The Story That Cannot Be Told History of Soviet Bloc Nonfiction Readings & Activities
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The Story That Cannot Be Told History of Soviet Bloc Nonfiction Readings & Activities

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Contents
Description
Format
Rights

The Story That Cannot Be Told Nonfiction Connections – Snapshot of Included Resources:

  • 14 Informational Texts
  • Variety of Text Features
  • A & B Response Formats
  • 10 Extension Activities
  • Pair Texts with Nonfiction Readings
  • Topics cover rise of Soviet Union, life in the Soviet Bloc & Romania
  • Google Slides™ Links for Google Drive™
  • Standards-aligned Resources
  • Answer Keys for Applicable Activities!
The nonfiction close readings, activities, and project will build your students’ knowledge about the post-WWII period in history. With a particular focus on the Soviet Union and the Soviet Bloc, the readings illuminate the forces that contributed to deep tensions throughout the Cold War. Since The Story That Cannot Be Told, by J. Kasper Kramer, is set in Romania, they focus on the Soviet Union and the Soviet Bloc in order to enhance your students’ understanding of the goals, principles, and tactics that shaped the story’s setting. The set of resources will also challenge your students to consider new perspectives, weigh bias, and think critically about history in the post-WWII period. Inquiry, investigations, close readings, primary source analysis, and presentations will expand students’ horizons and move them to think about life in authoritarian states as they engage in critical thinking about the social, cultural, and political forces that shaped the experience of living in the Soviet Bloc. Therefore, students will be able to synthesize across the nonfiction readings and activities and the novel, building their critical thinking skills in the process.
 
Nonfiction Readings: The 14 close reading lessons develop students’ knowledge about the rise of Communism in the 20th century. They trace the rise and fall of the Soviet Union with a particular focus on Romania as a case study of the social, cultural, and political forces that shaped the experience of living in the Soviet Bloc. Each informational text includes two sets of questions – one comprehension set and one analysis set – that will develop essential skills aligned to the reading of informational texts under the Common Core State Standards. The resource also allows for differentiation and flexible implementation. After practicing these skills over the course of the unit, you can be confident your students will have mastered numerous skills. The topics of the readings include the following:
  • Communism & Its Rise
  • The Iron Curtain Descends
  • The Expansion of the Soviet Bloc
  • Case Study: Romania & the Soviet Bloc
  • New Leaders Lead to New Eras
  • Case Study: Nicolae Ceaușescu
  • Soviet Bloc Economy
  • Soviet Bloc Law Enforcement
  • Soviet Bloc Censorship & Propaganda
  • Soviet Bloc Society
  • Case Study: Life in Romania
  • Soviet Decline & Revolutions
  • Case Study: Romanian Revolution
  • The Collapse of Communism
 
