For K-12 Educators

A Donkey Reads: Adapted from a Turkish Folktale by Muriel Mandell and illustrated by André Letria (2010) Türkiye

Adam and His Tuba by Ziga X. Gombac, illustrated by Maja Kastelic, and translated by Olivia Hellewell  (2023) Slovenia

At the Wish of the Fish: a Russian folktale adapted by Patrick Lewis and illustrated by Katya Krenina (1999) Russia

Bábo: A Tale of Armenian Rug-Washing Day by Astrid Kamalyan and illustrated by Anait Semirdzhyan (2023) Armenia

Brundibar adapted by Tony Kushner and illustrated by Maurice Sendak (2003) Czech Republic

Bruno the Beekeeper: A Honey Primer by Aneta Frantiska Holasová and translated by Andrew Lass (2021) Czech Republic

Davy in the Snow by Brigitte Weninger, illustrated by Eve Tharlet, and translated by David Henry Wilson (2023) Austria

Ellie’s Voice: or Trööömmmpffff by Piret Raud and translated by Adam Cullen (2020) Estonia

Kolobok: A Russian Bun on the Run! by Sian Valvis and illustrated by Dovile Ciapaite (2022) Russia

Mr Miniscule and the Whale by Julian Tuwim, illustrated by Bohdan Butenko, and translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones (2014) Poland

Nadia: The Girl Who Couldn’t Sit Still by Karlin Gray and illustrated by Christine Davenier (2016) Romania

No. 5 Bubblegum Street by Mikolaj Pa and illustrated by Gosia Herba (2024) Poland

Quiet Night, My Astronaut: The First Days (and Nights) of the War in Ukraine by Oksana Lushchevska and illustrated by Kateryna Stepanishcheva  (2024) Ukraine

Red Apple by Feridun Oral  (2015) Türkiye

Stars and Poppy Seeds by Romana Romanyshyn and Andriy Lesiv (2019) Ukraine

The Discovery That Never Was by Martiņš Zutis (2020) Latvia

The Fox on the Swing by Evelina Daciutè and illustrated by Aušra Kiudulaite  (2018) Lithuania

The Real Boat by Marina Aromshtam and illustrated by Victoria Semykina  (2019) Russia

The Sea by Piret Raud (2021) Estonia

The Table That Ran Away to the Woods by Stefan Themerson and illustrated by Franciszka Themerson (2012) Poland

The Two Pennies Pouch: Romanian Folk Tale translated & retold by Ana R. Chelariu and illustrated by Serban Chelariu (2013) Romania

We're Off to the Forest by Katarina Macurova (2024) Slovakia

Batu and the Search for the Golden Cup*  by Zira Nauryzbai &  Lilya Kalaus and translated by Shelley Fairweather-Vega (2023) 

Bomb: The Race to Build - and Steal - the World's Most Dangerous Weapon* by Steve Sheinkin (2012)

Breaking Stalin's Nose* by Eugene Yelchin (2011)

Red Harvest: A Graphic Novel of the Terror Famine in Soviet Ukraine* by Michael Cherkas (2023)

Safe Area Goražde: The War in Eastern Bosnia 1992-95* by Joe Sacco (2018)

Soviet Daughter: A Graphic Revolution* by Julia Alekseyeva (2017)

The Death of Ivan Ilyich* by Leo Tolstoy and translated by Lynn Solotaroff (2004)

Words in the Dust* by Trent Reedy (2013)

Zlata's Diary: A Child's Life in Wartime Sarajevo* by Zlata Filipovic (2006)

*We have multiple copies of these books. Please reach out if you would like to borrow one or more.

Baba Yaga's Book of Witchcraft: Slavic Magic from the Witch of the Woods by Madame Pamita (2022)

Folktales of Eastern Europe: The Flying Ship And Other Traditional Stories adapted by Neil Philip and illustrated by Larry Wilkes (2019)

Georgian Tales: A Collection of Classic Georgian Folk Tales by John Oliver Wardrop and translated by Marjory Wardrop (2019)

How the Hedgehog Married: and Other Croatian Fairy Tales translated by Dasha C. Nisula and illustrated by Josip Botteri Dini (2022)

How to Survive a Russian Fairy Tale: Or... how to avoid getting eaten, chopped into little pieces, or turned into a goat by Nicholas Kotar (2019)

Hungarian Folktales: Illustrated Timeless Stories from Hungary by A.S. Mason (2024)

Latvian Folktales by Astrida Barbins-Stahnke (2021)

Timeless Fairy Tales Reloaded: Classical Romanian Fairy Tales translated and adapted for a new generation by Ovidiu F Sandu (2025)

Why The Bear Has No Tail: And other Russian Fairy-Tales retold & illustrated by Elena Polenova  and translated by Netta Peacock (2015)

Ukraine & Sunflowers
 In this lesson, your class will be taught about Ukraine, its culture, and history. Then they can learn about the Ukrainian flag and the importance of sunflowers. Finally, they will get a chance to decorate their own sunflower.
 Craft: Decorated Sunflower
 Students will decorate their own sunflower while learning about Ukraine’s national flower and its symbolism of peace, resistance, and renewal. This craft encourages creativity and helps reinforce cultural knowledge and national identity through a widely recognized and meaningful symbol.

