For people living in the 20th century, Russia has been associated with images of communism, the Bolshevik Revolution, totalitarian regimes and leaders, and the fears and stereotypes of the Cold War era. The dissolution of the Soviet Union, the end of the Cold War, and the liberal revolutions of the 1980s-1990s have provided an opportunity to discover the new Russia and to gain a greater understanding of the country and its people. The main goal of this unit is to introduce students to the geographic and cultural diversity of the peoples and territory of the Russian Federation. The unit seeks to take students inside the black box and introduce them to the uniqueness of the country, its political-administrative structure, its natural resources, and the mosaic of its ethnic groups and their territorial homelands. Students learn about Russia's main geographic regions, spreading across 11 time zones of Europe and Asia. The unit has an introduction; rationale; unit goals; materials needed; time required; suggested sequence of activities; lesson descriptions; connections to standards; and grade levels. Lesson 1, "Russia: Land of Diversity," provides a general introduction to Russia, its geographic position across Europe and Asia, and an overview of the main geographic and natural landmarks, regions, and territorial units of the Russian Federation. Lesson 2, "Ethnicity and Ethnic Conflict: Northern Caucasus," offers students a general conceptual understanding of ethnicity, nationality, and ethnic conflict, using the example of the Northern Caucasus. Lesson 3, "Regions of Siberia," encourages students to explore the relationship between the land and the people, using the example of Siberia. (BT)