Crisis in UkraineKiev in Chaos: Teaching About

the Crisis in Ukraine

Introduction

If you watched the Winter Olympics over the past two weeks, you saw that Russia

pulled off world-class athletic competitions and dazzling

opening and closing ceremonies in Sochi...

But, by the end of the second week, the escalating violence

and instability in nearby Ukraine cast a shadow over

the Games.

Today we will investigate the political and economic crisis consuming Ukraine, first by getting an overview of the

basic facts and then by digging deeper in small research

groups.

WARM UP:

• What do you know about Ukraine?

• Where is it?

• Why is it in the news lately?

• What events are taking place there?

• Why?

“THE Ukraine divided, explained”

Short video clip from the New York Times

how are divisions in Ukraine responsible for the current unrest?

“How it all began: a cold war battle heats up”

1. What are the three core factors that led to the chaos, according to the article?

2. Why does Russia feel threatened by Ukraine forming a closer partnership with Europe?

3. Why did many Ukrainians, especially in the Western part of the country, want Ukraine to sign political and economic agreements with the European Union?

4. Why did street protests erupt in November 2013?

5. What were some of the government missteps that helped further fuel the protests?

6. What additional questions do you have about what’s going on in Ukraine?

FURTHER INVESTIGATION

TASK• Working with your table group, you

will research a specific question about the crisis.

• Designate roles within your group: researchers, recorders, presenter(s).

• You may conduct your own research or use the sources provided from New York Times (on my website.)

• Use the butcher to answer your question.

• Be sure to write your question at the top of your piece of paper.

• Before the end of class, each group will present their findings to the rest of the class.

RESEARCH GROUPS1. How did the unrest in Ukraine

begin?

2. Who is President Yanukovych, and why has he fled?

3. Who are the protesters? (Opposition to Yanukovych)

4. Why did the unrest in the Ukraine escalate in the past two weeks?

5. What role do Russia and the West play in the Ukrainian crisis?

6. How will the standoff in Crimea be resolved?

7. What now? What does the future hold for Ukraine?

Debriefing

• Why is the Ukraine experiencing so much political unrest?

• What role do Russia, Europe, and the United States play in the turmoil?

• What do you think will happen in Ukraine?

• What are the next moves that Russia, the European Union and the United States will make?

• Does what happens on the other side of the world have repercussions the United States? For the world?