Russia in Ruins: Can the Nation Survive?

This latest in the NewsMatters Series examines the state of the Russian economy today, after several attempts at reforms toward democratic systems, particularly capitalism. The material is presented in a straightforward manner in logical sequence, and while the video as a whole is rather dry, it IS only 15 minutes long. The strongest feature of the title is the clips of high school students discussing their opinions of the various issues presented, which are likely to be good starting points for classroom discussion when the lights come back on. In addition, the Teacher's Guide included with the video is one of the better ones I've seen. One caveat--while the suggested audience is grades 6-12, both the video and Teacher's Guide are really geared toward high school level. Recommended. Aud: H. (J. Cichewicz)