Title: ‘Making Latvian Art and History Happen in the Classroom’

By Larisa Mačukāne  

                      <Press Here> for teachers’ lesson guide and question key

Introduction

The recent showing of Aleksandrs Karpovs art in Malta and Daugavpils inspired a teacher of English from Dagda - Larisa Mačukāne and two of her students Varja Markova and Veronika Kumačeva to create the teaching resources for Latvian English middle school students.   Larisa Mačukāne was awarded first prize in the 2014 Lesson Plan Competition by Latvian Association of Teachers of English (LATE).    This means that these lessons using Aleksandrs Karpovs’ art may now be used in middle schools throughout Latvia! 

The lesson includes five study exercises and an optional extra activity; three using English vocabulary, one reading and one with word usage.  They include culture (history and art) as the fifth language skill, in addition to reading, writing, speaking and grammar. Proceeding with these tasks, students research cultural information and develop their cultural skills and sensitivity, identify culturally significant information; demonstrate another level of understanding of Latvian history and art by Aleksandrs Karpovs. Teachers planning to use the lessons can access the attached five exercises and teachers planning guide with answers to each quiz.  Students can be prepared for the lessons by reading Aleksandrs Karpovs biography on this web site.  

               Veronkia  Kumačeva, Larisa Mačukāne, and Varvara Markova