markers and flashcards with names and pictures of fruit in English and Russian

Resources for Educators

CREES provides support and resources for educators in the form of grants, outreach events, teacher-training workshops, lesson plans, and digital and physical “culture trunks” (mini-lessons on topics relating to Russia, Eastern Europe, and Eurasia for students at all levels).

Resources

teacher reading to a class

Lesson Plans

Resources to help teachers incorporate literature and culture from Russia, Eastern Europe, and Eurasia in their classes. These materials are developed by CREES experts for educators who attend our annual workshops and are available for anyone interested in the subject.
small globe on top of open book

Global Literature and History List

A curated list of books and activities devoted to Russia, Eastern Europe, and Eurasia as well as other world regions that can be utilized in the classroom.
books

Books on Russia, Eastern Europe, and Eurasia by Reading Level

An annotated list of engaging books on the region, organized by age and reading level.
Russian domra (stringed folk instrument)

Digital Culture Tours

Digital resources on Russian, East European, and Eurasian culture including music, art, literature, history and more!

Resources

red white and blue button with a heart in the center. the left side of the heart is the soviet flag, the right side is the star section of the American flag. the text on the button reads Meeting for Peace, Lawrence, Kansas. USSR, USA

Cold War in the Heartland

The Cold War in the Heartland is a web resource for those interested in discovering the sometimes hidden or forgotten history of this global conflict in the region and learning about the ways the Cold War’s legacies remain relevant today. Created by faculty and graduate students at the University of Kansas, The Cold War in the Heartland brings together primary source documents, landscape case studies, and oral history interviews. It also provides tools for teachers and students to learn more, with guided discussions, activities, and an interactive timeline.
photo of Mikhail Gorbachev holding an official document while sitting at a desk.

Collapse and Rebirth: A Living Archive on the Collapse of the Soviet Union and Beyond

The “Living Archive” is an ongoing project to collect, digitize, translate, and analyze primary source materials on the collapse of the USSR and the early years of post-Soviet statehood. The result of a partnership between CREES and faculty and students at Michigan State University, the archive includes central and local newspapers, pamphlets from political opposition and non-governmental organizations, television broadcasts covering key events, and eye-witness videos. These materials are in several regional languages, representing the diversity of the former Soviet Union. The archive is a wonderful resource for teachers as well as researchers. As the project develops, it will include materials and translations crowd-sourced from users of the site.
Teacher in front of a class of elementary students all raising their hands

Educator Workshops

Each year CREES holds at least one teacher training workshop for K-16 educators and one workshop for community college and minority-serving institution faculty. Click the link below to learn more about our upcoming workshops.

The theme of our 2024 workshops is migration.
KU Area Studies Centers Traveling World Languages Fair. Background images is world map in shades of blue.

Traveling World Languages Fairs

The World Languages Fair is designed to inform students about several global opportunities at KU (or ways that they can make a global impact) as well as introduce them to some exciting languages from around the world.
Students will leave the fair knowing that fluency in more than one language and an understanding of cultural contexts will prepare them to become global citizens. Studying a language will sharpen their communication skills and enrich their critical understanding of the world.