Lesson: Čeněk Chvojka

Goal: To show through «Čeněk Chvojka» how people and events link Czechia and Ukraine, and to practise finding places on a map.

Lesson plan

1. 3 min · Introduction. Show Prague and Ukraine on a map. Ask the class what they know about «Čeněk Chvojka».
2. 4 min · Who is it. Born in Bohemia, Čeněk Chvojka (1850–1914), also known as Vikentiy Khvoyka, moved to Kyiv in 1876. He later became a pioneering archaeologist in the Dnipro region, contributing to the study of prehistoric sites and the foundation of Kyiv's archaeological museum collections.
3. 5 min · Facts from the dossier. Read the facts aloud. In pairs, pupils put them in order of time.
4. 3 min · Summary. Discuss what of this story can still be seen today.

Facts

• 1850: Born in Semín in 1850; the exact day differs between sources: 8 February (Ukrainian Institute of National Memory), 20 February (Rzhyshchiv museum), 21 February (Wikipedia, Wikidata). R0026
• 1876: Moves to Kyiv. R0026
• 1885: Agronomic publication “Crabgrass Millet”. R0026

Questions to discuss

1. What links «Čeněk Chvojka» with Czechia and Ukraine?
2. Which fact is the oldest and which the newest?
3. Where can we learn more?

Task

Find the places mentioned on a map and write three sentences about «Čeněk Chvojka».