Russian 1 (MS/US)

Students will begin building a foundation to communicate in Russian in both oral conversation and writing. We will encounter the richness of Russian language and culture in both its historical and contemporary contexts. Focus will be on exposure to “real-life” language through in-class conversation, videos, visual arts, and simple literary or practical texts. The course will move through the grammatical building blocks of Russian via authentic communication tasks. As we build our knowledge of the language, we will move into using more and more Russian in the classroom, so that by the end of the academic year, the course will be conducted primarily in Russian.

Written homework will be required after each lesson to allow for contemplation and reinforcement of the new material. The course is rigorous but allows time for students to engage the beauty of Russian language and culture. Grammatical concepts introduced will assist students in a deeper understanding of the English language.

In the course, students will learn how to:

• Read, write, and pronounce the Russian alphabet
• Memorize and understand introductory Russian vocabulary
• Distinguish between masculine, feminine, neuter, and plural forms
• Understand and conjugate some basic Russian verbs
• Distinguish between grammatical cases and tenses
• Have elementary-level conversations in formal and informal settings, including, but not limited to, introductions, getting to know others, cardinal numbers, families, nationalities, location and possession, emotions, preferences, and hobbies.
• Encounter Russian culture and history, especially those related to Russian Orthodox tradition.

View the SRS Russian Curriculum Map

• Computer: You will need a stable, reliable computer, running with a processor with a speed of 1 GHz or better on one of the following operating systems: Mac OS X with Mac OS 10.7 or later; Windows 8, 7, Vista (with SP1 or later), or XP (with SP3 or later). We do not recommend using an iPad or other tablet for joining classes. An inexpensive laptop or netbook would be much better solutions, as they enable you to plug an Ethernet cable directly into your computer. Please note that Chromebooks are allowed but not preferred, as they do not support certain features of the Zoom video conference software such as breakout sessions and annotation, which may be used by our teachers for class activities.
• High-Speed Internet Connection: You will also need access to high-speed Internet, preferably accessible via Ethernet cable right into your computer. Using Wi-Fi may work, but will not guarantee you the optimal use of your bandwidth. The faster your Internet, the better. We recommend using a connection with a download/upload speed of 5/1 Mbps or better. You can test your Internet connection here.
• Webcam: You may use an external webcam or one that is built in to the computer. Webcam Recommendations: Good (PC only) | Best (Mac and PC)
• Headset: We recommend using a headset rather than a built-in microphone and speakers. Using a headset reduces the level of background noise heard by the entire class. Headset Recommendations: USB | 3.5mm
• Zoom: We use a web conferencing software called Zoom for our classes, which enables students and teachers to gather from around the globe face to face in real time. Zoom is free to download and easy to use. To download Zoom:
  1. Visit zoom.us/download.
  2. Click to download the first option listed, Zoom Client for Meetings.
  3. Open and run the installer on your computer.
  4. In August, students will be provided with instructions and a link for joining their particular class.
• Scanner: In this class, students frequently submit homework assignments by scanning pages from their workbooks. Students and/or their parents should have easy access to a scanner and the ability to use it.