Modern Day Russia (1991-Present)

Introduction

After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia has undergone significant political, economic, and social changes. Its special geography which contains vast natural resources and strategic position between Europe and Asia continue to shape its modern identity. In this WebQuest, you will explore how geography influences Russia's development in the 21st century, including its economy, culture, and international relations. 

Guiding Questions

  • What political, social, and economic changes did Russia face since 1991?
  • What are the major cities and regional features of modern Russia?
  • How has Russia's role in international affairs changed?

Learning Objectives

  • Analyze political, social, and economic changes in Russia.
  • Understand modern history and geographical features of Russia.
  • Use maps and data to visualize and present information effectively.

Standard Alignment

  • Remember: Students will recall key historical events and geographical facts about Russia since 1991.
  • Understand: Students will explain how political, economic, and social changes have shaped modern Russia.
  • Apply: Students will use maps, data, and online resources to illustrate Russia’s development and current conditions.
  • Analyze: Students will examine relationships between geography, economy, and political systems in Russia.
  • Evaluate: Students will assess the effectiveness of Russia’s policies and international relations in the modern era.
  • Create: Students will design and present a multimedia presentation demonstrating their understanding of modern-day Russia.

Florida Standard

  • SS.912.G.4.1: Understand the characteristics, distribution, and migration of human populations.
  • SS.912.G.4.3: Use geographic terms and tools to analyze the effects of migration, both on the place of origin and destination, including border areas.
  • SS.912.W.9.8: Trace the development of major world religions. 
Task

The group will research modern-day Russia to understand how geography, economy, and politics are interconnected.

Project Description

  • Students will work in groups of five to research modern changes in Russia and present their findings in a group presentation (Google Slides or Microsoft Powerpoint).
  • Each group will focus on one of the following topics.
    • Political Changes
    • Economic Changes
    • Social and Cultural Changes
    • Geographic Features
    • International Relations
  • This project engages four multiple learning styles and eight intelligence. 
    • Four Multiple Learning Styles
      • Visual: using maps, charts, infographics, and slides to visualize data
      • Auditory: participating in group discussions, interviews, and oral presentations
      • Reading/Writing: summarizing research findings and writing reflection paragraphs
      • Kinesthetic: using interactive maps, creating visual displays, and role-playing as journalists
    • Eight Intelligence
      • Logical-Mathematical: interpreting data, graphs, and economic statistics about Russia’s development
      • Verbal-Linguistic: writing clear explanations, captions, and presentation scripts
      • Visual-Spatial: designing creative slides, posters, or digital maps to represent geographic concepts
      • Bodily-Kinesthetic: engaging in hands-on activities such as creating a physical map model or acting out historical scenarios
      • Musical: incorporating background music or national anthems to reflect cultural identity and mood in presentations
      • Interpersonal: collaborating effectively with peers during research and group work
      • Intrapersonal: reflecting on one’s own understanding of Russia’s culture and worldview
      • Naturalistic: analyzing environmental resources, landforms, and natural factors that shape Russia’s geography
Process

Process by Stages

  1. Research Stage
    • All group members will work together to gain information about modern day Russia.
    • Each student will focus on one aspect of change: political, economic, social/cultural, geographic, or international relations.
    • Collect data, maps, and visuals from reliable online sources.
      • Use reliable online sources; do not use Wikipedia or online blog
    • Save links, images, and notes in a shared document.
  2. Organize Stage
    • As a group, discuss and organize the information you collected.
    • Summarize the main ideas and select key facts, graphs, or visuals to include in your presentation.
    • Work collaboratively in a shared Google Docs to ensure everyone contributes to the content.
  3. Presentation Design Stage
    • Work together to design your presentation slides.
    • Add visuals such as maps, charts, and photos to help illustrate your points.
    • Agree as a group on the layout, order of slides, and major talking points.
  4. Practice & Review Stage
    • Practice your group presentation together.
    • Each member should take turns presenting different parts of the project.
    • Provide feedback to one another and make improvements before the final submission or presentation.
  5. Present Stage
    • Present your work to class.
      • The presentation should be at least 10 slides, 7 minutes of lecture.
Evaluation

Criteria

Excellent

(20 points)

Good

(15 points)

Fair

(10 Points)

Needs Improvement

(5 points)

Content Accuracy

 Information is accurate, detailed, and shows deep understanding of modern Russia. Most information is accurate and relevant, with minor errors.
Some information is inaccurate or lacks depth.

Information is mostly inaccurate or missing key details.

Use of Visuals and Maps

 Effectively uses maps, graphs, and visuals to support main ideas.
Includes some visuals that are relevant to the topic.
Few visuals or visuals lack connection to the topic.

No visuals or irrelevant images included.

Organization and Clarity

 Presentation is well-organized, logical, and easy to follow.
Organization is generally clear with minor issues.
Ideas are somewhat disorganized or unclear.
Presentation is confusing or lacks structure.

Collaboration and Participation

 All group members contribute equally and collaborate effectively.
Most group members contribute and cooperate.
Unequal participation or limited teamwork.
Minimal collaboration; most work done by one person.

Presentation Skills and Creativity

 Presentation is engaging, confident, and shows creativity.
Presentation is clear but lacks strong engagement or originality.
Presentation is somewhat unclear or repetitive.
Presentation is not engaging and lacks preparation.

 

Conclusion

Summary

  • Through this activity, students will gain an understanding of Russia’s modern political, economic, social, and geographic characteristics as well as its international position.
  • Students will also develop the ability to analyze and visualize information using maps and statistical data.

Enrichment Activity