Map It
Career Education, Current Events, Geography, U.S, History, World History
Maps of Ukraine, cities and villages, NATO countries, and troop movements have been an essential part of media coverage of the Russian attack on Ukraine. Cartographers use old maps, historical records, current road maps and the most up-to-date satellite images. Begin this activity with finding Ukraine on a world map. Discuss the countries that surround it.
HISTORY
In “How Ukraine became Ukraine, in 7 maps” then-Post cartographer Gene Thorp mapped 1,300 years of history. Produced in 2015 to give readers an understanding of what had taken place in Crimea, it is even more relevant today to grasp why Ukrainians want to keep their independence. Five questions for each era are provided in 7 Maps, 7 Eras in Ukraine’s Shifting Borders. Teachers may want to create 7 groups to do the research to share with the class. See Answers below.
POTENTIAL INVASION ROUTES
“How Ukraine’s terrain could influence a Russian invasion” is a large map of Ukraine illustrating potential routes of entry into Ukraine. Online you will find “Wetlands and radioactive soil: How Ukraine’s geography could influence a Russian invasion” as an interactive map with explanation. [2.6.2022]
CURRENT MOVEMENT, ATTACKS
Visit The Post’s War in Ukraine up-to-date coverage and chronological archives.
Maps are part of the chronological timeline: “In maps, videos and photos, how Russia’s military push into Ukraine is unfolding on the ground.”
What Does NATO Have To Do With It
Current Events, U.S. History, World History
KidsPost provides an introduction to NATO in “What is NATO? War in Ukraine raises profile of the alliance.” For a more indepth explanation of the importance of NATO to a country like Ukraine and why NATO has not responded to recent applications to join, read and discuss : “How joining NATO and the E.U. became Ukraine’s unattainable dream.”
Older students might discuss these two quotations from organization leaders:
• “What has happened in the last few days has been a serious wake-up call for Europe, a serious wake-up call for the NATO alliance and, tragically and very sadly for Ukraine, a wake-up call too late in the day,” said Richard Dannatt, a retired general and former British army chief. “We should have seen what [Russian President] Vladimir Putin has been up to.”
• “For the first time ever, the European Union will finance the purchase and delivery of weapons and other equipment to a country that is under attack,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Sunday. “This is a watershed moment.”
A more in-depth study of world leaders and experts is found in the activity, Washington Post Live | World Stage: Ukraine.
“Denazify” a Country
Geography, World Language, World History
A small portion of eastern Ukraine is pro-Russian and has been the place of skirmishes for years. Read “Why are Donetsk and Luhansk in Ukraine’s Donbas region a flash point for Putin?”
Putin justifies the Russian military advances on Ukraine because a “special military operation” is needed to protect people from the Nazification of Ukraine. Read and discuss “Putin says he will ‘denazify’ Ukraine. Here’s the history behind that claim.”
Meet a Leader
Character Education, Journalism, World History
On March 1, 2022, The Post profiled the David facing the Goliath Putin. Read and discuss “What to know about Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s TV president turned wartime leader.”
Read and listen to The Post’s coverage of the Zelensky addressing British lawmakers in “Zelensky receives standing ovation, calls for more support in address to U.K. Parliament via video” The BBC described the MPs “crammed into every corner. Members of the House of Lords packed the public galleries high in the chamber. Parliamentary staff huddled close to peer through the stone arches, almost in the roof, to watch. After a few minutes of chatter, with MPs fiddling with their headsets to ensure they would be able to hear the translation of the speech, there was hush.”
In addition to quoting Shakespeare, he did a take-off on Britain’s loved war-time leader: "We will not surrender, we will not lose, we will go to the end.
"We will fight at sea, we will fight in the air, we will protect our land.
"We will fight everywhere … and we will not surrender."
Read “Echoing Churchill, Zelenskyy vows Ukraine will fight to end.”
Zelensky asked for ammunition rather than be given safe passage out of Kyiv for himself and his family. Meet his wife in “Who is Olena Zelenska, Ukraine’s first lady and Volodymyr Zelensky’s wife?”
Language, Culture and Identity
English, Journalism, Music, Psychology, World History, World Languages
Read and discuss “The Ukrainian language is having a big moment.” Identity in One’s Language provides questions for a closer reading as well as a brief explanation of Putin’s allusion to fascism.
To explore more on the topic of language and culture, read:
• Benjamin Dreyer, Random House’s executive managing editor and copy chief, in a Post guest commentary shares reasons behind current usage in “Kyiv vs. Kiev, Zelensky vs. Zelenskyy, and the immense meaning of ‘the’.”
• For an example of the importance of culture and the arts to a country, read or listen to Sudarsan Raghavan’s “Music as resistance: Kyiv’s orchestra plays on.” The ensemble is composed of Kyiv-Classic Symphony Orchestra musicians who remain in Kyiv.
• Perhaps, debate actions given in Alyssa Rosenberg’s column, “Two questions to ask before joining the culture war on Russia.”
• For more about the 2019 law that defines the Ukrainian language, visit “Ukraine adopts law expanding scope of Ukrainian language.” The law covers use of Ukrainian language in education, culture, the media, books, software and websites, and services.
Where Are You From?
Broadcast Journalism, Character Education, Journalism, Media Arts, Psychology
An extension of this article and the Ukrainian-Russian language debate would be for students to think more about personal identity. You might begin with an in-class journal entry: Where are you from?
For more on identity, read It’s Been a Minute producer Anjuli Sastry Krbechek’s account of how she began the NPR series, “Where We Come From.” Then listen to her podcasts. After listening to the podcasts, students might write an essay, create a podcast or make a video of themselves as they answer the question.