Extension Activities: The 10 extension activities take your students deeper. You know your students best. Based on their interests, the extension activities provide an avenue for your students to study the complexities of the Cold War and communist rule. They will learn about these topics not only to better understand them but also better understand the thematic elements of The Story That Cannot Be Told.
  • Primary Source Analysis – Eliminating Dissent: Students will engage in a close reading of a memo on the publication of objectionable material in the Soviet Union. Students will analyze language to discern meaning, intent, and the values being conveyed as they consider the purpose of censoring information. They will also think critically about what the memo, as a historical artifact, reveals about life in the Soviet Union and the goals of the communist state.
  • Primary Source Analysis – Warsaw Pact: Students will engage in a close reading of the Warsaw Pact. Students will analyze language to discern meaning, intent, and the values being conveyed as they consider why the communist nations came together to create the alliance. They will also think critically about what the treaty, as a historical artifact, reveals about interactions between the West and the Soviet Bloc.
  • Socialist Realism in Art: For this extension activity, students will study art that captures the socialist realism style required by the communist state. As they examine the images, students will think critically about the purpose of the artwork, the messages and feelings it conveys, and what the art can reveal about life in the Soviet Union. *Requires Internet access.*
  • Primary Source Analysis – Soviet Response to U-2 Spy Plane: Students will engage in a close reading of an excerpt of a Soviet official’s speech about the United States explanation for the U-2 Spy Plane. Students will analyze language to discern meaning, intent, and the values being conveyed as they consider what the text demonstrates about tensions during that era. They will also think critically about what the event reveals about interactions between the United States government and the Soviet Union government.
  • Primary Source Analysis – Secret Police Report: For this extension activity, students will engage in a close reading of a KGB report about “hostile” materials and activity entering the Soviet Union. Students will analyze language to discern meaning, intent, and the values being conveyed as they consider the tactics used to suppress free thought. They will also think critically about what the report, as a historical artifact, reveals about purpose of the secret police and the atmosphere its work created in the Soviet Bloc.
  • Soviet Propaganda: Students will study four images that highlight the Soviet Union’s efforts to influence its people through images and messaging. As they examine the images, students will think critically about the purpose of the images, their messages, and what the propaganda can reveal about life in the Soviet Union. *Requires Internet access.*
  • Primary Source Analysis – U.S. International Broadcasting: For this primary source analysis, students will engage in a close reading of a national security directive about U.S. efforts to broadcast programs into the Soviet Bloc. Students will analyze language to discern meaning, intent, and the values being conveyed as they consider the United States role in providing access to information to the people living under communist rule. They will also think critically about what the directive reveals about the goals of the United States government during the Cold War.
  • Chuck Norris vs. Communism Documentary: In the documentary viewing, students will learn more about the importance and influence of VHS tapes in Romania towards the end of communist rule. The documentary also contains rich information about life in Romania and adds personal context to the living conditions endured under strict communist rule. *Documentary not included in this resource.* *Requires Internet access.*
  • Primary Source Analysis – “Trial” of the Ceaușescus: For the final primary source analysis, students will analyze the transcript of the Ceaușescus’ trial. They will gather evidence and evaluate the trial’s legitimacy based on their beliefs about what constitutes a fair trial. Then, students will write an argumentative essay explaining the fairness of the trial.
  • Historical Analysis of Novel – Essay: The essay sees students synthesizing the knowledge they have gained from the readings and activities with the novel, The Story That Cannot Be Told.
 
Final Project – Perspectives of the Past: The novel project prompts students to take an inclusive stance towards history and present a narrative that incorporates multiple perspectives about the Cold War. Through the project, students will synthesize knowledge about their chosen Cold War topic in order to create a presentation that teaches others about the Cold War through multiple perspectives. The students’ will be moved to present that history from an objective lens, a United States perspective, and a Soviet perspective. Taken together, the students’ work will recognize a comprehensive and inclusive history of the Cold War, allowing them to reflect on the history of the conflict. *Requires Internet access.*
 
Digital Links: This resource is also technology friendly! It can be utilized in classrooms where computers or tablets are central to instruction because the resource has been adapted for digital completion. The resource includes links for students to complete the student pages in Google Slides™. For instance, students can work with the documents in Google Drive™ or via Google Classroom. With these links, you can have students complete their work online. (NOTE: Not all assignments are conducive to digital completion; however, the pages are still provided in the digital format.) All they will have to do is create a text box! There are links for every student work page, making the format friendly not only for technology but also trees.
 
Answer Key: The key provides potential answers for every activity. Of course, not all analytic questions have just one answer! Part of the strength of the analysis question is the room they leave for students to demonstrate their unique thinking and use textual evidence to support their stance. Therefore, use the answers at your discretion but know they provide a solid foundation for the type of performance that makes for quality work. 
 
The entire resource and its inclusive set of questions allow for multiple potential uses based on your determination about when and where it would be most helpful. All aspects of the assignments, though, are aligned to the Common Core State Standards in order for students to have ample opportunities to practice and demonstrate their knowledge across numerous, essential literary skills.
 
