THEATER
The Firebird
Study Guide
1
Table of Contents
About This Study Guide and Wild Swan Theater
3-4
About American Sign Language in
Wild Swan Theater Productions
5
The Story of The Firebird
6
The Characters of The Firebird
7
The Music of The Firebird
8
The Set of The Firebird
9-10
About Russian Folk Tales
11
Related Activities for Your Classroom
11-13
Masha and the Bear Folk Tale
14-15
Suggested Bibliography
16-17
Connections to Common Core Standards
18-19
Connections to Michigan Grade Level Expectations (GLCES) 20-22
*A note on standards: Suggested Classroom Activities have the ability to meet Common Core and
GLCE standards. Please review these standards before implementing the suggested classroom
activities.
This study guide was originally compiled by Amanda Stanger-Read, updated by
Ramona L. Brand, Director of Education, September 2003, and updated again in October 2013.
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ABOUT THIS STUDY GUIDE
The Firebird Study Guide is an educational resource providing concrete learning experiences along
with background and summary information to aid in understanding concepts of each production and
Wild Swan Theater. We have provided Common Core Standards as well as Grade Level Content
Expectations for each of the classroom activities in a separate section so that you can see how these
lessons can become an integral part of your educational setting. The Study Guides follow a standard
format so you can determine which parts best fit the needs of your classroom. Wild Swan Theater
strives to ensure that each Study Guide contain current information and is helpful to you, so please do
not hesitate to contact us if you have any suggestions at wildswan@wildswantheater.org. Thank you!
ABOUT WILD SWAN THEATER
MISSION STATEMENT:
Wild Swan Theater is dedicated to producing professional theater of the highest artistic quality for
families and to making that theater accessible to everyone including low income, minority, and
disabled children through low ticket prices and innovative outreach programs.
HISTORY AND ACTIVITIES:
In 1980, Dr. Hilary Cohen and Ms. Sandy Ryder founded Wild Swan Theater with a desire to reach
youth and families with affordable, accessible theater productions of the highest quality. They set out
to create theater that was so thrilling and relevant for youth that it had the power to inspire a lifelong
love of drama, art, history, and literature. More than 33 years later, Wild Swan Theater is still
delighting children with a potent combination of some of the world’s greatest stories and myths,
original composition music, dance, masks, puppets, and the visual poetry of American Sign Language
(ASL).
Since its founding, Wild Swan made a commitment to make theater accessible to patrons with special
needs. In the early 1980s, we were one of the first theater companies in the nation to incorporate ASL
into all of our mainstage performances, and invented a new aesthetic for the theater by fully integrating
ASL actors into the central action of the play. We also pioneered other audience accessibility tools
such as onstage touch tours and audio described performances for audience members who are blind;
and pre-performance workshops for audiences who are developmentally disabled. In addition to
providing a warm welcome to children with special needs, our productions have also introduced the
poetry of sign language to hundreds of thousands of hearing children and adults while also raising their
awareness and understanding of people whom they might consider to be different.
Wild Swan's performance style, which incorporates storytelling and live action with puppets, masks,
music and dance, has received critical acclaim as well as an enthusiastic following. The Detroit News
has praised the work as "professional children's theater at its very best," and the Flint Museum of Art
has described it as "superb theater that enhances life and its joys." Henry Ford Museum and
Greenfield Village has called Wild Swan "one of the finest theaters for families in the nation."
Wild Swan has won recognition for its artistic excellence through support from the National
Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Michigan Council for Arts
and Cultural Affairs, and the Michigan Humanities Council.
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Wild Swan Theater won one of Michigan’s highest honors in 1998—the Governor’s Arts-in-Service
Award. In 2001 we received the James A. Neubacher Award from the University of Michigan (for 22
years of making theater accessible for more than 10,000 special needs children and adults). Other
awards include the 2001 Great Lakes Community Arts Award (one of Michigan’s highest honors), the
2001 NEW Center’s Excellence in Management Award, and the 2003 NEW Center’s Excellence in
Community Education Award. In 2008, we were selected to receive the Heartspring Award for
Innovation and Creativity in Special Education. This national award recognized the company's
commitment to making drama accessible to all audience members, including those with visual,
auditory, or mobility impairment.
ABOUT AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE IN WILD SWAN THEATER
PRODUCTIONS
Wild Swan Theater wants to create theater productions that all audience members can
enjoy. There are many things a theater company can do to make attending a play a good
experience for people who have disabilities. For example, Towsley Auditorium has two
special seating sections for people who use wheel chairs. Not only is there lots of room for
wheel chairs or other kinds of mobility devices, but there is room for friends and family
members to sit together. Wild Swan also offers backstage "touch tours" and "audio-description" for
people who are blind.
Wild Swan Theater includes American Sign Language in all its performances that are part of its season
of productions at Washtenaw Community College. American Sign Language (ASL) is the language
that children and adults who are deaf use to communicate. Wild Swan uses ASL so that people who are
deaf will be able to understand and enjoy live theater. When you see a Wild Swan production, you
will notice several things about the signing. You will notice that the people who do the signing, the
interpreters, are part of the production and wear costumes just like the rest of the actors. You will also
notice that the interpreters are very good actors as well as experts at ASL. Finally, you will notice that
the signing is an important part of what you see on the stage.
