Russia, the largest country in the world, It stretches over 6,000 miles

from the Baltic Sea to the North Pacific.

The The rubleruble is is the the currencycurrency

of the Russian of the Russian FederationFederation

The KremlinThe Kremlin

Moscow is the capital and largest city in Russia.

The Kremlin is the center of government.

St. Basil’s St. Basil’s CathedralCathedral

St. Basil’s Cathedral St. Basil’s Cathedral is a beautiful building is a beautiful building in Moscow’s Red in Moscow’s Red Square. Square.

Because of its many Because of its many towers it almost towers it almost looks like a fairy-tale looks like a fairy-tale castle or gingerbread castle or gingerbread house. house.

The “onion dome” The “onion dome” shape is found often shape is found often in Russian church in Russian church architecture.architecture.

Lake BaykalLake Baykal *It is almost the deepest *It is almost the deepest lake in the world. lake in the world. * It is 6,365 feet deep.* It is 6,365 feet deep.

It has characteristics common It has characteristics common to both to both seasseas and and lakeslakes. .

It is not freshwater.It is not freshwater. It is one of the It is one of the world's world's

smallestsmallest seasseas It is also one of the It is also one of the

world’s world’s largest lakeslargest lakes. . It is 152,085 square feet.It is 152,085 square feet.

Caspian Caspian SeaSea

Tchaikovsky, Peter Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilich Ilich

(1840-1893)(1840-1893)

1st Russian composer to gain 1st Russian composer to gain world wide honors.world wide honors.

He wrote symphonies, operas, He wrote symphonies, operas, piano solos, and ballets. piano solos, and ballets.

He is best known for his ballets: He is best known for his ballets: Nutcracker, Swan Lake and Nutcracker, Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty.Sleeping Beauty.

*Famous theater *Famous theater located in Moscow.located in Moscow.*It has produced some *It has produced some of the world’s greatest of the world’s greatest dancersdancers*It is known as one of *It is known as one of the world’s greatest the world’s greatest ballet companies.ballet companies.The The Bolshoi TheatreBolshoi Theatre

Count in Count in RussianRussian

1 ah-DEEN

2. dva

3 tree

4 chih – TEE - reh

5 p’yaht’

6 shayst

7 seeaym

8 VO - seeaym

9 DTEH-veht

10 DTEH-seht

Matryoshka- Matryoshka- (ma-tree-OSH-ka)(ma-tree-OSH-ka)

A popular toy in Russia is a A popular toy in Russia is a nesting doll called nesting doll called MatryoshkaMatryoshka. . The grandfathers carved them The grandfathers carved them out of wood for the out of wood for the grandmothers or babushkas to grandmothers or babushkas to use to tell stories to their use to tell stories to their grandchildren.grandchildren.

Baba Baba YagaYaga

Russian children Russian children enjoy stories. enjoy stories.

A familiar character A familiar character in many Russian in many Russian folktale is a witch folktale is a witch called called Baba Baba YagaYaga..

Patricia Polacco Famous author and Illustrator from Russia.

Fabergé Eggs Long ago, the Russian empire was ruled by a succession of czars. During this time it was a tradition to give special eggs as gifts. A Jeweler named Peter Fabergé created beautiful eggs for the czars to give to their wives and mothers. The eggs, were decorated with gold, silver, and gemstones. Only 43 of the original 53 eggs still exist today, each valued at over a million dollars!!

PYSANKA-The Traditional PYSANKA-The Traditional Ukrainian Easter EggUkrainian Easter Egg These are a traditional craft in Ukraine, with a history of thousands of years. Patterns are drawn on the egg with wax, which then protects the covered areas from the dye. By repeating this process with different colors of dye, a multi-colored pattern is built up. Finally, the wax is removed to reveal the colors that were covered up at each stage.