Ukrainian Genocide-The Holomodor

Little is made available to teachers about the Ukrainian Genocide of 1932-1933, suffered by the Ukrainian kulaks under Joseph Stalin. Here I have created a resource that provides both a history and primary documents to guide students through understanding this tragedy.

Using Congressional Testimony presented before the United States Ukraine Famine Commission in Washington D. C., 1986, students will work in rotating partners to examine the history, cause and effects of the Holomodor. Using a rotating partner method (explained in the directions), students are able to check their answers in real time. This activity is designed to be completed in 1 class period.

*CONTENT WARNING*

The famine was a brutal and ruthless attack on the Ukrainian's and food was used as a weapon, as a result the testimony found in this activity does contain information on death, murder, starvation and cannibalism. Given the sensitive and graphic information of this tragedy, I advise against giving this as homework.

It is my belief that these issues should not be shielded from students (when developmentally appropriate-this resource is designed for HIGH SCHOOL USE ONLY). Dignity is brought to this tragedy by using the congressional testimony which allows for victims voices and experiences to be heard when they were systematically denied and silenced for decades. Sensitive content can be found in the preview so that you can review before your purchase. See below for my response to TpT questions on content guidelines.

ANIMAL FARM FOR ENGLISH TEACHERS

This resource was created for history teachers but English teacher's using George Orwell's Animal Farm, will also find this material helpful. This historical event is symbolized in the book in Chapter 7 when "led by 3 young Black Minorea pullets...made a determined effort to thwart Napoleon's wishes...Napoleon acted swiftly and ruthlessly...ordered the hen's rations stopped...the dogs saw to it that these orders were carried out...their bodies were buried in the orchard and it was given out that they died of coccidiosis...a grocer's van driving up to the farm once a week took [the eggs] away."

Tpt Content Guidelines

• What impact might this resource or activity have on students from different backgrounds? Are any perspectives prioritized? Are any ignored?

Special consideration should be given teaching Ukrainian and Russian students, especially if teaching them together. The material in this activity prioritizes the perspectives of Ukrainians as their story has been systematically denied and silenced for decades.

• Are there populations of people for whom this content could be particularly alarming and harmful? Could the resource or activity negatively impact students from those populations? For example, if you’re addressing a traumatic historical or current event, how might it be received by a student who is living through that event or has family/friends that have lived through it?

No students would have lived through this and it would be highly unlikely that they would have had extended family who experienced it, however, students and families who have been displaced at the hands of their governments or whose family history has survived a genocide should be specially prepared for this topic.

• Is the topic being discussed with the appropriate level of complexity for the target age group?

Yes, this material is appropriate for high school only. Given the graphic nature of some of the testimony, upper elementary and middle school should not use this resource. Sensitive content is made available in the preview so that teachers can determine if appropriate for their own class.