Sometimes when other theater companies include sign language, the interpreters are placed off to the
side of the stage, and they are not part of the production. When people who are deaf come to the play,
they have to look one place to see the signers and another place to the see the play itself. That usually
means that they miss some important parts of the play or of the sign language. Wild Swan decided that
it wanted to make sure the people who are deaf never miss anything.
That is why when you come to a Wild Swan production, you will see the signing completely
woven into the performance. That way people who are deaf can see what the speaking
actors are doing and what the signing actors are doing at the same time. You might even
notice that that the speaking actors and the signing actors work together. Sometimes a
speaking character gets an idea from a signing actor or the signing actors helps the
speaking actor to make a decision. When you watch a Wild Swan production see if you can
pick out some examples of times when the speaking and signing actors work together.
Many hearing people know some sign language. When you attend a Wild Swan production,
perhaps you will learn some new signs. That is another reason that Wild Swan uses sign
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language in its plays. We hope that hearing people will learn a little more about sign
language and find out what a beautiful and interesting language it is.
AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE ALPHABET
When you come to see The Firebird you will notice that American Sign Language Interpreters are part
of the play. They are signing the dialogue of the show for audience members who may have difficulty
hearing. American Sign Language is a language used by the deaf and hearing impaired community.
Using sign language in Wild Swan Theater shows enables more people to enjoy a theatrical
production.
Below is the basic sign language alphabet. Can you make the letters of the alphabet using the chart
below?
Classroom Activities:
Try spelling your name using sign language or try spelling words and phrases.
Use The ASL sign language alphabet to spell character names that are used in the play, such as Tsar,
Lupnik, Baba Yaga, Sistchik, Nog and Ivan.
Music and dancing is an important part of The Firebird play. How would you sign a
Russian folk song?
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THE STORY OF THE FIREBIRD
The Firebird is a common character in Russian Folk tales and there are many versions of her story.
Our story takes place long, long ago in Russia at the palace of Tsar (King) Nicholas. The Tsar’s wife,
the Tsarina, brought an apple tree to the palace garden that is watered with three drops from the
Circassian Spring. One day an ogre dries up the spring, and the Tsarina disappears. To make matters
worse, someone has been stealing the apples from the Tsarina’s apple tree. Ivan, the Tsar’s son, is
determined to find the thief.
One night while guarding the apple tree, Ivan sees the Firebird and although unable to catch her he
does find on of her beautiful feathers. He bravely sets off to find the Firebird. Along the way he is met
by Lupnik the wolf who, with riddles and hints, helps Ivan defeat the various demons he must confront
to find the Firebird – Baba Yaga, Nurl, Sistchik and Nog.
At last, Ivan enters the realm of Koshtchey the Deathless. Ivan defeats Koshtchey with wit and
cunning and the help of the mysterious Firebird. The Tsar and his guards arrive to capture the Firebird
for her thievery, but before the Tsar and his guards arrive to capture the Firebird for her thievery, but
before the Tsar can put her in the dungeon, Ivan remembers the wolf’s final riddle: “to have what you
want, you must let it go” and he frees the Firebird. Magically, the Firebird is transformed into the
Tsarina and, with Koshtchey gone, everyone rejoices.
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THE CHARACTERS OF THE FIREBIRD
Ivan – son of the Tsar (King) Nicholas, who through the course of his quest to find the Firebird
becomes a man.
The Firebird – the magical bird that has been stealing the Tsarina’s apples, The Firebird appears in
many Russian stories as a symbol of life, the embodiment of sun and fire. She has magical powers and
beautiful orange, red, and yellow feathers. The story of the Firebird so captured the imagination of the
Russian people that in 1910 the great ballet master Michael Fokine was commissioned to choreograph
a ballet based on the story. The ballet was set to a new score composed by Igor Stravinsky, the great
Russian composer.
Tsar Nicholas – Ivan’s father
Tsarina Alexandria – Ivan’s mother who has disappeared
Lupnik – a gray wolf, Ivan’s mentor and guide. Lupnik speaks in riddles as do many of the characters
in Russian folk tales.
Baba Yaga – the Crone of the Ukraine, a gruesome witch. In many stories Baba Yaga lives in the
forest in a house build on chicken legs. She likes to cook children in her big iron cauldron. She often
aids the hero, even if unintentionally, by providing him with some object of power or clue that helps
him achieve his goal.
Nurl – savage gnome of the underground treasure-hoard
Sistchick- sinister snake king
Nog- fierce troll of the Bridge over the Abyss
Koshtchey the Deathless – a foul and ferocious ogre, demon of evil. Koshtchey is a famous character
in Russian fairy tales, the most evil of all monsters. He turns people into statues or fantastic creatures
and makes them his slaves.
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THE MUSIC OF THE FIREBIRD
The music for The Firebird is made up of traditional Russian folk music played by three musicians.
