"Conversations about important things" on May 4 — topic and program of the lesson

On Monday, May 4, another lesson from the series "Conversations about important things" will take place in Russian schools and colleges. On the eve of the 81st anniversary of the Great Victory, it will be dedicated to songs about the war and their role in the lives of front-line soldiers. Students will discuss how musical compositions supported morale, united people and became part of the common history of the country. Izvestia tells about how the lesson will be held in different classes.

"Talking about important things" on May 4 — the topic of the lesson

The topic of the next lesson in the series "Conversations about important things" on May 4, 2026 is "Songs about war. By Victory Day." The lesson is timed to coincide with the upcoming 9th of May and is aimed at showing students the importance of wartime songs as an important part of the country's historical memory.

The focus will be on the works that became symbols of the era and a spiritual support for millions of people during the Great Patriotic War. During the lesson, students will discuss the songs "Holy War", "Blue Handkerchief", "Dark Night", "Victory Day" and others that accompanied soldiers and home front workers, as well as watch fragments from legendary films featuring these songs.

Special emphasis will be placed on the fact that the song during the war years went far beyond the ordinary art. She became the most important moral resource that helped people overcome difficult trials and strengthened their faith in victory.

During the lesson, students will also learn about the history of Nina Petrovna Demesheva, a participant in the Great Patriotic War, who celebrated her 103rd birthday in January 2026.

From the first days of the war, Nina Petrovna graduated from nursing courses, worked on a military ambulance train, participated in the liberation of Stalingrad and the Battle of Kursk, and at the end of the war performed as part of the song and dance ensemble of the 3rd Guards Tank Army. One of the band's concerts took place near the walls of the Reichstag immediately after the capture of Berlin.

Additionally, students are encouraged to watch the documentary "Teachers of Victory", posted on the official portal of the project. This painting, which premiered at the Victory Museum, reveals the stories of wartime teachers and tells about the real family stories of teachers whose descendants, the successors of pedagogical dynasties, shared their memories.

The content of the lesson will be adapted for different age groups and will take into account the peculiarities of students' perception at each stage of learning. The recommended duration of the lesson is 30 minutes. Methodological materials and recommendations can be found on the official website of the Conversations about Important project.

"Conversations about important things" on May 4 — lesson program

In elementary school (grades 1-4), the lesson will begin with an introduction to the songs of the war years. Children will be shown fragments of musical compositions and short videos that will tell about how songs helped people during the war. In the interactive part, they will discuss what feelings these melodies can evoke. The children will also listen to a fragment of the song "Holy War" and answer the question: why was she able to unite and raise the whole country to fight the invaders?

In grades 5-7, the focus will be on the historical context. Students will be shown archival video footage and audio recordings of famous songs. During the conversation, the students will compare the lyrics of the songs with the key events of the Great Patriotic War. In addition, they will present their understanding of the words "one victory for all" and "we will not stand for the price", and also think about what kind of music they would write to the poems of frontline poets.

For grades 8-9, the program will become more analytical. Students will study the history of the creation of key works, get acquainted with the biographies of wartime composers and poets. In the sequel, students will compare different pieces of music and draw conclusions about how the emotional state of society changed during the war and why the songs of those years became a national treasure.

In grades 10-11 and secondary vocational education institutions, the lesson will be of a research nature. High school students will work with documentary sources and analyze song lyrics as historical evidence of the era. The lesson will end with a discussion about the importance of cultural heritage and the importance of passing on the memory of the Great Patriotic War to the next generations.

Thus, during the lesson, students will not just get acquainted with music, but will learn to empathize, understand the role of art in a difficult time for the country, realize the inextricable link between the times and the fact that preserving the historical truth about the war is the duty of every citizen.

"Conversations about important things" on May 4 — about the project

"Conversations about important things" is a series of extracurricular activities dedicated to the history, culture and geography of Russia, as well as topical topics from the lives of schoolchildren. The project was launched by the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation in 2022 and is held every Monday in all schools and colleges of the country.

The previous lesson was held on April 27, 2026 and was devoted to the topic "What does it mean to work in a team? The strength of the team." The students discussed the value of teamwork and interaction, performed practical tasks and analyzed real-life situations in which teamwork is important.