Hands-On Russian Culture Lessons
Affiliation(s)
1 Gifted Education and Enrichment, CAM Community School District, Anita, USA. 2 Department of Curriculum and Instruction, 618 Schindler Education Center, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, USA. 3 Center for Educational Transformation, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, USA. 4 Department of Educational Psychology and Foundations, 607 Schindler Education Center, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, USA.
1 Gifted Education and Enrichment, CAM Community School District, Anita, USA. 2 Department of Curriculum and Instruction, 618 Schindler Education Center, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, USA. 3 Center for Educational Transformation, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, USA. 4 Department of Educational Psychology and Foundations, 607 Schindler Education Center, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, USA.
ABSTRACT
The global diverse society necessitates that teachers develop cultural competency and use authentic resources for teaching. This article presents classroom-tested materials for teaching elementary students about aspects of Russian culture, developed by a native Russian and two education professors. Multiage, multi-racial American Midwestern students from a homeschooling cooperative learned vocabulary and concepts with statistically significant increases from pretest to posttest and a large effect size. The lessons began with recognition of human commonalities between Russian people and Americans, in accordance with omniculturalism theory. Lessons then highlighted and celebrated cultural differences through an exploration of Russian literature and culture. Culminating creative craft-making activities included simulating a Gzhel porcelain statue in white air-dry clay with blue markings, making a pop-up version of a matryoshka nesting doll set, constructing a papier-maché building with onion-domed towers and a Maslenitsa holiday scene, and decorating a paper-covered plastic egg with gems to make a Faberge- jewelry box. The lessons, greeted with enthusiasm from students, included classification tasks, observation activities, and a Bingo-type game. Students evidenced deeper learning by continuing to connect their lives to Russian cultural content after the lesson unit had concluded.
The global diverse society necessitates that teachers develop cultural competency and use authentic resources for teaching. This article presents classroom-tested materials for teaching elementary students about aspects of Russian culture, developed by a native Russian and two education professors. Multiage, multi-racial American Midwestern students from a homeschooling cooperative learned vocabulary and concepts with statistically significant increases from pretest to posttest and a large effect size. The lessons began with recognition of human commonalities between Russian people and Americans, in accordance with omniculturalism theory. Lessons then highlighted and celebrated cultural differences through an exploration of Russian literature and culture. Culminating creative craft-making activities included simulating a Gzhel porcelain statue in white air-dry clay with blue markings, making a pop-up version of a matryoshka nesting doll set, constructing a papier-maché building with onion-domed towers and a Maslenitsa holiday scene, and decorating a paper-covered plastic egg with gems to make a Faberge- jewelry box. The lessons, greeted with enthusiasm from students, included classification tasks, observation activities, and a Bingo-type game. Students evidenced deeper learning by continuing to connect their lives to Russian cultural content after the lesson unit had concluded.
KEYWORDS
Russian Culture, Multicultural Education, Omniculturalism, Matryoshka, Gzhel Porcelain, Maslenitsa
Russian Culture, Multicultural Education, Omniculturalism, Matryoshka, Gzhel Porcelain, Maslenitsa
Cite this paper
Zhbanova, K. , Rule, A. , Tichy, M. (2015) Hands-On Russian Culture Lessons. Creative Education, 6, 283-294. doi: 10.4236/ce.2015.63027.
Zhbanova, K. , Rule, A. , Tichy, M. (2015) Hands-On Russian Culture Lessons. Creative Education, 6, 283-294. doi: 10.4236/ce.2015.63027.
References
[1] Banks, J. A. (2002). Series Foreword. In M. Vavrus (Ed.), Transforming the Multicultural Education of Teachers: Theory, Research, and Practice (pp. vii-x). New York: Teachers College Press. [2] Banks, J. (1994). An Introduction to Multicultural Education. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. [3] Bartell, J. (2010). Exploring Countries. Russia. Minneapolis, MN: Bellwether Media. [4] Becker, L. A. (2000). Effect Size (ES).
http://www.bwgriffin.com/gsu/courses/edur9131/content/EffectSizeBecker.pdf [5] Bull, G., & Barry, R. (2007). Classroom Engineering and Craft Technologies. Learning and Leading with Technologies, February, 26-27. [6] Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences (2nd ed.). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. [7] D’Avanzo, C. (2003). Research on Learning: Potential for Improving College Ecology Teaching. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 1, 533-540.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/3868164 [8] Dickenson, G., & Jackson, J. K. (2008). Planning for Success: How to Design and Implement Project-Based Science Activities. The Science Teacher, November, 29-32. [9] Dunst, C., Simkus, A., & Hamby, D. (2012). Children’s Story Retelling as a Literacy and Language Enhancement Strategy. CELL Center for Early Literacy Learning Reviews, 5, 1-14. [10] Faber, T. (2009). Fabergé’s Eggs: One Man’s Masterpieces and the End of an Empire. London: Pan Macmillan. [11] Gooden, K. (2005). Biome Is Where the Art Is. Science and Children, September, 28-32. [12] Jenks, C., Lee, J. O., & Kanpol, B. (2001). Approaches to Multicultural Education in Preservice Teacher Education: Philosophical Frameworks and Models or Teaching. The Urban Review, 33, 87-105.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1010389023211 [13] Louie, B. (2006). Guiding Principles for Teaching Multicultural Literature. The Reading Teacher, 59, 438-448.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1598/RT.59.5.3 [14] Moghaddam, F. M. (2012). The Omnicultural Imperative. Culture & Psychology, 18, 304-330.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1354067X12446230 [15] Moseley, C., & Fies, C. (2007). Rainsticks: Integrating Culture, Folklore, and the Physics of Sound. Science Activities, 44, 2-5.
