The Power of Words (Ashley MacLure)

Subject: Art

Grades 9-12

• This unit plan encourages students to explore the powerful impact of spoken and written words on themselves and others, while also delving into the world of expressive mark-making and its inherent value. 

The Code War  (Maggie Finn)

Subject: World History 

Grades: High School 

• This unit plan explores the concept of disinformation, focusing on its historical origins and modern-day impact, particularly through Russian disinformation campaigns like “Operation InfeKtion.” Students will analyze Cold War policies such as containment, brinkmanship, and detente, applying these strategies to current cyber security challenges.

     The Outbreak of WWI (True Sweetser)

Subject: Literature or History

Grades: Middle School 

• This lesson plan explores the uprisings in Ukraine during 1905, focusing on comparing different historical accounts to assess their reliability. It also examines how varying interpretations of the same events can be used to support specific narratives or agendas.

The Next Cold War- Conflict in the Arctic (Monica Ketchum)

Subject: Modern World/Global History; Modern U.S. History; World Regional Geography 

Grades: High School 

• In the age of globalization and climate change, the race to control the Arctic and its resources has escalated. As the five key Arctic nations for control of the far north, the region has become a source of geopolitical conflict. This lesson explores the roots of the conflict and grapples with the question: Who owns the Arctic?

The United Nations Convenes About Japanese Repatriation (Deborah Holland) 

Subject: Social Studies/History 

Grades: High School 

• This lesson examines post-WWII Japanese repatriation and the broader human rights challenges faced by refugees and displaced persons. Students will explore the complexities of balancing national interests with humanitarian concerns and discuss global issues like war, famine, and human trafficking. 

Ethnic Conflict in the Post-Soviet Space (Megan Klein)

Subject: Anthropology, Social Studies 

Grades: High school; Community College 

• This unit explores the complex ethnic conflicts in the post-Soviet space, focusing on Crimea, Chechnya, and Nagorno-Karabakh. Students will analyze the historical, geographical, and political contexts of these regions while comparing methods of ethnic conflict resolution. 

Russian Revolution- Women's Role in Society (Elaine Priovolos) 

Subject: World and American History 

Grades: High School

• In this lesson students will be introduced to  the policies adopted by the Bolshevik Party and the Zhenotdel as they pertained to women in the workplace. Students will then examine the reactions to those policies by industrial workers (both men and women) in the Dnipropetrovsk Region ca. 1929 through an analysis of primary sources. 

Teaching Chernobyl  (Elizabeth Chapman)

Subject: Language and Literature

Grade: High School/ International Baccalaureate 

• This unit examines propaganda, resistance literature, and disinformation through the Chernobyl disaster. Students will analyze Soviet propaganda, explore samizdat, create their own posters, and critically evaluate various sources of information to reflect on disinformation's ethical implications in the modern world. 

Acceptance and Alienation (Kyeong Kim)

Subject: English, English as a Second Language (ESL)

Grade: High School/ 10th 

• This unit explores themes of acceptance and alienation in society through literature, discussion, and writing. Students will deepen their understanding of what it means to belong or be excluded, analyzing both historical and current events while crafting a narrative on these issues. 

Honoring Native Experiences (Kate Smith) 

Subject: Social Science/Sociology 

Grade: High School 

• These lessons are meant to first, help students see the truths of our nation’s history and how Native groups were treated.  Also, explore the presence of Native experiences in our current society.  Finally, to discover ways to honor Native people now and in the future. By examining the complex dynamics of Native experiences, students will think critically and engage in the context-dependent nature of knowing.

Exploring the History of History (Eunice Bonaparte)

Subject: IB Global Politics; IB History

Grade: High School

• This lesson explores how major social, political, and economic shifts at the end of the 20th century influenced history education in Eurasia. Students will examine how nations in the region adapted the way they taught about these changes to reflect new narratives and perspectives.

Storytelling, Identity and Collective Memory (Hannah Arrington)

Subject: Advanced World Literature and Rhetoric

Grade: High School 

• In this unit, students will examine three novels that discuss how identity, war trauma, and collective memory shaped various regions impacted by World War II. By examining rhetorical devices of the texts and scholarly articles about minority identities and war propaganda, students will present their own stance on the literary discourse and research their own ancestral history and war story.

