A note from the students of UNC
 

Dear Teachers,

This web site has been designed by three freshman undergraduate students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as an assignment for our history class.  After reading many books and articles dealing with nationalism and the formation of identities amongst different peoples by such authors as Benedict Anderson, we were asked to apply our understanding of the readings.  Our assignment was to research an area of the world facing a conflict that revolves around the identity of a set of peoples, and then make our information available for students of the middle school age.  As a result of its current significance and uniqueness, we chose to spend our time learning about the history, culture, and identity of a region called Chechnya, located in the area immediately surrounding Russia.  This topic is one that is widely known of, yet very few people understand the true causes behind the conflict.  Even we admit to not knowing nearly enough to understand the conflict in its entirety.  The truth is that there are countless instances throughout history which have caused this specific area of the world to be in disagreement.  It is because of the complexity of the issue that no one really does understand what is going on.  Thus, we feel it is an important issue to learn about, as it can offer a wonderful way for understanding that many of the conflicts we see today are more complex than the media portrays, and much more difficult to understand than one may think.

We are very excited that you have chosen to teach your students about the current conflict in Chechnya.  We feel that this important issue of today offers a great opportunity for learning about other cultures; it offers the opportunity to begin to understand the way in which identities are formed and misconceptions materialized.  We have compiled this web site for you, the teacher, to use as a reference and supplement to the actual presentation of the material.  You will find links to pages dealing with basic facts about Chechnya, Chechnya's history, the basics behind the conflict, the role identity plays in the conflict, images of Chechnya and the war, a glossary of terms, and a page of links to other sites that might be useful in your teaching of this unit.  While you may choose to take the information from our site and formulate your own presentation from the material, we want you to be aware that there is a power point presentation prepared for you to use in your class.  Please feel free to take full advantage of this presentation which has been designed strictly for those learning at a middle school level.

We hope you enjoy sharing this information with your class, and that you are able to use the information we have provided.  Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions at UNC_Chechnyagroup@excite.com  We wish you the best of luck with this unit!

Sincerely,

Tiffany, Doug, & Mark

     As the students learn about Chechnya, they will learn about how the world works as a whole.  Everyday news stations broadcast new developments in wars from all over the world.  While many of the conflicts may appear to be distinctly different, their similarities are striking.  By learning about the war in Chechnya, and the historical and identity issues that accompany this topic, the students will be able to better relate to and understand other world-wide concerns.  Additionally, by teaching students about the war in Chechnya, it may open their eyes to aspects living in the world today that many never consider.  This topic can prove to be a teaching tool not only for classroom benefits, but for life outside the classroom; we hope you take full advantage of this opportunity while teaching your students about Chechnya.
 

    The information available on Chechnya is extensive, so it is important for you, the teacher, to sort through the information ahead of time and present the material that can be understood by the students.  This does not mean presenting ONLY the material that will be understood, for this could very well lead to an incomplete view of the actual problem.  The main points that should be stressed are as followed:

Basic facts and culture:  It is important for the students to understand where Chechnya is located and what Chechnya is like as a country.  Some interesting points that you might consider sharing with your students are the language, culture, and geography of Chechnya.  Most of the views that people may have of Chechnya consist of the pictures they have seen on the news or in the media.  We feel it is important for the students to understand that Chechnya has a personality all of its own, much like the individual states within the United States have their own unique qualities.  A key element of Chechnya that you should try to explain, at least in the simplest of forms, is the Chechen Government.  This is important because much of the recent history has resulted from government actions.  (Go to the Chechnya Link)

History:  A basic overview of the history of Chechnya should be given.  It is important that prominent historical events, such the deportations forced on the Chechens by Stalin, the breakdown of the Soviet Union, and the election and appointment of major political leaders (such as Gorbachev, Yeltsin, Zorbakov, or ) be explained.  Much of the history provided on this site is more extensive than is necessary for a middle school understanding of the conflict.  It is important to keep that in mind when deciding which information to present and which to leave out.  If you are not using our power point presentation, we highly suggest you view it on your own to gain insight into what historical information we feel is important for a true understanding of this conflict. (Go to History Link)

Conflict:  Once the basic history is understood, you may allow the students to move on to the origin of the conflict.  As some of this information may intertwine with the history, it's very important that the history is understood before explaining the conflict.  Attempting to explain why Chechnya is fighting with Russia without at least touching on the history simply will not offer the best opportunity for a true understanding of this issue.  As you present the conflict, help the students understand the seriousness of this issue by stressing that it is something being faced by real people.  As you discuss the details of what is occurring today in Chechnya, ask the students to think about what the possible causes of this war are. (Go to Conflict Link)

Identity: The overall conflict in Chechnya can be directly traced to a desire to find a common identity.  This should be presented in a simple way that is easy for the students to understand.  For ideas on how to best explain this, you can consult "Basic Theory Behind Identity" section of the identity page.