http://dx.doi.org/10.3200/SATS.44.1.2-5 [16] Olhova, V. (2012). The Tale about a Woodcutter and a Magic Ring. Stihi.ru. [in Russian]
http://www.stihi.ru/2012/02/03/5234 [17] Root-Bernstein, R. S., & Root-Bernstein, M. M. (2013). The Art and Craft of Science: Scientific Discovery and Innovation Can Depend on Engaging More Students in the Arts. Educational Leadership, 70, 16-21. [18] Rule, A. C., & Zhbanova, K. (2012). Changing Perceptions of Unpopular Animals through Facts, Poetry, Crafts, and Puppet Plays. Early Childhood Education Journal, 40, 223-230.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10643-012-0520-2 [19] Russian Crafts (2007). Russian Crafts: Closer Acquaintance with Russia. Sister Alyonushka and Brother Ivanushka: Russian Folk Tale.
http://russian-crafts.com/tales/alionushka.html [20] Shestakova, A. (2009). Articles of Craftsmen—Unofficial Symbols of Russia. European Journal of Natural History, 3, 64-69.
[1] Banks, J. A. (2002). Series Foreword. In M. Vavrus (Ed.), Transforming the Multicultural Education of Teachers: Theory, Research, and Practice (pp. vii-x). New York: Teachers College Press. [2] Banks, J. (1994). An Introduction to Multicultural Education. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. [3] Bartell, J. (2010). Exploring Countries. Russia. Minneapolis, MN: Bellwether Media. [4] Becker, L. A. (2000). Effect Size (ES).
http://www.bwgriffin.com/gsu/courses/edur9131/content/EffectSizeBecker.pdf [5] Bull, G., & Barry, R. (2007). Classroom Engineering and Craft Technologies. Learning and Leading with Technologies, February, 26-27. [6] Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences (2nd ed.). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. [7] D’Avanzo, C. (2003). Research on Learning: Potential for Improving College Ecology Teaching. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 1, 533-540.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/3868164 [8] Dickenson, G., & Jackson, J. K. (2008). Planning for Success: How to Design and Implement Project-Based Science Activities. The Science Teacher, November, 29-32. [9] Dunst, C., Simkus, A., & Hamby, D. (2012). Children’s Story Retelling as a Literacy and Language Enhancement Strategy. CELL Center for Early Literacy Learning Reviews, 5, 1-14. [10] Faber, T. (2009). Fabergé’s Eggs: One Man’s Masterpieces and the End of an Empire. London: Pan Macmillan. [11] Gooden, K. (2005). Biome Is Where the Art Is. Science and Children, September, 28-32. [12] Jenks, C., Lee, J. O., & Kanpol, B. (2001). Approaches to Multicultural Education in Preservice Teacher Education: Philosophical Frameworks and Models or Teaching. The Urban Review, 33, 87-105.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1010389023211 [13] Louie, B. (2006). Guiding Principles for Teaching Multicultural Literature. The Reading Teacher, 59, 438-448.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1598/RT.59.5.3 [14] Moghaddam, F. M. (2012). The Omnicultural Imperative. Culture & Psychology, 18, 304-330.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1354067X12446230 [15] Moseley, C., & Fies, C. (2007). Rainsticks: Integrating Culture, Folklore, and the Physics of Sound. Science Activities, 44, 2-5.
http://dx.doi.org/10.3200/SATS.44.1.2-5 [16] Olhova, V. (2012). The Tale about a Woodcutter and a Magic Ring. Stihi.ru. [in Russian]
http://www.stihi.ru/2012/02/03/5234 [17] Root-Bernstein, R. S., & Root-Bernstein, M. M. (2013). The Art and Craft of Science: Scientific Discovery and Innovation Can Depend on Engaging More Students in the Arts. Educational Leadership, 70, 16-21. [18] Rule, A. C., & Zhbanova, K. (2012). Changing Perceptions of Unpopular Animals through Facts, Poetry, Crafts, and Puppet Plays. Early Childhood Education Journal, 40, 223-230.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10643-012-0520-2 [19] Russian Crafts (2007). Russian Crafts: Closer Acquaintance with Russia. Sister Alyonushka and Brother Ivanushka: Russian Folk Tale.
http://russian-crafts.com/tales/alionushka.html [20] Shestakova, A. (2009). Articles of Craftsmen—Unofficial Symbols of Russia. European Journal of Natural History, 3, 64-69.