Submitted by Jeffrey Kase
Objectives:
Content:
Students will...
- identify the two continents Russian occupies (Европа, Азия)
- name and locate the natural geographic feature that separates Europe from Asia within Russia (Уральские горы)
- identify 2 oceans bordering Russia and in which direction they can be found (Тихий океан--in the east, Ледовитый океан--in the north)
- name the country that is geographically the largest on earth (Россия)
- name the capital of the Russian Federation (Москва)
- identify 5 bodies of water (seas, lakes, and rivers) inside Russia
Cultural:
Students will...
- use authentic materials to produce meaning (maps and street signs)
- read environmental signs recognizable to English speakers
- identify what Russians commonly refer to as the "Northern Capital" of Russia (Санкт-Петербург)
Language: Content Obligatory
Students will...
- use это + a noun to identify points and features on a map
- understand and use the question что это? ("what is this?")
- recognize new vocabulary of basic geographic terms to express topographical features using the vocabulary река, озеро, океан, море, город, столица, Уральские горы, Россия, Азия, Европа, континент, страна
- identify and label Russian city and geographic feature names including direction names (север, юг, восток и запад)
- properly pronounce stressed and unstressed vowel "о" using the word Москва as one example
- decline geographic directions using preposition на + prepositional case
- decline nouns using preposition в + prepositional case
Language: Content Compatible
Students will...
- use the 1st person pronoun я + 1st person conjugation of жить to express where they live
- recognize 2nd and 3rd person conjugations of жить to answer questions about where people live
Learning Strategies / Social and Skills Development:
Students will...
- use congnates as a strategy for decoding/reading Russian geographic names and signs
- use familiar logos/trademarks to assist in word recognition
Time Frame:
2 50-minute periods
Materials Needed:
- large Russian-language map of Russia or the world
- computer with MS PowerPoint
- LCD projector
- crossword puzzle: Crossword 2 Map of Russia
- compass points handout (1 per student)
- compass points key
- map of Russia, Russian labels from lesson 1 (1 per student)
- overhead projector and word list
Description of Assessment (Performance Project):
** Day 1 **
Pre-Task:
1. Introducing это and что это? Teacher uses vocabulary from lesson 1 and это to make simple sentences indicating to students what various objects in the room are (i.e. teacher indicates Russia on a map and states, Это Россия. Teacher indicates the United States on the map and says, Это Америка. Teacher indicates a computer in the room and states, Это комрютер, and so on). Teacher will monitor student comprehension after several statements by allowing students to finish the statement, Это... while indicating something a student can easily identify in Russian (i.e. teacher points to a student and states, Это... and waits for another student to fill in the indicated student's name).2. Once students have understood the use of это as "this is," Teacher can begin posing the question Что это (what's this?) in much the same way as s/he introduced это above. Students will answer the teacher's questions by using это + the noun indicated.
3. PowerPoint Jeopardy. Teacher divides class into 3 teams. Students will play "Jeopardy" using the PowerPoint presentation "Jeopardy Russian Cognates." (As a point of interest, Jeopardy is a game show in Russia as well. There it is called Своя игра which the teacher can mention to the class). In each turn, each team will choose a category and point value. A photograph of a Russian street sign will appear. Students decode what they see on the screen and receive points for correct answers. The difficulty in decoding words increases with increased point values. In addition, the environmental clues present in the photos (i.e. the "Golden Arches" of McDonalds or other easily recognizable branding) decrease as point values increase. As photos appear on the screen, the teacher can repeat the question, что это? to reinforce students' recognition of the question.
During Task:
1. Alternating statements and questions, teacher will indicate and ask about various geographic features on a Russian map widening the students' vocabulary to include both a review of lesson 1 vocabulary, appropriate vocabulary from the cognates crossword puzzle, and new vocabulary for this lesson: север, юг, восток, запад, река, озеро, океан, море, город, столица, горы, Россия, сибирь, Азия, Европа, горы, континент, страна. A list of these words can be projected onto a screen at the front of the room next to the map the teacher uses. (See content and language objectives for vocabulary and specific features that students will identify. These objectives should inform the teacher's choice of vocabulary to use and statements and questions to pose to students). All students will have an opportunity to answer questions что это? using это + names of cities, bodies of water, geographic landmarks, and countries from the printed materials they have.2. Using their Russian labeled maps from lesson 01, students label what they hear the teacher indicate on a larger map. Students can use the projected list of vocabulary to help them properly spell the geographic features indicated by the teacher.
