The historical destinies of all nations have been strongly conditioned by their geographic setting and their natural environment. Intended as background information for teachers, geographical features of the USSR are discussed. (RM)

This preliminary report of a National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) project briefly assesses teaching materials related to peace and nuclear warfare. Covering elementary, secondary, and higher education, the materials discussed present a variety of activities, decision-making approaches, and analytical assessments of policies of many…

Examines the opinions of schoolchildren in former Soviet Union and the need for educators to promote students' independent thinking. Reports that 53 percent of students reported an unwillingness to question the collective will. Argues that students will learn critical thinking through involvement in learning, the expression of personal opinion,…

The purpose of this guide is to encourage a rational understanding of the problems associated with nuclear armaments and to present a constructive approach to finding a solution. Each unit is introduced with a review of new terms, after which the topic is summarized and then is concluded with a vocabulary review and unit examination. Unit 1…

These essays were written to assist teachers in the task of making Russian history intelligible to young U.S. students. In "An Approach to Russian History," Edward Keenan proposes that students need to gain a better understanding of how Russians perceive themselves and their history. In "Pre-Petrine Russia," Andrzej S. Kaminski…

This series of lesson plans and activities deals with the economic demise of the now-defunct Soviet Union. Each of the five lessons and six activities addresses identified standards and benchmarks from the Voluntary National Content Standards in Economics. The lesson plans also address the National History Content Standards, in terms of both the…

Examines how Estonian history was taught in Estonia before 1940, how it changed after the Soviet takeover, and how history instruction has been reorganized since 1988. Reveals that new textbooks will explore the Soviet destruction of Estonian social, economic, and cultural life. Looks ahead to the future of Estonia and history teaching. (SG)

This instructional unit combines a study of the Soviet leader V. I. Lenin with a study of libraries. Lenin was selected as the focus because of his support of books and libraries and because he oversaw a revolution that altered the political and social structure of Russia and the balance of power throughout the world. Included are lesson plan…

The East Asian Curriculum Project (EACP) of Columbia University is a national effort whose goal is to support education about Asia at the secondary and elementary levels. The project has developed a variety of curriculum resources and collaborated with state and local educators in designing teaching units about various countries. Each of these…

Since the end of the Cold War, and more recently since September 11, 2001, relations between the United States and Russia have reached new levels of cooperation and accommodation. At the same time, many important developments in Russia remain cloaked by government intrigue or obscured by the complexity of Russia's political and cultural past. This…

Discusses the predominance of adolescents in many Soviet night schools. Describes the characteristics of difficult adolescents and their deviant behavior. Identifies the need for individual work with adolescent students that takes account of their personal characteristics. Suggests a need for better teacher training in dealing with difficult…

This resource book provides 50 learning activities with background materials for teaching about tsarist Russia and the emergence of the Soviet Union. Use of literature, history, geography, primary sources, various learning strategies are all included. The lessons provide study of 19th and 20th century events to Mikhail Gorbachev and perestroika.…

How some nations are motivated by political or geo-political considerations when denouncing human rights abuses is examined. Examples from US and Russian foreign policies are discussed. (RM)

Presents letters written by students of the former Soviet Union and other countries of the Eastern Bloc to provide insight on the state of education before and after the fall of the communist regimes. (ZWH)

Recommends that Soviet schools concentrate on age-related materials for students, with differentiation and in-depth study of subjects in the upper grades. Recommends educational emphasis on the restoration of harmonious relations between people and with nature. Calls upon the educational system to encourage teachers to stand up for their own…