Who is Comrade Student (Sharolyn Stauffer )

Subject: World History 

Grade: High School 

• In this lesson, students will explore the everyday experiences of Soviet teenagers during the Cold War through primary and secondary sources, as well as historical images. By examining youth culture, they will connect these personal narratives to the broader realities of life under Soviet communism. 

      Islam in Central Asia (Paul Edleman)

Subject: International Relations/ Political Science 

Grade: College/ High School 

• This lesson examines the role of Islam in Soviet and post-Soviet Central Asia, highlighting its religious, social, cultural, and national dimensions. By comparing these practices with those in more conservative societies in the Middle East and South Asia, students will gain insight into the diverse expressions of Islam and how national identity and culture shape religious practice. 

Written Language as a Marker of Identity in Eurasia (Julia Fisher)

Subject: Psychology 

Grade: College/ High School 

• This unit explores how language influences cognitive development, the impact of different forms of written communication, and the neurological demands of various writing systems. Using Mongolia’s challenges with adopting the traditional bichig script as a case study, students will examine the political, psychological, and philosophical complexities of building national identity through language. 

Social Media and Identity (Sarah Sudar)

Subject: Communications 

Grade: College/ High School 

• This activity invites students to explore the role of social media in Eurasian countries, with a focus on how censorship impacts communication and self-expression. Through this lens, students will also examine the complex and multifaceted nature of identity across the region. 

Who Am I - Social Identity ( Phillip Moshoyannis )

Subject: Sociology 

Grade: College/ High School 

• In this unit, students will explore how personal and collective identities are shaped by historical and cultural contexts. Beginning with a reflection on their own social identities, they will then examine the broader identity of Central Asia—considering factors such as geography, religion, and history—to understand how individual experiences connect to the formation of national and regional identities. 

Spice of LIfe (Mickey Marsee)

Subject: College Writing, First-Year Composition

Grade: College 

• This four-day unit explores the sensory and cultural significance of smell and food, with a focus on Uzbekistan. Through interactive activities and readings, students examine how spices, cuisine, and memory shape cultural identity and historical understanding. 

Exploring Identity in Modern Ukraine (Clara Webb)

Subject: AP European History

Grade: High School 

• In this two-part lesson, students will explore the factors shaping modern Ukrainian identity and its relationship with Europe and Russia. They will analyze historical maps of Ukraine’s evolution and a primary source from the 2013-2014 Euromaidan protests, focusing on the perspectives of ordinary Ukrainians. 

Native American Literature (Therese Bower)

Subject: ELA/ Global Perspectives

 Grade: High School 

• This unit explores the intersection of Jesuit values, art, and social responsibility, encouraging students to reflect on their values and role in addressing global issues. Through art and dialogue, students will foster empathy, consider ethical storytelling, and explore creativity’s power in promoting environmental action and collective change. 

Tracking Headlines (Lauren Nelson)

Subject: Russian Language/or instruction of other languages

Grade: High School 

• This lesson aims to enhance students' Russian vocabulary and comprehension while engaging them with current events. It can be easily adapted to other subjects by adjusting the language of instruction and modifying the activities to suit different content areas. 

Exploring Countries in Central Asia (Rebecca Voigt)

Subject: Social Studies

Grade: High School 

• This unit allows students to explore a country in Central Asia by choosing either a novel set in the region or a specific country to study in depth. The lessons can be integrated into world geography or history classes and can be taught sequentially or as standalone lessons. 

Gulag: Soviet Prison Camps and Their Legacy 

Subject: Social Studies/ History

Grade: High School 

• This unit examines the GULAG system in the Soviet Union, focusing on how it was used not only to punish crimes but to control the population. Students will explore the incarceration of millions of innocent people, considering it as one of the most shocking events of the twentieth century. 

Women and Revolution : Women's Political Activism in Russia from 1905-1917

Subject: Social Studies/ History

Grade: 7-12

• This unit explores the global women's rights movement, focusing on Russia's early achievement of women's suffrage and its connections to political and social change. Students will examine the intersection of class and gender in revolutionary movements, analyzing how women with differing priorities navigated political landscapes from 1905 to 1917. 

Voices from USSR

Subject: Social Studies/History

Grade: 7-12

• This unit examines individual experiences of daily life in the Soviet Union through primary sources, including oral histories and archival materials. Students will explore how Soviet ideology shaped relationships between the state and individuals, and critically analyze how social context influenced personal identities in an authoritarian system.