PLEASE NOTE: This resource is NOT EDITABLE! It is intended to be comprehensive, but if you have particular needs for your classroom, please contact me! (lauren@lit-lessons.com)
  • ZIP file (PDFs and Word Docs for Digital Links)
  • Non-Editable
  • 41.32 MB
  • 202 Pages
  • Links for Student Pages in Google Slides™
  • This downloadable resource supplies one single-teacher license for use in your classroom. 
  • Photocopying of this product is allowed only for the classroom use of the purchaser. 
  • Replication of this product, in whole or in part, for commercial sale or broader distribution is strictly prohibited. 
  • This product also may NOT be shared electronically, digitally, or otherwise in a manner that violates the Terms of Use detailed by LIT Lessons. 
  • For explicit information on permissions, please see the Terms of Use document included with this resource. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.
Contents

The Story That Cannot Be Told Nonfiction Connections – Snapshot of Included Resources:

  • 14 Informational Texts
  • Variety of Text Features
  • A & B Response Formats
  • 10 Extension Activities
  • Pair Texts with Nonfiction Readings
  • Topics cover rise of Soviet Union, life in the Soviet Bloc & Romania
  • Google Slides™ Links for Google Drive™
  • Standards-aligned Resources
  • Answer Keys for Applicable Activities!
Description
The nonfiction close readings, activities, and project will build your students’ knowledge about the post-WWII period in history. With a particular focus on the Soviet Union and the Soviet Bloc, the readings illuminate the forces that contributed to deep tensions throughout the Cold War. Since The Story That Cannot Be Told, by J. Kasper Kramer, is set in Romania, they focus on the Soviet Union and the Soviet Bloc in order to enhance your students’ understanding of the goals, principles, and tactics that shaped the story’s setting. The set of resources will also challenge your students to consider new perspectives, weigh bias, and think critically about history in the post-WWII period. Inquiry, investigations, close readings, primary source analysis, and presentations will expand students’ horizons and move them to think about life in authoritarian states as they engage in critical thinking about the social, cultural, and political forces that shaped the experience of living in the Soviet Bloc. Therefore, students will be able to synthesize across the nonfiction readings and activities and the novel, building their critical thinking skills in the process.
 
Nonfiction Readings: The 14 close reading lessons develop students’ knowledge about the rise of Communism in the 20th century. They trace the rise and fall of the Soviet Union with a particular focus on Romania as a case study of the social, cultural, and political forces that shaped the experience of living in the Soviet Bloc. Each informational text includes two sets of questions – one comprehension set and one analysis set – that will develop essential skills aligned to the reading of informational texts under the Common Core State Standards. The resource also allows for differentiation and flexible implementation. After practicing these skills over the course of the unit, you can be confident your students will have mastered numerous skills. The topics of the readings include the following:
  • Communism & Its Rise
  • The Iron Curtain Descends
  • The Expansion of the Soviet Bloc
  • Case Study: Romania & the Soviet Bloc
  • New Leaders Lead to New Eras
  • Case Study: Nicolae Ceaușescu
  • Soviet Bloc Economy
  • Soviet Bloc Law Enforcement
  • Soviet Bloc Censorship & Propaganda
  • Soviet Bloc Society
  • Case Study: Life in Romania
  • Soviet Decline & Revolutions
  • Case Study: Romanian Revolution
  • The Collapse of Communism
 