The musicians play balalaikas, domras, some percussion and wind instruments and various other noise
makers which are mainly for sound effects.
The balalaika is a triangular, three stringed instrument and the most popular Russian national
instrument. It is simple to make and therefore accessible to everyone. Anyone with moderate skill and
simple tools can make a balalaika from a solid block of wood.
In the late 18th century, a nobleman named Andreyev developed the balalaika from an un-standardized
folk lute into a whole family of instruments with standard tunings. The balalaika can be played solo or
as part of an ensemble. Often it is featured in the balalaika orchestra which has all sizes of balalaika,
the domra (a related round-bodied nect lute), the bayan (the Russian accordion), the tambourine and
sometimes various reed pipes and flutes.
CD’s:
The Firebird, Russian Fairy Tale, Adapted by Carol Rosenberger. Narrated by Natalia Makarova,
Music of Igor Stravinsky (complete ballet). Seattle Symphony. Gerard Schwarz, conductor. Delos
International, Inc. 1991
Les Balalaikas Des Tziganes Russes. Arion, Paris, 1983
The Odessa Balalaikas: The Art of the Balalaika. Elektra Nonesuch. 1982
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THE SET OF THE FIREBIRD
The set for Wild Swan Theater’s The Firebird was designed by Toni Auletti. The shapes and colors of
the scenery flats are inspired by traditional Russian architecture. Many historical buildings such as the
Kremlin feature the onion domes and brilliant colors seen in the set.
The other location of the story are created with props manipulated by the actors, i.e. tree branches to
suggest a forest, and sometimes by the bodies of the actors themselves as when the two narrators
standing together represent Baba Yaga’s cellar doors.
St. Basil’s Cathedral
The famous St. Basil's Cathedral was commissioned by Ivan
the Terrible and built on the edge of Red Square between
1555 and 1561. Legend has it that on completion of the
church the Tsar ordered the architect, Postnik Yakovlev, to be
blinded to prevent him from ever creating anything to rival its
beauty again. (He did in fact go on to build another cathedral
in Vladimir despite his ocular impediment!) The cathedral
was built to commemorate Ivan the Terrible's successful
military campaign against the Tartar Mongols in 1552 in the
besieged city of Kazan. Victory came on the feast day of the
Intercession of the Virgin, so the Tsar chose to name his new
church the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Virgin on the
Moat, after the moat that ran beside the Kremlin. The church
was given the nickname "St. Basil's" after the "holy fool"
Basil the Blessed (1468-1552), who was hugely popular at
that time with the Muscovites masses and even with Ivan the
Terrible himself. St. Basil's was built on the site of the earlier
Trinity Cathedral, which at one point gave its name to the neighboring square.
St. Basil's is a delightful array of swirling colors and redbrick towers. Its design comprises nine
individual chapels, each topped with a unique onion dome and each commemorating a victorious
assault on the city of Kazan. The extravagant and brightly colored domes of the cathedral's exterior
mask a much more modestly decorated and somewhat less spectacular interior. Small dimly lit chapels
and maze-like corridors fill the inside of the church and the walls are covered with delicate floral
designs in subdued pastel colors dating from the 17th century. Visitors can climb up a narrow, wooden
spiral staircase, set in one of the walls and discovered only in the 1970s during restoration work, and
marvel at the Chapel of the Intercession's priceless iconostasis, dating back to the 16th century. There
was so little room inside the church to accommodate worshippers that on special feast days services
were held outside on Red Square where the clergy communicated their sermons to the milling masses
from Lobnoye Mesto, using St. Basil's as an outdoor altar.
The church has narrowly escaped destruction a number of times during the city's tumultuous history.
Legend has it that Napoleon was so impressed with St. Basil's that he wanted to take it back to Paris
with him, but lacking to the technology to do so, ordered instead that it be destroyed with the French
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retreat from the city. The French set up kegs of gunpowder and lit their fuses, but a sudden, miraculous
shower helped to extinguish the fuses and prevent the explosion.
Early in this century the cathedral almost fell prey to the atheist principles of the Bolshevik regime. In
1918 the communist authorities shot the church's senior priest, Ioann Vostorgov, confiscated its
property, melted down its bells and closed the cathedral down. In the 1930s Lazar Kaganovich, a close
colleague of Stalin and director of the Red Square reconstruction plan, suggested that St. Basil's be
knocked down to create space and ease the movement of public parades and vehicle movement on the
square. Thankfully Stalin rejected his proposal as he did a second plan to destroy the cathedral. This
time the courage of the architect and devotee of Russian culture, P. Baranovsky, saved the church.
When ordered to prepare the cathedral for destruction he refused and threatened to cut his own throat
on the steps of the church, then sent a bluntly worded telegram to the leader of the party himself
relating the above. For some reason Stalin cancelled the decision to knock the church down and for his
efforts Baranovsky was rewarded with five years in jail.
An extensive program of renovation is still being carries out on both the exterior and interior of the
church, but will not spoil that essential visit to St. Basil's Cathedral, Moscow's moat famous and
arguably most beautiful ecclesiastical building.