Georgia & Castles
 In this lesson, your class will be taught about Georgia, its history, and culture. Then they will learn about the Georgian landscape and the importance of Georgian castles and fortresses. Finally, they will get a chance to decorate their own castle.
 Craft: Decorated Castle
 Children will create and decorate Georgian castles inspired by real historical sites across the country. This activity allows students to engage with Georgia’s rich architectural history, explore its mountainous geography, and understand the role of fortresses in protecting culture and sovereignty.

Moldova & Grapes
 In this lesson, your class will learn about Moldova, its history, and its culture. They will also learn about the languages spoken in Moldova and the importance of grapes. Finally, they will get to decorate Moldovan grapevines.
 Craft: Moldovan Grapevines
 Students will design and decorate grapevines, connecting to Moldova’s long-standing winemaking traditions and the agricultural role of grapes. This craft promotes cultural awareness and introduces students to Moldova’s diverse linguistic and culinary heritage.

Belarus & Stained Glass
 In this lesson, your class will learn about Belarus, its history, and its culture. They will also learn about the Belarusian artist Marc Chagall and his art. Finally, they will create their own stained glass pieces.
 Craft: Stained Glass Artwork
 Inspired by Marc Chagall’s vibrant and dreamlike art, students will create their own stained glass using translucent materials and bold colors. This craft provides a hands-on exploration of Belarusian artistic heritage and encourages self-expression through visual storytelling.

Lithuania & Mushrooms
 In this lesson, your class will learn about Lithuania, its history, and its culture. They will also learn about Lithuanian forests and the tradition of mushroom hunting. Finally, they will get a chance to decorate their own mushroom.
 Craft: Decorated Mushroom
 Students will decorate mushrooms while learning about Lithuania’s deep connection to its forests and the cherished tradition of mushroom foraging. This activity encourages appreciation of nature, cultural practices, and seasonal rhythms in daily life.

Hungary & the Turul
 In this lesson, your class will learn about Hungary, its history, and its culture. They will also learn about Hungarian history and the mythological bird, the Turul. Finally, they will get a chance to decorate their own Turul bird.
 Craft:  Turul Bird
 Children will craft and decorate the Turul, a powerful mythological bird symbolic of Hungarian identity and history. This activity introduces students to national myths and legends, helping them understand the role of folklore in shaping cultural heritage.

Kazakhstan & Yurts
 In this lesson, your class will learn about Kazakhstan, its history, and its culture. They will also learn about nomadic culture and yurts. Finally, they will get a chance to create their own yurts.
 Craft: Miniature Yurts
 Students will construct and decorate miniature yurts, reflecting Kazakhstan’s nomadic traditions and architectural ingenuity. This hands-on activity builds an understanding of how geography and lifestyle influence culture, and promotes appreciation for traditional ways of living.

Lithuania & Mushroom Hunting
 In this lesson, your class will learn about Lithuania, its history, and its culture. They will also learn about Lithuanian forests and the tradition of mushroom hunting. Finally, they will forage their own mushrooms!
 Activity: Mushroom Foraging
 Students will participate in a simulated mushroom foraging experience after learning about Lithuania’s rich forests and the cultural tradition of mushroom hunting. This lesson blends social studies, science, and environmental education. The activity fosters curiosity about nature and connects global traditions to local outdoor learning.

Kazakhstan & Dinosaurs
 In this lesson, your class will learn about Kazakhstan, its history, and its culture. They will also learn about the different dinosaurs found in Central Asia. Finally, they will get a chance to create their own dinosaur hatching egg!
 Craft: Dinosaur Hatching Egg
 Students will make and decorate their own dinosaur hatching eggs while learning about prehistoric fossils found in Kazakhstan and Central Asia. This lesson integrates science, geography, and art. It sparks excitement about Earth's history and natural sciences through creative, hands-on learning.

