Russian Ballet Lesson

This is part 5 in an 8 part unit study on Russia. Perform a miniature production of The Nutcracker, learn the basic positions in ballet, watch videos of and read about famous Russian dancers including Anna Pavlova, Nijinsky, and Baryshnikov, and more while learning about Russian ballet. Also included are our favorite books, YouTube video clips, lapbook and activity links, and other resources we used as we studied Russian Ballet using the fun unit study book Russia: Land of Endurance by Konos Curriculum.

Please DO NOT copy this elsewhere without giving proper credit: http://iijuan12.hubpages.com/hub/russian-ballet

Included in this lens you'll find some of the activities we did along with our favorite books we read and YouTube clips we watched while we studied Russian Ballet. Topics featured include Ballet, Tchaikovsky, The Nutcracker, More Tchaikovsky Ballets, and Famous Russian Ballet Dancers: Anna Pavlova, Vaslav Nijinsky, Rudolf Nureyev, & Mikhail Baryshnikov.

Practicing ballet positions

Also look for "Jake the Ballet Dog" by Karen LeFrak, "Dance Me a Story: Twelve Tales from the Classic Ballets" by Jane Rosenberg, and "My First Ballet Book" by Kate Castle.

We only watched brief parts of "History of The Russian Ballet: Bolshoi Theatre" as it is in Russian.

More ballet practice

Also look for "Tchaikovsky" (Famous Children) by Ann Rachlin (a picture book) and "Peter Tchaikovsky and the Nutcracker Ballet" by Opal Wheeler (a short chapter book).

This BBC documentary contains some adult themes, so we only watched short clips from this biography.

Our miniature performance of The Nutcracker

(Act I characters include: Herr Drosselmeyer,

Fritz, The Mouse King, Marie/Clara, & The Nutcracker Prince)

We watched this video of "The Nutcracker" to get inspired before creating the costumes and choreographing our own mini-version of the ballet to perform.

The Nutcracker Lapbook

Tchaikovsky Lapbook & Activity Ideas

The Nutcracker lesson links & printables

I included great short clips and also the full versions.

Also look for "Pavlova's Gift" by Maxine Trottier (a picture book about Pavlova and Czar Nicholas), "Anna Pavlova, Jewel of the Ballet" by Elizabeth G. Uhlig (a picture book biography), "Dance of the Swan: The Story About Anna Pavlova" by Barbara Allman (a short chapter book biography), "Nijinsky" by Catherine Brighton (a picture book biography), and "The Dancer Who Flew: A Memoir of Rudolf Nureyev" by Linda Maybarduk (a chapter book biography).

Just to let you know, the biography video on Nureyev does briefly mention that he may have been romantically involved with men.

Performing ballet after taking ballet classes

Cook borscht and blini, study and paint like the famous artists of Russia, perform a miniature "Nutcracker" ballet performance, dramatize a Communist lunch (complete with sentencing to "Siberia" for the non-compliant), and more in the fun 8 part study on Russia!

• Russian Geography and Early Russian History Lesson - This is part 1 in an 8 part unit study on Russia. Paint a Russian Orthodox triptych, taste caviar, play the Russian Temperate Zone Game, read classic Baba Yaga tales, and more while learning about Russian geography and early Russian history. Also included are our favorite books, YouTube video clips, lapbook and activity links, and other resources we used while learning about Russian geography and early Russian history.
• Russian Czars Lesson - This is part 2 in an 8 part unit study on Russia. Construct a model of the Red Square, attempting Cossack-style dancing, decorate eggs like Carl Faberge, read classic Czar tales, and more while learning about Russian Czars. Also included are our favorite books, YouTube video clips, lapbook and activity links, and other resources we used while learning about Russian Czars.
• Russian Revolution Lesson - This is part 3 in an 8 part unit study on Russia. Play the Russian Civil War version of Capture the Flag, endure a "Communist" lunch complete with trying to trade food on the black market, create Communist flags, and more while learning about the Russian Revolution. Also included are our favorite books, YouTube video clips, lapbook and activity links, and other resources we used while learning about the Russian Revolution.
• Siberia Lesson - This is part 4 in an 8 part unit study on Russia. Sketch an Aurora Borealis landscape scene using pastels, making grape jelly to demonstrate the smelting process, cut out various shapes of snowflakes, dress up as and pretend to be musk oxen, walruses, Siberian tigers, and reindeer, and more while learning about Siberia. Also included are our favorite books, YouTube video clips, lapbook and activity links, and other resources we used while learning about Siberia.
• Russian Ballet Lesson - This is part 5 in an 8 part unit study on Russia. Perform a miniature production of The Nutcracker, learn the basic positions in ballet, watch videos of and read about famous Russian dancers including Anna Pavlova, Nijinsky, and Baryshnikov, and more while learning about Russian ballet. Also included are our favorite books, YouTube video clips, lapbook and activity links, and other resources we used while learning about Russian ballet.
• The Cold War and Arms Race Lesson - This is part 6 in an 8 part unit study on Russia. Design and launch various types of rockets, dramatize the Berlin Airlift and the Chocolate Pilot, prepare and eat blini, and more while learning about the Cold War and the Arms Race. Also included are our favorite books, YouTube video clips, lapbook and activity links, and other resources we used while learning about the Cold War and the Arms Race.
• The Space Race and The Olympics Lesson - This is part 7 in an 8 part unit study on Russia. Make a full-size model of Sputnik 1, learn gymnastics moves and host a miniature Olympics gymnastics competition, experiment with sugar while learning about the Cuban Missile Crisis, and more while learning about the Space Race and Russian Olympics. Also included are our favorite books, YouTube video clips, lapbook and activity links, and other resources we used while learning about the Space Race and Russian Olympics.
• End of the Cold War and Russian Artists Lesson - This is part 8 in an 8 part unit study on Russia. Recreate Kandinsky’s and Marc Chagall’s works, build and then knock down a model of the Berlin Wall, decorate pysanky eggs, make and eat kulich, and more while learning about the end of the Cold War and contemporary Russian artists. Also included are our favorite books, YouTube video clips, lapbook and activity links, and other resources we used while learning about the end of the Cold War and contemporary Russian artists.
• Russia: Faberge, Chess, & Borscht – This lesson provides a simple overview of Russia. I have compiled all you will need to locate Russia on a map, cook a Russian meal, watch YouTube clips on Russia, color the flag, create a Russian craft, read a great book about Russia, and more!
• Ukraine: A Missing Mitten, Pysanky Easter Eggs, & Babka Bread – If you would like to learn a bit more on Ukraine, visit my lesson at which I have shared all you will need to locate Ukraine on a map, cook a Ukrainian meal, watch YouTube clips on Ukraine, color the flag, create a Ukrainian craft, read a great book about Ukraine, and more!

All of the above activities featured in the photos are just some of the many excellent activities featured in Russia: Land of Endurance by Konos Curriculum. The curriculum is easy to follow, with a lesson full of activities for each day of the week. You can either buy the book or you can buy the lesson book along with needed craft supplies and books.