About St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg is a relatively young city, by both Russian and European standards, and was only
founded in 1703 by Tsar Peter the Great. Despite its short life so far, Petersburg has a rich and exciting
history. From the early days of Peter the Great's "Venice of the North" to the modern events of the
1991 coup d’état, the city has always bustled with life and intrigue, revolution and mystery. St.
Petersburg is a beautiful and fascinating holiday destination and one of the most intriguing and
historically significant cities in Europe. Take virtual history tours of St. Petersburg and the Winter
Palace: http://www.saint-petersburg.com/history/introduction.asp and http://www.saintpetersburg.com/virtual-tour/hermitage.asp
About The Winter Palace (Hermitage Museum) in St. Petersburg
From the 1760s onwards the Winter Palace was
the main residence of the Russian Tsars.
Magnificently located on the bank of the Neva
River, this Baroque-style palace is perhaps St.
Petersburg’s most impressive attraction. Many
visitors also know it as the main building of the
Hermitage Museum. The green-and-white threestory palace is a marvel of Baroque architecture
and boasts 1,786 doors, 1,945 windows and
1,057 elegantly and lavishly decorated halls and
rooms, many of which are open to the public.
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ABOUT RUSSIAN FOLK TALES
The telling of folk tales has always been an important part of Russian tradition. Stories were told and
retold to everyone from Tsars to peasants. The art of telling tales was handed down from generation to
generation, and tellers, often blind men or servants hired specifically for their skill at telling stories
were highly regarded members of society.
There are thousands of Russian folk tales but surprisingly few plots. Most tales feature a struggle
between two extremes: dark versus light, fire versus cold, etc. In these Russian tales the values of the
humble are honored over the rich and powerful. The hero always has a true and clean heart and a
respect for nature. He is clever and trusting. By his goodness he wins friends, often animals such as
birds and even wolves, which he talks to as brothers. The humble and honest youth embarks upon a
quest that presents him with several evil adversaries to overcome. With the help of his allies and by
using wit and cunning rather than strength, he is able to overcome the forces of evil.
RELATED ACTIVITIES FOR YOUR CLASSROOM:
A. Discussion Questions
1. Prince Ivan is the hero of the Firebird. What makes him a hero? What other stories about heroes do
you know? Do you know any real life heroes?
2. Have you ever done something to help your family? What obstacles or challenges did you have to
overcome to reach your goal? Did anyone help you? How? Were you scared or excited? How did you
feel when you succeeded?
3. Ivan is only a young boy when he sets out to find the Firebird. What does he use to defeat his
adversaries who are bigger and stronger than he is?
4. Lupnik provides Ivan with riddles to use in order to defeat his adversaries. Can you think of tales
from other cultures that use riddles? Why are the riddles important? Why doesn’t Lupnik just tell Ivan
how to defeat the creatures he encounters?
5. In the end, Ivan must free the Firebird in order to keep her. Have you ever had to give something up
that you really wanted? How does that feel? Did anything good come out of your sacrifice?
6. Do you know someone that tells stories very well? What makes a story exciting to hear? How is
storytelling different from reading a story?
7. Do the creature characters that Ivan meets remind you of characters from other folk tales? Which
ones? Think of stories such as Hansel and Gretel, Three Billy Goats Gruff and other stories. Why do
you think there are similarities in the stories?
B. Russian Folktale –Use Masha & The Bear (pages 10-11) as an Interactive Read Aloud. Use the
following activities as follow ups with the story:
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1.) Divide your children into two groups. Have one group take the role of the Bear and one group take
the role of Masha. The teacher or leader can take the role of narrator. Rewrite the dialogue stage a
choral storytelling session.
2.) Play 5 Freeze Frame. Divide your students into five groups. Divide the story into five sections.
Give each group a section of the story and have them create a frozen tableau depicting an important
part of that story. (Your students can become more than the characters – they can let their imagination
work and become trees, the basket, pies, the house etc.) Each group then presents their tableau in
sequence creating the spine of the story.
3.) Compare and contrast this story to folktales such as Goldilocks and the Three Bears and Little Red
Riding Hood. What are the similarities and differences? Can your students write their own version of
this type of tale?
C. Traditional Games of Russia
Russian children's folklore includes hundreds of games. These games have not changed significantly
over time and remain enduringly popular.
I have chosen "Gusi-gusi" (Geese-geese). Play this traditional Russian game incorporating the popular
Russian wolf character with your class. Teach your students the Russian words and have them recite it
as a call and response activity.This type of game is typically played by children aged 5-8. The players
start by choosing the leaders, a "mama goose" and a "grey wolf." Once the vedushchie (leaders) are
chosen, the game begins.
To start the game, the mama goose stands at one end of the playing field. The goslings (all of the
children besides the mama and the wolf) stand at the other end. The wolf remains in the middle of the
field. The mama and her goslings engage in a poetic interchange:
Mama:
Gusi, gusi!
Goosey, goosey!
Goslings:
Ga-ga-ga!
Honk-honk-honk!
Mama:
Est’Khotite?
Do you want to eat?
