Teaching Anna Karenina

From Russia, With Shmoop.

  • Activities: 3
  • Quiz Questions: 72

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Ah...nothing like a once-serialized work of late 1800s European literature to get your students going. But Tolstoy's Anna Karenina ain't no feel-good Bleak House. It's an unhappy novel with an unhappy ending—and with Shmoop's help, your students will find it as pump-up as Furious 6.

In this guide, you'll find

  • scaffolded activities about the oh-so-complicated role of family in the novel.
  • engaging student-centered dives into character using Q&A and readers' theater.
  • an examination of setting that can be done independently, in pairs, or as a full-class debate.

We hear Tolstoy once said that "all happy teacher guides are alike; each unhappy teacher guide is unhappy in its own way." Stick with this one, and you'll never be unhappy teaching the Russian greats again.

What's Inside Shmoop's Literature Teaching Guides

Shmoop is a labor of love from folks who love to teach. Our teaching guides will help you supplement in-classroom learning with fun, engaging, and relatable learning materials that bring literature to life.

Inside each guide you'll find quizzes, activity ideas, discussion questions, and more—all written by experts and designed to save you time. Here are the deets on what you get with your teaching guide:

  • 13 – 18 Common Core-aligned activities to complete in class with your students, including detailed instructions for you and your students
  • Discussion and essay questions for all levels of students
  • Reading quizzes for every chapter, act, or part of the text
  • Resources to help make the book feel more relevant to your 21st-century students
  • A note from Shmoop's teachers to you, telling you what to expect from teaching the text and how you can overcome the hurdles

Want more help teaching Teaching Anna Karenina?

Check out all the different parts of our corresponding learning guide.