Teaching Human Rights through Songs and Poetry

Exercise 9. Use examples of poetry and songs that deal with the issue of human rights. Study the list of suggested poems and songs. Choose a poem or a song, explain the motivation and background behind the songs and poems you chose.

Questions for analysis of a poem or a song:

Ø What is the theme of the poem/song? What does it express most clearly?

Ø What is the poem/song saying about human rights and justice (or injustice/oppression)?

Ø What images reinforce the meaning behind the poem/song?

Ø What are the historical circumstances surrounding this poem/song? (briefly summarize)

Ø Do you agree or disagree with the ideas expressed in this poem/song?

SUGGESTED SONGS “Give Peace a Chance and Imagine” by John Lennon “Shelter” by Sarah McLachlan “Strange Fruit” by Billie Holiday “Black Day in July” by Gordon Lightfoot “They Dance Alone” by Sting “Tears are Not Enough” by Bryan Adams and David Foster

SUGGESTED POEMS “God to Hungry Child” by Langston Hughes “Ain’t I A Woman” by Sojourer Truth “Requiem” by Anna Akmatova “The Unknown Citizen” by W. H. Auden “Hope” by Ariel Dorfman “From a Man in Solitary” by Nazim Hikmet

UNIT 3. THE STATE SYSTEM OF RUSSIA

VOCABULARY

Exercise 1. Read the words and translate them into Russian.

Government, republic, branch, assembly, chamber, the Council of Federation, the State Duma, the President, the Prime Minister, court, the Ministry of Justice, federative, federal, presidential, legislative, executive, judicial.

Exercise 2. Read the text and put the words in bold in the correct place in the box.

The Russian Federative Republic is a presidential republic. The federal government consists of three branches: legislative, executive and judicial. The legislative branch is represented by the Federal Assembly. It has two chambers. The upper chamber is the Council of Federation. The lower chamber is the State Duma. The executive branch is represented by the President and the Prime Minister. The judicial power is represented by courts and administered by the Ministry of Justice.

Executive power	Legislative power	Judicial power

Exercise 3. Name

1) the Russian President

2) the Prime Minister

3) the head of the Federal Assembly

4) the head of the Council of Federation

5) the head of the State Duma

6) the Minister of Justice

SPEAKING

Exercise 4. Speak on the Russian State System according to the plan.

1. Form of government (a presidential republic; the head of the state)

2. The legislative power (the Federal Assembly; the Council of Federation; the State Duma)

3. The executive power (the Russian President; the Prime Minister)

4. The judicial power (courts; the Ministry of Justice).

5. Use the names of the President, the Prime Minister, the head of the Federal Assembly, the head of the Council of Federation, the head of the State Duma, the Minister of Justice.

ROLE PLAY

Exercise 5. Roleplay the dialogue.

Background

An American student of international relations has come to Russia on an exchange program. He/she is taking a course on Political Science here and has to write a paper on the Russian state system. He/she needs your advice as to planning his/her paper. Help him/her work out a plan for his/her paper and comment on each item of the plan. Use the plan from exercise 4. Take a role. Include the next information and the phrases for giving advice and asking for advice.

1) name

2) age

3) where do you come from?

4) place of studying

5) what do you study

6) the purpose of your visit to Russia

Asking for advice I am out of ideas. Can you recommend me…? What shall I write about next? Could you give me some advice…? Do you have any idea …?

Giving advice Firstly, secondly, thirdly, in the fourth place…. You’d better …. You should also mention …. I think you could begin with …. I don’t think you should….

Read the phrases of Speaker 2 and complete the sentences of Speaker 1. Use phrases for asking for advice.

Speaker 1….

Speaker 2 I think you could begin with the form of government. Russia is a presidential republic.

Speaker 1….

Speaker 2 Secondly, you should write about three branches: legislative, executive, judicial.

Speaker 1….

Speaker 2 If I were you, I’d give more details on the legislative branch. You should mention that the legislative branch is represented by the Federal Assembly. It has two chambers. The upper chamber is the Council of Federation. The lower chamber is the State Duma.

Speaker 2 Then you say that the executive branch is represented by the President and the Prime Minister. In the same way you describe that the judicial power is represented by courts and administered by the Ministry of Justice.

Speaker 1….

Speaker 2 You’d better write the names of the President, the Prime Minister, the head of the Federal Assembly, the head of the Council of Federation,the head of the State Duma and the Minister of Justice.

Exercise 6. Close the book and roleplay the dialogue from exercise 5 from the very beginning.