Goslings:
Da-da-da?
Yes-yes-yes!
Mama:
Nu, Letite!
Well, fly on over!
Goslings:
Nam, nel’zia
We can’t
Mama:
Pochemu?
Why not?
Goslings:
Seryi volk za goroi The gray wolf behind the hill won’t let us come home.
Ne puskaet nas domoi.
Compare this game to other games the children may play. What are some of the similarities and
differences in the games from the games they may play?
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D. Extension Activities

Create your own riddles. Ask someone to try to solve them.

Draw a picture of what you think the Firebird looks like. Draw a picture of one of Ivan’s foes.

Find Russia on the map.

Russian folktales were told by storytellers before they were ever written down. Write a short
folktale and tell it to you class.

Ivan finds a feather of the Firebird in the garden. Go out to your yard and look for feathers. Can
you identify what kind of bird it is just by looking at its feathers?

Are there any other signs of animals that you can see?

Imagine another adventure for Ivan. Write a story. What is his quest? Who does he meet along the
way? How does he defeat his enemies?
E. Online Lesson Plans
http://www.pbs.org/weta/faceofrussia/reference/lesson.html
Face of Russia PBS television program lesson plans
http://www.pbs.org/weta/faceofrussia/reference/lesson2.html
(lesson plan on Russian Architecture)
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Masha & The Bear
Once upon a time there lived an old man and woman who had a granddaughter named
Masha. One day some friends of Masha's decided to go to the forest to gather mushrooms
and berries and they came to Masha's house to ask her to go with them."Please, Grannie
and Grampa," said Masha, "do let me go to the forest"
"You may go but see that you keep close to the others and do not lose sight of them or you
might get lost", the two old people replied.
Masha and her friends came to the forest and began to hunt for the mushrooms and
berries. From bush to bush, from tree to tree went Masha. Before she knew it she had
strayed away from her friends. When at last she saw that she was all alone she began to
halloo and call to them, but her friends did not hear her and made no answer. Masha went
here and there, she walked all over the forest, and there before her she saw a little hut.
Masha knocked on the door but there was no answer, so she gave the door a push and lo!
the door opened. Masha went into the hut and sat down on a bench by the window.
"I wonder who lives here she thought". Now in that hut lived a great big bear, only he was
out walking in the forest just then. It was evening by the time he came home and when he
saw Masha he was very pleased. "Aha", said he, "now I'll never let you go! You will live here
in my house as meek as a mouse, and you will cook my dinner and my breakfast too, and
be my servant, faithful and true."
Masha grieved and sorrowed for a long time, but it could not be helped, and so she stayed
with the bear and kept house for him. Every day the bear would go into the forest for the
day and before leaving, he would tell Masha to stay in the hut and wait for him.
"You must never go out without me, he told her, for if you do I will catch you and eat you
up.” So Masha sat thing of how she could get away from the bear. All around was the forest
and there was no one to ask which way to go. She thought and thought until she knew
what to do.
That day, when the bear came back from the forest, Masha said to him:" Bear, Bear do let
me to my village for a day. I want to take something good to eat for my Grandma and
Grandpa."
"No that won’t do at all" said the bear, "you will get lost in the forest, but if you give me
what it is you want to give your Grandma and Grandpa, I will take it myself". Now that was
all that Masha wanted to hear. She baked some pies, put them on a plate, and getting out a
very large basket, said to the bear:
"I'll put the pies in the basket and you can take them to my Grandma and Grandpa. But
mind you are not to open the basket on the way and you are not to eat any of the pies. I am
going to climb to the top of the big oak tree and watch that you do not open the basket."
"Very well ", said the bear, "Give me the basket".
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The bear went out on the porch to make sure that it was not raining. When he did, Masha
crawled into the basket and covered herself with the pies. The bear came in, and there was
the basket all ready to go. So he strapped the basket on his back and started off. Tramptramp went the bear amid the spruce trees. Clumpity-clumphe went amid the birch trees,
up hill and down dale went his long winding trail, and on and on he walked. At last he got
tired and sat down to rest.
"If I don't rest my bones I think I will die, So I will sit on a stump And I'll eat a pie", said the
Bear.
But Masha called out from the basket: "I see you, I see you Don't sit on the stump And
don't eat my pie But take it to Grandma And Grandpa, say I".
He picked up the basket and went on. He stopped again and said: "If I don't rest my bones, I
think I will dies, so I'll sit on a stump and eat a pie".
But Masha called out again from the basket: "I see you, I see you! Don't sit on the stump,
and don't eat my pie, but take it to Grandma and Grandpa, say I".
"What a clever little girls Masha is", said the bear. "She is sitting high up in a tree and she
is far away, but she sees all I do and she hears all I say".
He got to his feet and walked on and on even faster than before. He came to the village and
finding the house where Masha's grandfather and grandmother lived he began to bang away
on the gate with all his might. “KNOCK, KNOCK, open the gate", he cried, "I have brought
something for you from Masha, he cried".
