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Parent guide · Grade 2 Russian · Unit 3

Lesson 3.2 Рождество́: Christmas

Written for the parent. The Read aloud parts are written to your child; read them as they are. Do this parts are for you. Answers for you are marked Listen for.

At a glance

Time
3 sessions of 15–20 minutes
Goal
Say Christmas, star and fir tree in Russian. Say С Рождество́м! (Merry Christmas!). Know why many Russians keep Christmas on January 7.
You need
  • Yellow or gold paper
  • Glitter or foil (optional)
  • String
  • Markers
  • A sketchbook or plain paper, and crayons
  • A King James Bible
Print
Worksheet A · the lesson page (it also has a short video (5:09))

Steps

  1. Do this together: Say дека́брь, янва́рь, февра́ль. Which month has Christmas? In Russia, the answer can be January! Today you find out why.

  2. Read aloud: The story. In the little town of Bethlehem, Mary gave birth to her baby, Jesus, and laid Him in a manger. That night an angel told the shepherds: For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Far away, wise men saw His star, and they followed it until it stood over the place where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

    Read aloud: How Russian sounds. Рождество́ is ruzh-deest-VOH, and it means the Birth. On Christmas Russians say С Рождество́м! (s ruzh-deest-VOHM). Звезда́ is zveez-DAH, and ёлка is YOHL-kuh.

    Read aloud: Say it and move. Rock a baby in your arms: Рождество́! Point up to the sky: звезда́! Make a tree shape with your arms: ёлка! Hug someone: С Рождество́м!

  3. Do this: Say each word clearly; your child says it back twice. Point to a picture or the real thing when you can.

    • Рождество́ [ruhzh-deest-VOH]: Christmas (the Birth)
    • звезда́ [zveez-DAH]: star
    • ёлка [YOHL-kuh]: fir tree, Christmas tree
    • с Рождество́м! [s ruhzh-deest-VOHM]: Merry Christmas!

  4. Show: It is Christmas Day. What do you say to your family in Russian?

    Say this: “Christmas is Рождество́.”

    Say this: “Merry Christmas is С Рождество́м!”

    Answer: С Рождество́м!

    Show: What did the wise men follow? Say it in Russian.

    Say this: “They followed a star.”

    Say this: “Star is звезда́.”

    Answer: Звезда́.

  5. Do this: Ask out loud. Let your child try first; help only after a real try.

    Ask: Say star in Russian.

    Listen for: Звезда́.

    Ask: Say Christmas tree in Russian.

    Listen for: Ёлка.

    Ask: Say Christmas in Russian. What does it mean?

    Listen for: Рождество́ : the Birth.

    2 more on the lesson page.

  6. Read aloud: Make a big star like the one the wise men followed, with the Russian greeting on it.

    Steps:

    1. A parent helps cut out a big five- or eight-pointed star.
    2. Decorate it with gold or glitter.
    3. Write звезда́ on one side and С Рождество́м! on the other.
    4. Hang it in a window and tell the story of the wise men.

    Tips for you:

    • Russian Christmas stars often have eight points. Try one!

    Done when your child can say:

    • My star is made and hung.
    • I can say звезда́ and С Рождество́м!

  7. Do this: Your child picks one or more; you write the date.

    1. Draw the manger and the star in your notebook, and write Рождество́ and звезда́ with a parent’s help.

  8. Read aloud: Many Russian families keep Christmas on January 7, because the Russian Orthodox Church follows the old Julian calendar. On Christmas Eve some families wait to eat until the first star appears in the sky, to remember the star of Bethlehem.

    • Saying ROZH-dest-vo. The loud part is at the end: ruzh-deest-VOH.
    • Forgetting the dots on ё. Ёлка starts with yo: YOHL-kuh.

  10. One person hides a paper star. The others search while the hider says тепло́ (warm) or хо́лодно (cold). Whoever finds it shouts Звезда́! С Рождество́м!

  11. Say this: “Tell me what you learned today.”

    Listen for: Say Christmas, star and fir tree in Russian.; Say С Рождество́м! (Merry Christmas!).; Know why many Russians keep Christmas on January 7.

  12. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

    Luke 2:11 (KJV)

    In the Russian Bible (Synodal translation), this verse reads: <i class="ru-bible" lang="ru">ибо ныне родился вам в городе Давидовом Спаситель, Который есть Христос Господь</i> The angel told the shepherds the best news ever: a Savior was born, Christ the Lord. That is what <span lang="ru">Рождество́</span> is about.

Spread over the week

3 sessions of 15–20 minutes. Stop while it is still going well.

  1. Session 1. Warm-up, then read and teach the new idea and the new words. Show how.
  2. Session 2. Practice together, then start the project. Finish the project, then the sketchbook.
  3. Session 3. Narration, the game and the Scripture.