Students find Russia interesting, but difficult. At this age, many are fascinated by the different forms of political organisation this mighty country experienced. We make a significant contribution to citizenship when we take the time to explain aspects of political theory, as no-one else will do it as well.
Fascinating starter in which students have to spot and then explain the differences between three pairs of photos of Soviet leaders Lenin and Stalin taken between 1920 and 1930. Excellent material to promote discussion of manipulation of leaders’ image and the cult of the personality.
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Downfall of the Tsar
This lesson, taught to a group of poorly motivated Y10 students followed a description of events leading to the February revolution of 1917. The overarching question was 'Why was the Tsar overthrown in 1917?' , but this lesson focuses on the effect of the First...
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Lenin the Final Verdict
This lesson makes students active participators in the debate over Lenin's contribution to the Russian Revolution. It comes at the end of the students study of the period 1917-24. Using a novel approach to the Day of Judgement at the Pearly Gates the lesson invites...
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Interpreting a political cartoon of Stalin
This lesson revolves around a cartoon annotation and inference activity leading to a detailed and authoritative caption. It concludes the unit of work on Stalin's purges and is used as a form of diagnostic assessment. As all the words are in German is it unlikely...
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Why did the Reds win the Russian Civil War? A history mystery to explain why the reds were able to SLUG it out
This lesson encourages students to take their understanding of the events of the Russian Civil War to a new level by 'making their own meaning'. They use history mystery cards which they have to categorise before looking at attempts by historians to group factors. Lower-attaining...
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