Lesson plan of Russian Revolution: Lenin and Stalin

Objectives (5 - 7 minutes)

1. Understand the importance of Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin in the Russian revolution, and the influence of their ideologies in the political and social panorama of the country.

2. To analyze the main actions of Lenin and Stalin during their governments, focusing in how those actions shaped the Russian of the beginning of the 20th century.

3. Develop the ability to connect historical events, putting them in relation with the current global context and with the current situations, deepening their understanding about the importance of studying history.

Secondary Objectives:

• To encourage investigation and critical reading, through activities that demand information searching and analyzing from different sources.

• To incentivize the discussion and the debate in the classroom, promoting the exchange of ideas and the critical thinking.

• To develop the oral and written expression skills, through the active participation in the discussions and creation of abstracts and synthesis.

The teacher shall introduce the Objectives at the beginning of the class, explaining them in a clear and concise way. It's important that the students understand what they will learn and which skills will be developed during the class.

Introduction (10 - 15 minutes)

1. Review of previous contents: The teacher shall start the class by reminding the students about some important concepts that were learnt in previous classes, and that are fundamental for the understanding of the topic of the class. For example, the teacher could quickly review the historical context of Russia in the beginning of the 20th century, the situation of the country before the Russian Revolution, and the main ideas of Marxism, which were the base for the constitution of the Bolshevik Party (3 - 5 minutes).

2. Problematic situations: The teacher could present two situations that involve the performance of Lenin and Stalin, and ask the students to reflect about them. For example, the teacher could ask: "How do you think Russia would be if Lenin hadn't leaded the October Revolution?" and "Why was Stalin so feared and hated, even being one of the leaders of the victory of the Soviet Union in the World War II?" These questions have the goal of awakening the students interest and encourage them to think critically about the subject of the class (2 - 3 minutes).

3. Contextualization: The teacher shall then contextualize the importance of studying the Russian Revolution, explaining how the events of that time still have impact in the current world. For example, the teacher could mention how the Russian Revolution influenced the constitution of other communist movements around the world, and how the ideas of Lenin and Stalin keep being discussed and debated in the contemporary politics (2 - 3 minutes).

4. Introduction of the topic: Finally, the teacher shall introduce the topic of the class, explaining that the students will learn about the life, the ideas, and the actions of Lenin and Stalin, and how these two leaders shaped the history of Russia and of the world. The teacher could draw attention to the importance of analyzing history in a critical way, considering different perspectives and sources of information (2 - 3 minutes).

The teacher shall assure that the Introduction is dynamic and engaging, using visual resources and practical examples to ease the understanding of the students. Besides, it's important that the teacher is aware about the participation of the students, encouraging them to ask questions and to express their opinions.

Development (20 - 25 minutes)

1. Debate Activity (10 - 15 minutes): The teacher shall divide the class in two groups, one representing the defenders of Lenin and the other of Stalin. Each group shall prepare arguments to defend their leader, considering the historical context, the defended ideologies, and the actions taken during their governments. The students shall investigate and have group discussions, preparing themselves for the debate. The teacher shall provide investigation materials (books, articles, trustworthy websites) and orient the students in the information search. After the preparation, the two groups shall present their arguments and counter-argue the points presented by the other group. The teacher shall mediate the debate, assuring that everyone had the opportunity to talk and that the discussion is respectful and productive. At the end of the debate, the teacher shall make a summary, highlighting the main points discussed and connecting them with the content of the class.

2. Mind Map Activity (5 - 10 minutes): After the debate, the students shall create a mind map, visually representing the main ideas and events discussed. The teacher shall explain what a mind map is, how to use it to organize complex information, and how it can help in the learning process. The students can use colors, drawings and keywords to represent the different aspects of the Russian Revolution, the ideas of Lenin and Stalin, and the discussions and conclusions of the debate. The teacher shall go around the classroom, orienting the students in the creation of the mind maps and clarifying any doubts that might arise. At the end of the activity, the students shall present their mind maps to the class, explaining how they organized the information and what they learned with the activity.

3. Role-Playing Activity (5 - 10 minutes): To close the Development stage, the teacher can propose a role-playing activity, in which the students are invited to "become" important characters of the Russian revolution, as Lenin, Stalin, other Bolshevik leaders, members of the Russian army, peasants, workers, etc. The teacher shall provide a scene, for example, the meeting of the Central Committee of the Bolshevik Party in 1917, or the trial of a supposed traitor during the "Great Purge" in the 1930s. The students shall investigate about the character they will interpret, prepare a speech or an argument, and then present it to the class. The teacher shall assess the activity considering the previous investigation, the adherence to the time and the character, the quality of the presentation, and the capacity of relating the role performed with the context of the Russian Revolution.

