WebQuest The Russian Federation

The Russian Federation !

Welcome: The Russian Federation!
Description: This WebQuest is meant to help second language learners learn more about the different sights in Russia.
Grade Level: College / Adult
Curriculum: English / Language Arts
Keywords: Russia, sights, history, vocabulary, foreign students, presentation
Author: Alena Nikolaevna

• Introduction

Millions of people all over the world are fond of travelling. They travel to see other countries and continents, to discover different ways of life, to meet different people and to practise foreign languages. What do you know about the sights of the Russian Federation? Some of you might know more than others. The basic things that come to mind first are easy:

Arkhangelsk
The largest city in the White Sea area, Arkhangelsk was only opened to tourists in 1990. Before the founding of St Petersburg it was the first and only seaport in Russia.

Black Sea
The beach resort towns of Sochi and Rostov-on-Don on the shores of the Black Sea offer a warmer climate and sophisticated health spas, scenically situated at the foot of the Caucasus Mountains.

Golden Ring
Several ancient towns of great historical, architectural and spiritual significance make up the Golden Ring, a few hours drive northeast from Moscow. They are a rich collection of kremlins (citadels), monasteries, cathedrals and fortresses.

Irkutsk
Sometimes called the "Paris of Siberia", Irkutsk is a long way from anywhere except Mongolia, but is on the Trans-Siberian train route and well worth a stop-off. The city is mostly charming, with considerable Chinese influence and some magnificent architecture.

Lake Baikal
The world's deepest lake (1637 metres) is accessible from Irkutsk by hydrofoil during the summer. It is 25 million years old, and it would take three months to walk around its 2000km shoreline.

Moscow
The capital is a diverse and interesting city with masses of history, action and must-see spectacles, such as the stunning architecture of Red Square. Theatre, music, and art are a primary part of city's life.

Novgorod
Picturesquely located on the banks of the River Volkhov, 190 km south of St Petersburg, Novgrod is a treasure trove of ancient architecture, with 39 cathedrals and churches. Within the walls of the Kremlin, St Sophia's Cathedral is the oldest stone structure in Russia.

Saint Petersburg
St Petersburg is one of the world's most beautiful cities, with many phenomenal buildings, palaces and museums, including the wonderful Hermitage Museum. The city is spread over 42 islands in the delta of the River Neva, giving it its nickname of the "Venice of the North". The Palace Square and the Winter Palace are among the most popular attractions.

Siberia
Covering an area of over 12,800,000 sq km, Siberia contains unimaginably vast stretches of forests, a million lakes, 53,000 rivers and an enormous wealth of wilderness. Although the temperature in winter falls well below freezing point, the weather in summer can be very warm. Air-hopping is one way of exploring. A famous alternative is the Trans-Siberian Railway, the longest continuous railway in the world, a journey which is one of the greatest travel adventures. The most scenic part of the journey is between Irkutsk and Khabarovsk.

Volga River
The Volga River begins south of Moscow and ends some 2000km further in a vast delta at the Caspian Sea. A river boat tour or canoeing adventure is an excellent way to see the sights along this ancient water way, via old towns like Kazan (ancient Tatar city), Shiryaeva and Ulyanovsk (Lenin's birthplace).

Task

So what do you exactly end up doing in this WebQuest?

In groups you will choose a city that you want to know more about. You will look up information and put it in a powerpoint presentation that you will present to your classmates and teacher. Also you will have to write a short story, fairy tale, poem or rap using the words that you have come across while preparing for your presentations.

Follow the steps that are described in "Process"

Process

Step 1.

Make three groups.

Your teacher will present to you a bunch of cards, you pick a card and it will say the name of the city that you will work on today. Before starting your research answer the following questions:

- what is the name of your city?

- does this sound interesting?

- What do you know about this city already?

You should spend no more than 10 minutes on this step.

Step 2.