But the village dogs scented the bear and rushed out at him from every yard, yelping and
barking. The bear was frightened, he set down the basket by the gate and away he ran as
fast as he could without looking back.
The old man and woman came up to the gate and saw the basket.” What is in the basket",
the old woman asked. The old man lifted the top, and looked and he could not believe his
eyes. For there in the basket sat Masha alive and well. The old man and woman were
overjoyed. They kissed and hugged and embraced. Masha and they said she was as clever
as clever can be, as indeed all our readers will surely agree.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Afanas’ev, Aleksandr, Translated by Norbert Guterman, Russian Fairy Tales. New York, Pantheon
Books, 1973
Bickman, Connie. Children of Russia. Edina MN: Abdo and Daughters, 1994.
Burian, Jiri and Oleg A. Shvidkovsky. The Kremlin of Moscow. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1975.
Burningham, John, Trubloff, The Mouse Who Wanted To Play the Balalaika, New York: Dragonfly
Books-Brown Publishers, Inc., 1964.
Duddington, Natalie, translator. Russian Folk Tales. New York: Funk & Wagnalls, 1967.
Ginsburg, Mirra. Clay Boy. New York: Greenwillow, 1997. Joseph A. Smith, illustrator. Reading
level: Ages 4-8
Adapted from a Russian folktale, it is reminiscent of the Danish “The Fat Cat.” Grandpa makes a piece of clay into a boy,
who eats and eats and wants more and more. He gulps down everything in the house, including the geese and the cat and
the dog. He gets bigger and hungrier. In one gulp he swallows Grandpa and Grandma. He walks down the street and
swallows the whole village. He swells bigger and bigger until he meets a clever little white goat, which take aim with its
horns and Clay Boy breaks into a hundred pieces. Out tumbles the whole village for an exuberant celebration.
Hamilton, G.H., The Art and Architecture of Russia, Baltimore: Penguin Books. 1954.
Hickox, Rebecca. Matreshka. New York: Doubleday, 1992. Grades K-3
While not a traditional folktale, the book draws upon Russian folklore. Kata receives a nested doll from an old woman.
The girl loses her way and is given a room in Baba Yaga’s house where the wooden dolls save her life. The five dolls
confuse the witch and find a way out.
Kent, Deborah. St. Petersburg. New York: Children’s Press, 1997.
Kimmel, Eric A. I-Know-Not-What, I-Know-Not-Where: A Russian Tale. New York: Holiday House,
1994. Ages 4-8.
Frol, an archer for the czar shoots a dove and it begs for mercy. When healthy again, the bird helps him with an impossible
mission. He retrieves magical items, defeats the czar’s army and becomes the new czar.
Martin, Rafe. The Language of Birds. New York: Putnam, 2000. Grades 1-5
A traditional Russian folktale tells of two brothers, who set out to seek their fortunes. Vasillii wants riches and power and
Ivan wants to understand the language of birds. Ivan eventually gains more than his brother.
Massie, Suzanne, Land of the Firebird: The Beauty of Old Russia. New York: Simon and Schuster,
1980.
Murrell, Kathleen Berton. Russia. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1998.
Resnick, Abraham. Commonwealth of Independent States: Russia and the Other Republics. Chicago:
Children’s Press, 1993.
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San Souci, Robert D., Pictures by Kris Waldherr, The Firebird, New York Dial Books for Young
Readers, , 1992
Tate, Carole. Pancakes & Pies: A Russian Folk Tale (Folk Tales of the World). New York: Peter
Bedrick Books, 1999. Grades K-2
A magic acorn grows into an oak in the house of a poor old man and his wife. He climbs the tree and captures a cockerel
holding a handmill. The cockerel becomes part of the family, and of course the magic handmill grinds out pancakes and
pies. After the mill is stolen and retrieved by the cockerel they all live happily ever after.
Winthrop, Elizabeth. Vasilissa the Beautiful: A Russian Folk Tale. New York: HarperCollins, 1991.
Ages 6-9
A Russian Cinderella, this is a story of adventure, magic, and one girl’s triumph over evil.
Zvorykin, Boris, illustrator, Edited and with an Introduction by Jacqueline Onassis, The Firebird and
Other Russian Fairy Tales. New York: The Viking Penguin Inc., 1978
Whelan, Gloria. Angel on the Square. New York: Harper Collins, 2001.
In 1913 Russia, twelve-year-old Katya eagerly anticipates leaving her St. Petersburg home, though not her older cousin
Misha, to join her mother, a lady in waiting in the household of Tsar Nicholas II, but the ensuing years bring world war,
revolution, and undreamed of changes to her life.
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CONNECTIONS TO COMMON CORE STANDARDS AND GRADE LEVEL
CONTENT EXPECTATIONS (GLCES)
Common Core Standards
Grade 2:
Reading Standards for Literature 3: Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and
challenges.
Speaking and Listening Standards 2: Recount or describe key ideas or details from a text read aloud
or information presented orally or through other media.
Speaking and Listening Standards 4: Tell a story or recount an experience with appropriate facts and
relevant, descriptive details, speaking audibly in coherent sentences.