3. Teacher hands out the blank compass directions sheet for students to fill in. Using a combination of gestures and verbal language the teacher shows students the eight compass direction points. The direction sheet will be used as a reference for future use.
4. Students take turns indicating compass directions on the map in response to teacher's questions.
Post-Task:
1. Teacher hands out the catagorization chart. Students fill in the chart writing down 5 geographic features (cities, bodies of water, mountains, regions, etc.) that can fit into each of the eight direction categories. Students will see the prepositional case for the first time in the chart headings. Teacher will pronounce each heading and highlight the ending change on the direction name, however a detailed explanation of prepositional case will follow in day 2 of this lesson (see tasks below). This chart will be due at the beginning of the next class session.2. Teacher hands out crossword puzzle "Crossword 2 Map of Russia" for students to complete before the next class session. This time, clues are in English but answers for this puzzle must be written in Russian.
** Day 2 **
Pre-Task:
1. Using the eight directions organization chart from the previous day's post-task, teacher begins by asking students the questions что на севере? что на северо-востоке? etc. Each student answers a question. (Each compass direction should be used to generate questions).2. Teacher can switch questions by asking where a particular feature is thus eliciting a response by students using the prepositional case phrase from the charts headings (i.e. teacher asks, Где Чёрное Море? Student answers На юго-западе.
During Task:
1. Introducing предложный падеж with compass directions. Teacher uses the PowerPoint presentation Предложный падеж to show function and form of prepositional case.2. As students view the presentation they are required to write their own rules governing the use and form of prepositional case. There are two rules they will write governing the two ending changes they will see in the presentation: --е and --ии. Students need only write rules that they can remember and understand. There can be class consensus of the wording of the rule (which the teacher can then type into the presentation), but it is preferable for individual students to use their own metalanguage to create the rules governing what they have observed occurring in the language.
3. At the end of the presentation students are given questions and answer prompts which allow them to practice uttering sentences that answer the question, где? (where?).
4. Using their Russian labeled maps from lesson 1, students answer the question где...? using на + a cardinal direction + the proper prepositional case ending. For example, teacher asks Где Тихий Океан? Student will answer, На востоке. Teacher poses questions for each student to answer. Questions should be varied and eventually elicit each cardinal direction declined in prepositional case preceded by the preposition на. (See content objectives for the geographic features that students will identify).
5. Students then work in smaller groups taking turns asking and answering where a particular geographic feature is located. These short conversations are monitored by the teacher as s/he circulates from group to group.
Post-Task:
1. Teacher states the phrase, Я живу в Миннеаполисе (or any other city). Teacher can use famous people's names and where they live to help students understand the verb жить and become accustomed to hearing the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd person singular conjugations. (Detailed instruction on the conjugation of verbs should be taught in a subsequent lesson).2. Students then answer the question, Где ты живёшь? when prompted by the teacher. (This question elicits an answer containing a preposition and a noun in the prepositional case).
3. Teacher hands out homework assignment: Где это? Где он живёт? Где она живёт? Students will complete this assignment using the prepositional case for the place names listed in nominative case at the top of the sheet. The teacher collects this work at the beginning of lesson 3.
Assessment:
1. Teacher monitors student comprehension with informal observation of large and small group discussion/dialogs and question/answer sessions
2. Teacher monitors students' decoding progress during PowerPoint Jeopardy game
3. Teacher collects student maps and corrects accuracy of student labeling
4. Teacher collects and corrects worksheet Где это, где он живёт, где она живёт?
5. Teacher uses the attched rubric for the lesson's final formal assessment
References and Resources:
http://community.middlebury.edu/~beyer/RT/pages/signs/signs.shtml
http://puzzlemaker.school.discovery.com/CrissCrossSetupForm.html
Attachments:
NOTE: some attachments are in PDF form (get Acrobat Reader)Compass points worksheet (Compass_Points.doc, or Compass_Points.pdf)
Compass points key (Compass_Points_Key.doc, or Compass_Points_Key.pdf)
Своя игра--Russian Jeopardy (Jeopardy_Cognates.ppt, PowerPoint)
Предложный падеж--Prepositional Case Presentation (Prepositional_Case.ppt, PowerPoint)
Rubric Lesson 2 (Rubric_L2.xls, MS Excel or Rubric_L2.pdf)
Crossword 2 map of Russia
Crossword2_Map_Russia.doc
Crossword2_Map_Russia.pdf
Где это? Где он живёт? Где она живёт
Chart--Eight Directions