Find information about the subjects below. These are the things that have to be in your presentation. Of course if you want to tell more, that is alright too. Just check with your teacher to make sure.

• Basic information : symbol of the city, number of inhabitants, where is it situated in the RF?

• Sights information: interesting sights, interesting facts about the city (history and today).

You can use these websites:

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Of course you can use websites that are not on this list, but do include a bibliography in your powerpoint.

Keep in mind! The presentation can be no longer than 7 minutes but no shorter than 5. Carefully organize your information.

You should spend no more than 30 minutes on this step.

Step 3.

• Use your information to make a power point presentation. In the same order as the subjects that are listed in step 2. Don't use a lot of words, only the important ones. Highlight these or make them stand out in another way. Make sure the pictures will help your classmates understand what you are telling them during the presentation.

• Come up with two questions that can be used in a quiz on the webpage.

When you have finished your powerpoint, you have to show all this to your teacher.

You should spend no more than 30 minutes on this step.

Step 4.

Present your poster!

Some of your classmates will fill in a form about your presentation. You can use this form as a checklist to see if you thought of all the important things beforehand.

You should spend no more than 5 minutes on this step.

Step 5. individual assignment

Write a short story or a poem or a rap using the words you highlighted in your presentation. You can be as creative as you want! Use as much as 1 A-4.

Evaluation

To make sure you have everything to successfully present your information, take a look at the criteria in the feedback form again.

You can get 100 points in total. The points are divided amongst the different parts that you will be assessed on. You need at least 70 points to pass. Step 5 will be a bonus, you can get extra points for this assignment as a whole.

(Bonus does NOT mean this is optional, everybody will have to hand in step 5 as well!)

• Conclusion

Сергиев Посад

Looking back on this assignment try to think of what you have learned. Are there many things about the different states that you already knew? Did you expect the answers to be different? Did you enjoy learning about them? Would you like to do such an assignment again? I would like you to write a review on what you liked best about the WebQuest and what you would like to change. Thank you!

Задание №1.

Найдите ответы, соответствующие следующим вопросам. (I)

(10 мин.)

1. Is the Russian Federation one of the largest countries in the world?

1. Yes, it is. The climate of Siberia is continental.

2. Where is Russia situated?

2. It washed by 3 oceans: the Pacific, the Arctic and the Atlantic oceans.

3. What oceans is Russia washed by?

3. The deepest lakes are the Baikal and the Ladoga.

4. What kind of climate does the country have?

4. Yes, it is. The Russian Federation is one of the largest countries in the world.

5. What do you know about climate in the south of the country?

5. In the south the temperature is usually above zero all year round.

6. The climate of Siberia is continental. Isn't it?

6. There are many rivers in Russia.

7. Are there many rivers in Russia?

7. There are different types of climate on the territory of the country.

8. What kind of lakes are there in our country?

8. Russia is situated in Europe and Asia.

Задание №2.

Найдите ответы, соответствующие следующим вопросам. (II)

(10 мин.)

1. Is Russia a very rich country?

1. Yes, it is. It is a highly developed country.

2. It is a highly developed country. Isn't it?

2. Moscow is the capital of this country.

3. What kind of mineral resources does Russia have?

3. The population of Russia is about 150 million.

4. What is the capital of Russia?

5. When was our capital founded?

4. We can see museums, art galleries, churches, theatres and monuments in Moscow.

5. It is a very big city.

6. Is Moscow a small city?

6. Russia is a very rich country.

7. What kind of sights does Moscow have?

7. Moscow was founded in 1147.

8. What can you say about the population of Russia?

8. Russia is very rich in oil, coal, iron, natural gas, copper and other mineral resources.

Задание №5.

Приготовьте друзьям подарок в виде содержательной презентации. (I, II)

(25 мин.)

Рефлексия (выразите мнение об уроке, закончив высказывание с помощью следующих выражений).

It was interesting because … .

It was not interesting because … .

It was difficult because … .

It was very easy because … .