Lesson 19: Animals and Nature in Russian



Lesson Objective:


By the end of this lesson, learners will be able to identify and talk about common animals and natural landscapes in Russian. They will learn key vocabulary, basic sentence structures, and gain confidence in listening, reading, and speaking on the topic of animals and nature.



Vocabulary List:



  • животное(zhivotnoye): animal

  • птица(ptitsa): bird

  • рыба(ryba): fish

  • лес(les): forest

  • гора(gora): mountain

  • озеро(ozero): lake

  • река(reka): river

  • собака(sobaka): dog

  • кошка(koshka): cat

  • медведь(medved’): bear

  • волк(volk): wolf

  • парк(park): park

  • природа(priroda): nature



Grammar Point:


Introduction to "There is"/"There are" in Russian: "Есть"


In Russian, the word есть is used to indicate the existence of something, similar to "there is" or "there are" in English.


Examples:



  • В лесу есть медведь. — There is a bear in the forest.

  • На озере есть утки. — There are ducks on the lake.


If you want to express the absence of something, use нет instead.



  • В парке нет собак. — There are no dogs in the park.



Exercises:



Reading Comprehension:


Read the following paragraph and answer the questions below:


В России много природы. В лесу живут медведи и волки. В горах можно увидеть орлов. На озере плавают рыбы. Люди любят отдыхать в парке и гулять с собаками.



  1. Где живут медведи?

  2. Кто живет в горах?

  3. Что плавает в озере?



Listening Comprehension:


Instruction: Listen to a short recording describing a trip to the countryside. While listening, write down all the animals and natural features you hear (e.g., forest, mountain, lake, bear, bird).


(Teacher will provide recording or audio link.)



Speaking Practice:


Task: Practice the following dialogue with a partner:


Student A: Какая твоя любимая птица?


Student B: Моя любимая птица — орёл. А твоя?


Student A: Мне нравится сова.



Or answer the following question aloud:


Опиши природу в твоей стране. Какие животные живут рядом?



Summary:



  • We learned key Russian vocabulary related to animals and nature.

  • We practiced using “есть” and “нет” to talk about the presence or absence of animals and natural features.

  • We developed our skills through reading, listening, and speaking exercises.



Homework:



  • Write five sentences about the nature in your area using the word "есть".

  • Create a short description (3–4 sentences) of your favorite animal in Russian. Include where it lives and what it eats.

  • Review all vocabulary and be prepared for a quiz in the next lesson.