Materials

• One 5" x 8" index card for each student
• Colored pencils and/or markers
• Overhead or electronic presentation of the mnemonic R.E.V.O.L.T. (see below)
• Preferred teacher resources

Instructional Activities

1. Conduct a brainstorming session on the word communism. List student responses on the board and discuss. Review what was learned in Session 6 about the situation in Russia by 1917.
   
   
2. Pass out 5" x 8" index cards and colored pencils/markers to each student.
   
   
3. On the front of the card have students write: “Tsar Nicolas II’s incompetence caused the Bolshevik R.E.V.O.L.T. in 1917.” Have them use color and create flags and protest signs on the front and/or paste on images of Tsar Nicholas II and Vladimir Lenin.
   On the back of the card, have students write the letters of the mnemonic going down the left-hand side of card.
   
   
4. Introduce each letter, explaining and describing its importance. Augment each letter with pictures, posters, images, and/or video clips. As each event is discussed, have students write the cause next to the appropriate letter in the mnemonic on the back of their card:
   
   R. Russia lost to Japan in 1905.
   E. Every landless peasant demanded land.
   V. Violence broke out over bread shortage and military defeats.
   O. Overthrow of provisional government was led by Bolsheviks.
   L. Lenin created communist U.S.S.R. (Stalin = successor).
   T. The NEP (Lenin) allowed some capitalism.
   
   
5. Instruct students to study R.E.V.O.L.T. by writing out the mnemonic four or more times for practice to prepare for a quiz next session.