“Aaron’s Gift” Research

Sixth Grade ELARead all directions carefully to

complete this webquest assignment!

Before we read “Aaron’s Gift” by Myron Levoy, a wonderful story about family and heritage, it is important to learn certain terms, definitions, and basic facts about this particularly turbulent time period and area in Ukraine/Russian history. Using the Internet links provided, answer the following questions on the time period and setting of the story.

“Aaron’s Gift” by Myron Levoy

Some of you will answer the questions on slides 3 & 5, some will answer slides 2 and 4, and the others will answer slides 1 and 6.

Howdy, Partner!

On the half sheet, circle the numbers of the questions for which you are responsible. You can find this information by scrolling through the slides. As you look up each answer, JOT DOWN NOTES in your own words on the half sheet. Remember: copying information directly from any source is plagiarizing. You must show your completed answers to your teacher when it is complete. You will then type your answers with your partners onto the template located on our websites.

What do I do first?

The questions you will be answering are located on the next six slides. Each question has a link below it to click on!

Good luck, learn a lot, and do your best work!

1. What is the Ukraine?

Ukraine Link

2. What are some of the physical characteristics such as

climate? Is it hot, cold, wet dry? Are there mountains, plains,

lakes, and or ocean?

Ukraine Characteristics

3. Where is the Ukraine located? Find it on a map and tell where

it is. Name some neighboring countries

Ukraine Location

Let’s learn about the Ukraine! 1

4. Who were the Cossacks?

Cossacks

5. What is a czar (also spelled tsar)?

Czars

6. Who were czars during the time period of about 1880 – 1920?

Try to find out what each was known for. What did each do?

Czars:1880-1920

The Cossacks and Czars 2

7. What were the pogroms?

Pogroms

8. What is a shtetl?

Shtetl

9. What was life like for Jews in Russia around 1880 – 1918?

Jewish Life

Jewish Life - 2nd Link

Life in the Ukraine 3

10. What is persecution?

Persecution

11. What are the reasons why people are persecuted?

Reasons for Persecution

12. Give details about these times in history when people have

been persecuted. Slavery Holocaust Armenian Massacre

Anti-Jewish Discrimination

Persecution and Tolerance 4

13. What is tolerance?

Tolerance

14. What is an immigrant?

Immigrant

15. What are some of the ethnic groups of people who immigrated

to America between 1890 – 1924 and why did they come?

Ellis Island Polish Immigration Italian Immigration

Chinese Immigration

Immigration 5

16. Why did Russian Jewish immigrants come to the U.S.A.?

Why?

a. Where did many settle? Where?

b. What kind of work did they find? Why?

Types of Work and Why?

17. What is a carrier pigeon? Give 2 or 3 facts about

carrier pigeons. Carrier Pigeons1

Jewish Immigrants and Carrier Pigeons! 6