Speaking and Listening Standards 6: Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and
situation in order to provide requested detail or clarification.
Writing Standards 1: Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book they are writing
about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words (e.g., because, and,
also) to connect opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section.
Writing Standards 8: Recall information from experiences or gather information from provided
sources to answer a question.
Grade 3:
Reading Standards for Literature 1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a
text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
Reading Standards for Literature 3: Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or
feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events.
Speaking and Listening Standards 2: Determine the main ideas and supporting details of a text read
aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and
orally.
Speaking and Listening Standards 3: Ask and answer questions about information from a speaker,
offering appropriate elaboration and detail.
Speaking and Listening Standards 4: Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience
with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace.
Writing Standards 1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons.
a. Introduce the topic or text they are writing about, state an opinion, and create an
organizational structure that lists reasons.
b. Provide reasons that support the opinion.
c. Use linking words and phrases (e.g., because, therefore, since, for example) to connect
opinion and reasons.
d. Provide a concluding statement or section.
Writing Standards 7: Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic.
Grade 4
Speaking and Listening Standards 4: Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience
in an organized manner, using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas
or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.
Writing Standards 1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons
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and information.
a. Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in
which related ideas are grouped to support the writer’s purpose.
b. Provide reasons that are supported by facts and details.
c. Link opinion and reasons using words and phrases (e.g., for instance, in order to, in
addition).
d. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented.
Writing Standards 8: Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information
from print and digital sources; take notes and categorize information, and provide a list of sources.
Writing Standards 9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis,
reflection, and research.
a. Apply grade 4 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Describe in depth a character, setting, or
event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text [e.g., a character’s thoughts,
words, or actions].”).
b. Apply grade 4 Reading standards to informational texts (e.g., “Explain how an author uses
reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text”).
Grade 5
Speaking and Listening Standards 4: Report on a topic or text or present an opinion, sequencing
ideas logically and using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or
themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.
Writing Standards 1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons
and information.
a. Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in
which ideas are logically grouped to support the writer’s purpose.
b. Provide logically ordered reasons that are supported by facts and details.
c. Link opinion and reasons using words, phrases, and clauses (e.g., consequently, specifically).
d. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented.
Writing Standards 7: Conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge
through investigation of different aspects of a topic.
Writing Standards 8: Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information
from print and digital sources; summarize or paraphrase information in notes and finished work, and
provide a list of sources.
Writing Standards 9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis,
reflection, and research.
a. Apply grade 5 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Compare and contrast two or more
characters, settings, or events in a story or a drama, drawing on specific details in the text [e.g.,
how characters interact]”).
b. Apply grade 5 Reading standards to informational texts (e.g., “Explain how an author uses
reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text, identifying which reasons and
evidence support which point[s]”).
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Grade Level Content Expectations
Grade 2:
S.CN.02.02 Speaking Conventions: explore and use language to communicate effectively with a
variety of audiences and for different purposes including questions and answers, discussions,
and social interactions.
S.DS.02.01 Speaking Discourse: engage in substantive conversations, remaining focused on subject
matter, with interchanges beginning to build on prior responses in literature discussions,
paired conversations, or other interactions.
S.DS.02.02 Speaking Discourse: tell or retell stories (e.g., fantasy, legends, drama), using story
grammar (e.g., elaborated information about characters, characters’ actions and motivations,
plot, and setting as related to plot), while maintaining appropriate intonation and tone of
voice.
L.CN.02.02 Listening and Viewing Conventions: ask appropriate questions during a presentation or
report.
L.CN.02.03 Listening and Viewing Conventions: listen to or view knowledgeably while
demonstrating appropriate social skills of audience behaviors (e.g., eye contact, attentive,
supportive) in small and large group settings; listen to the comments of peers and respond on
topic adding a connected idea.
L.CN.02.04 Listening and Viewing Conventions: understand how the source of the message affects
the receiver’s response (student/student, student/teacher, student/parent).
L.RP.02.03 Listening and Viewing Response: respond to multiple text types listened to or viewed
knowledgeably, by discussing, illustrating, and/or writing in order to reflect, make
connections, take a position, and/or show understanding.
S.IA.02.13 Science Processes Inquiry Analysis and Communication: Communicate and present
findings of observations.
S.IA.02.14 Science Processes Inquiry Analysis and Communication: Develop strategies and skills
for information gathering and problem solving (books, internet, ask an expert, observation,
investigation, technology tools).
ART.T.I.2.1 Theatre Perform: Identify and describe different characters though vocal expression.
ART.T.I.2.2 Theatre Perform: Dramatize real and non-real characters with prompting and side-coaching.
ART.T.II.2.1 Theatre Create: Describe characters, environments, and situations that support the creation of a
classroom dramatization.
ART.T.III.2.1 Theatre Analyze: Describe the characters and setting in stories.
ART.T.III.2.4 Theatre Analyze: Make predictions about characters, setting, and events based on story content.
ART.T.III.2.6 Theatre Analyze: Describe the character's wants and needs.
ART.T.III.2.7 Theatre Analyze: Give examples of emotions and thoughts evoked by performances.
