Name:Barbara Jo Hollander
Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art
P.O. Box 9 Loretto, Pa. 15940
Piloted with Students in Grade: 6th-9th
Lesson Title: Incorporating Alexander Nevsky into a multi-disciplinary unit
Grade Level (Check One):
Primary
Intermediate
Middle X
High School
Other
PA ARTS & HUMANITIES STANDARDS CATEGORIES
7.1 Producion, Performance and Exhibition
7.2 Historical and Cultural Contexts
X
7.3 Critical Response
7.4 Aesthetic Response
7.5 Connections to Other Academic Subjects
Standard Statement:
Analyze and interpret important
aspects of works in the arts.
Lesson Topic/Theme: Alexander Nevsky
Overview: The students will learn about Russian culture by incorporating the historical motion picture Alexander Nevsky into a play based on factual events.
Keywords:
Contata,Historical Epic, Composer, Director, Score, Operatic, Choreograph, Architecture, Crescendo, Repetition
Learning Objectives:
To demonstrate that students have reached the standard they will:
1.Be familiar with the history of the Russian conflicts in the thirteenth century.
2.Be able to identify the muscial score "Alexander Nevsky" by Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev.
3.Be able to identify on a map of Russia the areas where the conflicts took place.
4.Know the culture, climate, and architecture of Russia.
5. Be able to identify the leaders of the Russian revolts in the thirteenth century.
6.Review and critique the film Alexander Nevsky.
7. Put on a historical play incorporating the facts of the historical lessons.
Assessment-Task Criteria:
Advanced:
Students used highly sophisticated vocabulary in describing historical events and the musical score.
Students articulated and incorporated their ideas through the creation of a fact-based historical play.
Students discussed and chronologically identified the historical events that took place in thirteenth century Russia.
Students created a set and costumes indicative of the century they studied, working collaboratively towards a common goal.
Proficient:
Students used appropriate vocabulary in describing historical events and the musical score.
Students were able to contribute to the creative process of a fact-based play.
Students identified historical events taking place in thirteenth century Russia.
Students participated in the creation of a set and costumes indicative of the century they studied, working collaboratively towards a common goal.
Basic:
Students used basic vocabulary in describing historical events and the musical score.
Students were passive in their contributions to the creative process of the play.
Students were able to identify some historical events taking place in thirteenth century Russia.
Students were idle in their contributions to set and costume creation.
Below Basic:
Students did not participate in the class discussions.
Students showed little interest in participation of the creative process of the play.
Students were not able to identify the historical events that took place in thirteenth century Russia.
Students were disruptive and non-participants in the set and costume creation.
Materials: Historical readings on thirteenth century Russia, a map of Russia,Video-cassette recorder and television, disc player or cassette player, the movie Alexander Nevsky, the recording of the musical score of Alexander Nevsky, old boxes, material and craft items, drawing utensils and paint.
Warm-Up:
The class will listen to the score of Alexander Nevsky and discuss the various intonations in the music. They will proceed to articulate their feelings while listening.
The class will do readings and computer research on the time period of Alexander Nevsky and his place in Russian history.
The class will study and draw maps of Russia's geographical area.
Procedure:
The students will study in class the history of twelfth century Russia. We will focus on the conflicts between Russia and Sweden and Russia and Germany.
They will be introducted to the culture and climate of Russia, as well as to the architecture and dress.
The students will listen to the score of the motion picture Alexander Nevsky, by Segei Prokofiev. The students willl become comfortable with the music and will identify different aspects of musical style and structure. The students will be encouraged to describe their feelings while listnening to the score. Descriptive words such as powerful, soulful, enveloping, marching, and repetitive will be encouraged through dialogue.
Students will listen to the score and express their feelings through a drawing or a series of drawings. These drawings should be quick and loose. As a follow-up lessson you may want to encourage them to draw a Russian landscape, warriors, or portraits from this time period.
The importance of music and film should be stressed. There are several ways to accomplish this. Have the students sing some music they know from famous movies or television shows. Show silent movies or cartoons without dialogue. Prokofiev is the only composer whose film scores often become better known than the films for which they were written. That a music score could overshadow great works speaks volumes of the man behind the music.
I will introduce them to the motion picture Alexander Nevsky. The movie is a historic epic. It is the story of a 13th century Russian prince's successful battle against invading German hordes. He had had previous success on the battlefied against the attacking Swedish army. Alex managed to maintain the Russian way of life, religious freedom and avoided much potential bloodshed. For these reasons, the Russian Orthodox Church canonized him in 1547.
We will review and critique the film. For example, reviewer 's pronounced the film to be an "Operatic, patriotic pageant," and "A Masterpiece."The director of the movie was Sergei Eisenstein. Include in your discussion the magnicently visualized battle sequences.
We will then proceed to write an original script, based on the Russian conflict with the German army.
The students will discuss and make props and costumes for the scenes.
Students will make flags (three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red) and maps to further reinforce their contextual knowledge. Each student will make an individual flag and map of Russia to be used as a decorative background for the play.
Students will invite the administration, faculty, the student body, parents and media to their Russian History Play. It should be an entire school event.
Parents will be asked to make an ethnic Russian food for the festivites the night of the play, with recipes supplied by the students. Some possible recipes that could be used are: Borscht, Chicken Kiev, Beef Stoganoff, Blinis Pancakes), Boiled Potatoes, and Rye Bread.
Correctives:
Complete teacher assigned readings on the topic of twelfth century Russian history.
Listen to the score of "Alexander Nevsky" by Sergei Prokofiev.
Watch the motion picture "Alexander Nevsky".
Extensions:
Discuss the parallels of the medieval German Teutonic Knights in 1242 and Nazi Germany in 1938, i.e. Nevsky as Stalin, or the similarities of battle helmets. This movie is a disturbing parallel to the world situation at the time of the production.
Find comparisons between the Russian era studied and modern times, i.e., contrasting colors in the movie (Alexander Nevsky), are opposite from Hollywood Westerns where the bad men are in black, or the inhumanity of man in times of war, etc.