Conclusion:  By teaching your students about the history and role of identity in the current conflict in Chechnya, your students should be able to gain more insight into who they are, and how the world around them functions.

  The goal of teaching this course on Chechnya is to broaden the view of your students.  A common question many may ask is "why should we care about this conflict?".  Because, like it or not, everyone is human. American, Chinese, Russian, African, Spanish, Chechen; we are all guided by the same principles, desires and passions. By studying other peoples we ultimately learn more about ourselves. By finding out what makes a Chechen a Chechen or a Russian a Russian, maybe we’ll be able to figure out what makes an American an American.

BASIC LESSON PLANS

We have designed a suggested lesson plan for you, as the teacher, to follow.  The plans were based on a weeklong (5 day) study of this issue.  Even if you choose to more or less time studying the Chechen conflict, we suggest you look at these lesson plans to get ideas for the classroom.
 
 

DAY	MATERIAL TO PRESENT	DAYCORROSPONDING POWERPOINT SLIDES
Day 1:  Introducing the material	1.  Introducing the topic:  Ask your students to either write a short paragraph or list defining who they are.  They can use anything that they think makes them an indivudual or part of a group.  They can be students, daughters, sons, Americans, football players, etc.; the possibilities are endless. 2.  Once you have done this, explain that for the next week you will be studying about Chechnya.  Explain where Chechnya is located and present some of the basic facts about Chechnya.  The slides on the powerpoint presentation correspond very nicely with this. 3.  The last thing you want to do today is introduce main ideas that will be discussed throughout the week.  You will explain briefly that there is a war going on in Chechnya.  Encourage classroom discussion if there are students who have heard about the war.  You may also talk about other wars going on around the world, and explain that Chechnya is simply another one of these.  Remember to encourage your students to think about why this war is going on:  who are the people living in Chechnya and why are they fighting?	1 through 16
Day 2:  The History of Chechnya	1.  You may begin today by building on your introduction excersise.  As a class, ask the students to create a venn diagram on the board listing what they believe to be characteristics of Americans and Chechens, with similarities being placed in the middle.  This will cause the students to think about the people you will be introducing to them. 2.  Begin teaching the history of Chechnya.  Explain that much like the history of America influences who we are (for example, freedom allows each person to be different), the history of Chechnya determines who the Chechen people are.	17 through 24
Day 3:  The Chechen Conflict	1.  Begin today by asking the students to break into small groups and discuss what causes conflicts, or fights, between people to arise.  When they have had sufficient time to discuss this within groups, ask for a spokesperson from each group to share their findings with the class.  Be sure to bring up the possibility of discrepencies in identity causing conflicts. 2.  Explain that the conflict in Chechnya is not an easy one to understand, but as a class you are going to try to figure it out.  These slides are important to consult. As you begin to explain the conflict, you will also begin to examine the role that identity plays in wars.  Explain to the students that as people begin to see themselves as distinctly different from those around them, a desire for independence is aquired.	25 through 33
Day 4:  Summary of the History and Conflict	1.  Begin class by asking each student pretend that they are a child of their age living in Chechnya.  Have them write a paper answering the following:  How would your life be diffenent than it is today?  What would be the hardest thing to give up?  As for volunteers to share their thoughts.  2.  Today will be the last day spent discussing the history and conflict of Chechnya.  Much of today will be spent learning about the people and events of Chechnya.  Encourage classroom discussion as much as possible.	34 through 44
Day 5:  Wrapping it All Up	This is the last day of the Chechnya Unit!!!  You may begin by finishing the powerpoint presentation.  Use the rest of the time to discuss what the students have learned.  It is not important that they remember names or dates, but that they understand the concept of identity.  Identity is who we are, and it is affected by everything around us.  The people in Chechnya are mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, children and students just like  your students; they only live in a different country.  However, that slight difference has significanty influenced their identity. *For teachers wanting a way to assess your students: We suggest assessing your students comprehension of this unit by having them write a paper on one of the following topics: 1.  How has growing up in America made you who you are? 2.  How did your view of the people in Chechnya change after you learned about them? 3.  Feel free to encourage your students (as a class) to come up with their own writing ideas, and offer these as possibilities as well.	45 through 55