ART.T.V.2.2 Theatre Analyze and Make Connections: Express various ideas and emotions through a variety
of dramatic art forms reflecting life situations.
Grade 3:
S.CN.03.02 Speaking Conventions: adjust their use of language to communicate effectively with a
variety of audiences and for different purposes including gathering information, making
requests, discussing, classroom presentations, and playground interactions.
S.DS.03.02 Speaking Discourse: discuss narratives (e.g., folktales, fables, realistic fiction),
conveying the story grammar (e.g., characters’ thoughts and motivation, setting, plot, story
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level theme) and explain why the story is worthwhile and how it is relevant to the storyteller
or the audience.
S.DS.03.03 Speaking Discourse: respond to multiple text types by reflecting, making connections,
taking a position, and/or showing understanding.
L.CN.03.01 Listening and Viewing Conventions: ask appropriate questions during a presentation or
report.
L.CN.03.02 Listening and Viewing Conventions: listen to or view knowledgeably while
demonstrating appropriate social skills of audience behaviors (e.g., eye contact, attentive,
supportive) in small and large group settings.
L.RP.03.03 Listening and Viewing Response: respond to multiple text types listened to or viewed
knowledgeably, by discussing, illustrating, and/or writing in order to reflect, make
connections, take a position, and/or show understanding.
L.RP.03.04 Listening and Viewing Response: combine skills to reveal strengthening literacy (e.g.,
viewing then analyzing orally, listening then summarizing orally).
S.IA.03.13 Science Processes Inquiry Analysis and Communication: Communicate and present
findings of observations and investigations.
ART.T.I.3.1 Theatre Perform: Identify and describe different characters though vocal expression.
ART.T.I.3.2 Theatre Perform: Dramatize real and non-real characters with prompting and side-coaching.
ART.T.II.3.1 Theatre Create: Describe characters, environments, and situations that support the creation of a
classroom dramatization.
ART.T.III.3.4 Theatre Analyze: Collaborate to extend and add on to improvised stories.
ART.T.III.3.6 Theatre Analyze: Further describe the character's wants and needs.
ART.T.III.3.7 Theatre Analyze: Compare and contrast emotions and thoughts evoked by performances.
Grade 4
S.CN.04.03 Speaking Conventions: speak effectively using facial expressions, hand gestures, and
body language in narrative and informational presentations.
S.DS.04.01 Speaking Discourse: engage in interactive, extended discourse to socially construct
meaning in book clubs, literature circles, partnerships, or other conversation protocols.
S.DS.04.02 Speaking Discourse: discuss narratives (e.g., fantasy, myths, legends, adventures, poetry),
conveying the story grammar (e.g., various character roles, plot, story level theme) and emphasizing
facial expressions, hand gestures, and body language.
L.CN.04.01 Listening and Viewing Conventions: ask substantive questions of the speaker that will
provide additional elaboration and details.
L.CN.04.02 Listening and Viewing Conventions: listen to or view critically while demonstrating
appropriate social skills of audience behaviors (e.g., eye contact, attentive, supportive) in small and
large group settings.
L.CN.04.03 Listening and Viewing Conventions: distinguish between and explain how verbal and
non-verbal strategies enhance understanding of spoken messages and promote effective listening
behaviors.
L.RP.04.03 Listening and Viewing Response: respond to multiple text types listened to or viewed
knowledgeably, by discussing, illustrating, and/or writing in order to clarify meaning, make
connections, take a position, and/or show deep understanding.
S.IA.04.13 Science Processes Inquiry Analysis and Communication: Communicate and present
findings of observations and investigations.
ART.T.I.4.1 Theatre Perform: Create and demonstrate vocal expression to support the playing of a character.
ART.T.I.4.2 Theatre Perform: Improvise real and non-real characters.
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ART.T.II.4.1 Theatre Create: Make artistic choices regarding character, environment, and situation that
support the creation of a classroom dramatization.
ART.T.III.4.1 Theatre Analyze: Analyze the characters and setting.
ART.T.III.4.6 Theatre Analyze: Analyze the character's wants and needs.
ART.T.III.4.7 Theatre Analyze: Predict emotions and thoughts evoked by performances.
Grade 5
S.CN.05.03 Speaking Conventions: speak effectively using varying modulation, volume, and pace of
speech to indicate emotions, create excitement, and emphasize meaning in narrative and informational
presentations.
S.DS.05.02 Speaking Discourse: discuss narratives (e.g., mystery, historical fiction, tall tales, science
fiction), conveying the story grammar (e.g., traits of characters, relationship between setting and
climax/anticlimax), while varying voice modulation, volume, and pace of speech to emphasize
meaning.
S.IA.05.13 Science Processes Inquiry Analysis and Communication: Communicate and defend
findings of observations and investigations using evidence.
ART.T.I.5.1 Theatre Perform: Create and demonstrate vocal expression to support the playing of a character.
ART.T.I.5.2 Theatre Perform: Improvise real and non-real characters.
ART.T.II.5.2 Theatre Create: Improvise dialogue from a story to show different interpretations.
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