Breaking Stalin’s Nose
Subject: Social Studies/Modern History
Themes: Stalin, Youth, Soviet Union, Political Culture, Everyday Life
Time: 1 (50-minute) class period
Target Audience: Middle School Students
Developed by: Andrew Dolinar, BA in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies

Breaking Stalin’s Nose by Eugene Yelchin centers around Sasha Zaichik, a ten-year-old boy living in Moscow with his father during Stalin’s Great Terror. Sasha idolizes Stalin and is excited about his upcoming initiation into the Young Pioneers of the Communist Party. But the night before the initiation, his father, a high-ranking member of the secret police, is himself arrested. The narrative follows Sasha on this day, the day he has waited for his whole life, as his world is turned upside down, and he begins to question everything he has been taught.

To provide insight into propaganda, political culture, citizenship, and everyday life in the Soviet Union, the Russian, East European, and Eurasian Center has developed a module for middle schools around it. Building on the interactive website that accompanies the novel, the lesson plan also invites students to consider issues around political participation and indoctrination more broadly. This module fulfills Illinois Social Studies Standards:  SS.6-8.H.2.MdC., SS.6-8.CV.1.MdC., and SS.6-8.CV.3.MdC..

Everyday Life Under Late Socialism
Subject: Social Studies/Modern History
Themes: Late Socialism, Daily Life, Shortage, Economy, Eastern Europe
Time: 3 (50-minute) class periods
Target Audience: High School Students and Community College
Developed by: Zsuzsánna Magdó, PhD in the Department of History, UIUC

In Spring 2013, the Institute of National Remembrance in Warsaw kindly donated three copies of its recently created Kolejka/Queue, an educational board game that tells the story of everyday life in Poland at the tail-end of the communist era. Kolejka simulates the challenges families faced in terms of obtaining consumer products and services in a socialist economy of shortage. It provides players insight into the workings of planning, the informal economy, the system of blat (corruption) and party patronage, and the state socialist appropriation of private time.

To help students gain a critical understanding of daily life under socialism, REEEC has recently developed a set of curriculum guides for high school and community college instruction around this game. The individual and group activities ask students to observe the temporal, social, and emotional aspects that define socialist consumption, and invite them to identify the formal characteristics of daily life. Students will also contemplate how people’s subjective experience varies based on their membership in a particular social category and the kinds of goods/services they seek to obtain. Lastly, in the framework of a class role-play, they will consider socialist democracy at work and compile a prioritized list of reforms to meet the demands of their “wider socialist society”.

The module fulfills Illinois Social Studies Standards: SS.9-12.IS.5., S.9-12.IS.12., SS.9-12.CV.9., and SS.9-12.H.7. As well as fulfilling the National Social Studies Standards in World History for the 20th Century Since 1945. The lesson plans are accompanied by a bibliography of recent scholarly literature on everyday life and a list of additional instructional resources (relevant works of fiction, printed primary sources, documentaries, motion pictures, digital photo archives, websites, blogs and other lesson plans).

Russian Revolution
Subject: Social Studies
Themes: Russian Revolution, history, politics, journalism
Target Audience: High School/College
Developed by: Madeline Artibee, MA in REEEC

This module was created to recognize the impact of the 1917 Russian Revolution 100 years later. It has multiple components: biography, analysis of constitutions, a day in the life of a reporter during the Russian Revolution, and American minority communities during the Russian Revolution. It fulfills SS.9-12.IS.4., SS.9-12.CV.3., SS.9-12.CV.4., SS.9-12.CV.5., SS.9-12.H.5., SS.9-12.H.7, and SS.9-12.H.8..

Violence Overload? Promoting Sensitivity to Human Suffering: The Case of Bosnia
Subject: Social Studies/History, Political Science, Media
Themes: Genocide, Human Rights, Memory, Balkans
Time: 11 (50-minute) class periods
Target Audience: High School Students, Community College, or Supplementary to Collegiate Survey Courses
Workshop Developed by: Judith Pintar, Visiting Associate Professor of Sociology, UIUC
Rob Whiting, Course Mentor, General Education: Geography, Western Governor’s State University, Elana Jakel, PhD, in the Department of History, UIUC
Lesson Plans Developed by: Adam Schmitt, Social Studies Teacher at Lincoln Junior High School, Naperville, IL

This module has been designed to help secondary school teachers and community college faculty develop curriculum material that addresses crimes of genocide. Reflecting on the case of the Bosnian War of the 1990s, the module will explore the challenge of teaching students to think about the complex social and psychological dynamics of national, ethnic, and religious violence in a way that avoids reinforcing stereotypes about the social groups involved, and that promotes sensitivity to human suffering.