Grigori Rasputin called himself a “holy man”. He managed to gain access to Czar Nicholas II and Czarina Alexandra by being able to manage their son Prince Alexis’s hemophilia. His presence also contributed to the downfall of the Romanov Dynasty. Much has been written about the alleged magical powers of Rasputin. Students will take as critical look at these claims of mystical powers.
Students will challenge four of the mystical qualities of Rasputin. The legendary qualities and stories attributed to Rasputin are in the first column of the storyboard. The second column of the storyboard will be student-created. Each cell should show student research into a logical explanation for Rasputin’s alleged “mystical powers”.
Research Links:
| The Legend of Rasputin | Rasputin Debunked? |
|---|---|
| Rasputin could ease Prince Alexis' hemophilia. | Was Rasputin using hypnosis? |
| Czar Nicholas' son had severe hemophilia. Rasputin was able to ease the Prince's suffering when he had an attack. | The University of Maryland Medical Center conducted a study on the effectiveness of hypnosis on hemophilia. Researchers found it was an effective way to slow bleeding. |
| Poison had no effect on Rasputin. | Did the assassins provide the antidote with the poison? |
| The decision was made to kill Rasputin. One of the alleged assassins, Prince Yusupov, invited Rasputin to his palace for an evening of drinking. Yusupov poisoned the wine and cakes with potassium cyanide - but they had no effect on Rasputin. | The antidote for potassium cyanide is glucose. Poisoning sweet wine and pastries may have made the poison ineffective. |
| Bullets had no effect on Rasputin. | Was Rasputin killed with a single bullet? |
| The five assassins shot Rasputin several times - once in the torso from point blank range. He survived multiple shots before being fatally shot. | Autopsies show that Rasputin was the victim of a gunshot wound to the head - the assassins did not disclose this. Some say his wounds were added posthumously to make the assassins seem heroic. |
| Rasputin could not be drowned. | Was Rasputin dead before he ever hit the water? |
| The assassins bound up Rasputin's dead body and threw him into the frozen Malaya Nevka river. When his body was found the next day, evidence showed that Rasputin struggled in the water and was still alive after poisoning and multiple gunshots. | Autopsies showed that Rasputin had no water in his lungs. This indicates that he never struggled in the water. |
Extended Activity
After students create storyboard cells that present reasonable explanations for Rasputin's mystical attributes, they could be asked to provide their own explanations for what happened on the night Rasputin was killed in a storyboard. Prompts for this activity could include: motives, timelines, identity of the assassins, etc.
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a T Chart comparing and contrasting the Legend and Reality of Rasputin
Modify content and instructions to fit the comprehension levels of younger students. Choose simpler legends, use age-appropriate language, and provide more visual aids or structured sentence starters so all students can participate confidently.
Relate Rasputin’s alleged powers to everyday situations kids understand. For example, compare 'magical healing' to how a bandage helps cuts, or 'surviving poison' to how superhero stories work—making abstract ideas concrete and memorable.
Demonstrate how to fill out a T-Chart by completing one legend and reality together as a class. Think aloud about where information belongs and why—this scaffolds learning and builds confidence before independent work.
Allow students to illustrate each legend or reality with colorful drawings or short story captions. This makes the activity engaging and accessible for younger grades while reinforcing comprehension.
After students complete their charts, lead a class discussion about the differences between myths and facts. Ask open-ended questions to encourage deeper thinking and respectful debate.
The Rasputin debunking history activity guides students to critically examine legendary stories about Grigori Rasputin by researching logical explanations for his so-called mystical powers, using a T-chart to compare legend and reality.
Students can use a T-chart to list Rasputin's legendary qualities in one column and research-based explanations in the other, helping them distinguish between myth and fact through structured analysis.
Many of Rasputin's alleged mystical powers, such as easing hemophilia, surviving poison, and gunshots, have scientific or medical explanations, including hypnosis and the chemical properties of the substances involved.
Myths about Rasputin persist due to sensationalized stories, lack of reliable eyewitness accounts, and the mysterious circumstances of his life and death, which make his story appealing and open to speculation.
Teachers can engage students by assigning them to research and present evidence-based explanations for historical myths using storyboards or T-charts, encouraging critical thinking and media literacy.