The teacher shall assure that the activities are dynamic and engaging, incentivizing the active participation of the students and the application of the learned concepts. Besides, it's important that the teacher is aware of the Development of the investigation, argumentation, oral and written expression, and critical thinking skills, providing constructive feedback and orientations for improvement.

Feedback (8 - 10 minutes)

1. Group Discussion (3 - 4 minutes): The teacher shall gather all the students and promote a group discussion, in which each team will have the opportunity to share their conclusions and solutions from the performed activities. Each group will have, at most, 2 minutes to present. During the presentations, the teacher shall stimulate the interaction between the groups, allowing them to ask questions to each other and comment on the presentations from their colleagues. This group discussion will help to consolidate the learning, allowing the students to see the different approaches for the same problem, and to acknowledge the connections between the different aspects of the Russian Revolution, the ideas of Lenin and Stalin, and the discussions realized.

2. Connection with Theory (2 - 3 minutes): After the presentations, the teacher shall resume the discussed concepts and theories during the class, and make the connection with the performed practical activities. The teacher can, for example, highlight how the ideas of Lenin and Stalin were applied and interpreted by the different groups, and how this reflects the complexity of the historical context and of the political ideologies. Besides, the teacher shall reinforce the importance of critical thinking and the analysis of different perspectives, and how this can enrich our understanding of history.

3. Final Reflection (2 - 3 minutes): Finally, the teacher shall suggest that the students reflect individually about what they learned during the class. The teacher can ask questions like: "Which was the most important concept you learned today?" and "Which questions are still unanswered?". The students shall have one minute to think and, then, they will be invited to share their answers with the class. The teacher shall encourage the students to express their opinions and doubts, and to reflect about the relevance of the subject for their lives and for the current world.

The teacher shall assure that the Feedback is a moment of reflection and synthesis, that allows the students to consolidate the learning, clarify doubts and see the importance of the studied theme. Besides, the teacher shall be aware of the participation of all the students, valuing their contributions and encouraging them to express themselves in a respectful and constructive way. The teacher shall also use this moment to assess the efficiency of the class, and to make adjustments or improvements for the next classes.

Conclusion (5 - 7 minutes)

1. Class Summary (2 - 3 minutes): The teacher shall start the Conclusion of the class by making a summary of the main discussed and learned points. He shall remind the students about the historical context of Russia in the beginning of the 20th century, the ideas of Lenin and Stalin, and the main actions of both during their governments. The teacher can use the mind map created by the students during the class to help in the summary and in the visualization of the concepts.

2. Connection between Theory, Practice and Applications (1 - 2 minutes): The teacher shall then explain how the class connected the theory, the practice and the applications. He can highlight how the debate and role-playing activities allowed the students to apply the learned theories and understand the practical implications of Lenin and Stalin's ideas. Moreover, the teacher shall emphasize how the study of the Russian Revolution is relevant for us to understand the current world, given the lasting influence of communism and socialism.

3. Extra Materials (1 - 2 minutes): The teacher shall suggest extra materials for the students who want to deepen their knowledge about the subject. These materials can include books, documentaries, movies and websites from museums and research institutions. The teacher can, for example, recommend the reading of "Lenin: A Biography", by Robert Service, or the BBC documentary "Stalin: Inside the Terror". Moreover, the teacher can suggest that the students investigate more about the history of the Soviet Union, the Cold War, and the implications of the Russian Revolution for the contemporary politics and society.

4. Relevance of the Subject (1 minute): Finally, the teacher shall highlight the importance of studying the Russian Revolution and the figures of Lenin and Stalin. He shall explain how the understanding of that historical period can help us to better understand the current world, contributing to the formation of critical and well-informed citizens. Besides, the teacher shall mention how the Development of the investigation, debate and critical analysis skills can be useful in diverse areas of life, not only in the study of history.

The teacher shall end the class in a clear and concise way, reinforcing the main learned points and the importance of the subject. He shall also thank his students for their participation, encourage them to keep studying the subject, and remind them about the suggested extra materials. Finally, the teacher shall be available to clarify any doubts that the students might have, and to receive feedback about the class.