about Nureyev’s dancing and his decision to defect, then respond on a class wall to the prompt: why an artist in a totalitarian state might choose to defect to another country.
Teacher MovesProvide background on Russian ballet, the Bolshoi, and the Kirov, emphasizing how Soviet rules restricted artists’ contact with foreigners and limited personal and artistic freedom. After students view the video and post their responses, highlight insightful or representative answers for class discussion. Use guiding questions about freedom of expression, state control, and potential consequences for defectors’ families to deepen students’ analysis of how totalitarianism shapes artistic life and personal choices. Refer students to the additional reading on Soviet ballet defectors in the student pack for further exploration.
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