Extension Activities: The 10 extension activities take your students deeper. You know your students best. Based on their interests, the extension activities provide an avenue for your students to study the complexities of the Cold War and communist rule. They will learn about these topics not only to better understand them but also better understand the thematic elements of The Story That Cannot Be Told.
  • Primary Source Analysis – Eliminating Dissent: Students will engage in a close reading of a memo on the publication of objectionable material in the Soviet Union. Students will analyze language to discern meaning, intent, and the values being conveyed as they consider the purpose of censoring information. They will also think critically about what the memo, as a historical artifact, reveals about life in the Soviet Union and the goals of the communist state.
  • Primary Source Analysis – Warsaw Pact: Students will engage in a close reading of the Warsaw Pact. Students will analyze language to discern meaning, intent, and the values being conveyed as they consider why the communist nations came together to create the alliance. They will also think critically about what the treaty, as a historical artifact, reveals about interactions between the West and the Soviet Bloc.
  • Socialist Realism in Art: For this extension activity, students will study art that captures the socialist realism style required by the communist state. As they examine the images, students will think critically about the purpose of the artwork, the messages and feelings it conveys, and what the art can reveal about life in the Soviet Union. *Requires Internet access.*
  • Primary Source Analysis – Soviet Response to U-2 Spy Plane: Students will engage in a close reading of an excerpt of a Soviet official’s speech about the United States explanation for the U-2 Spy Plane. Students will analyze language to discern meaning, intent, and the values being conveyed as they consider what the text demonstrates about tensions during that era. They will also think critically about what the event reveals about interactions between the United States government and the Soviet Union government.
  • Primary Source Analysis – Secret Police Report: For this extension activity, students will engage in a close reading of a KGB report about “hostile” materials and activity entering the Soviet Union. Students will analyze language to discern meaning, intent, and the values being conveyed as they consider the tactics used to suppress free thought. They will also think critically about what the report, as a historical artifact, reveals about purpose of the secret police and the atmosphere its work created in the Soviet Bloc.
  • Soviet Propaganda: Students will study four images that highlight the Soviet Union’s efforts to influence its people through images and messaging. As they examine the images, students will think critically about the purpose of the images, their messages, and what the propaganda can reveal about life in the Soviet Union. *Requires Internet access.*
  • Primary Source Analysis – U.S. International Broadcasting: For this primary source analysis, students will engage in a close reading of a national security directive about U.S. efforts to broadcast programs into the Soviet Bloc. Students will analyze language to discern meaning, intent, and the values being conveyed as they consider the United States role in providing access to information to the people living under communist rule. They will also think critically about what the directive reveals about the goals of the United States government during the Cold War.
  • Chuck Norris vs. Communism Documentary: In the documentary viewing, students will learn more about the importance and influence of VHS tapes in Romania towards the end of communist rule. The documentary also contains rich information about life in Romania and adds personal context to the living conditions endured under strict communist rule. *Documentary not included in this resource.* *Requires Internet access.*
  • Primary Source Analysis – “Trial” of the Ceaușescus: For the final primary source analysis, students will analyze the transcript of the Ceaușescus’ trial. They will gather evidence and evaluate the trial’s legitimacy based on their beliefs about what constitutes a fair trial. Then, students will write an argumentative essay explaining the fairness of the trial.
  • Historical Analysis of Novel – Essay: The essay sees students synthesizing the knowledge they have gained from the readings and activities with the novel, The Story That Cannot Be Told.
 
Final Project – Perspectives of the Past: The novel project prompts students to take an inclusive stance towards history and present a narrative that incorporates multiple perspectives about the Cold War. Through the project, students will synthesize knowledge about their chosen Cold War topic in order to create a presentation that teaches others about the Cold War through multiple perspectives. The students’ will be moved to present that history from an objective lens, a United States perspective, and a Soviet perspective. Taken together, the students’ work will recognize a comprehensive and inclusive history of the Cold War, allowing them to reflect on the history of the conflict. *Requires Internet access.*
 
Digital Links: This resource is also technology friendly! It can be utilized in classrooms where computers or tablets are central to instruction because the resource has been adapted for digital completion. The resource includes links for students to complete the student pages in Google Slides™. For instance, students can work with the documents in Google Drive™ or via Google Classroom. With these links, you can have students complete their work online. (NOTE: Not all assignments are conducive to digital completion; however, the pages are still provided in the digital format.) All they will have to do is create a text box! There are links for every student work page, making the format friendly not only for technology but also trees.
 
Answer Key: The key provides potential answers for every activity. Of course, not all analytic questions have just one answer! Part of the strength of the analysis question is the room they leave for students to demonstrate their unique thinking and use textual evidence to support their stance. Therefore, use the answers at your discretion but know they provide a solid foundation for the type of performance that makes for quality work. 
 
The entire resource and its inclusive set of questions allow for multiple potential uses based on your determination about when and where it would be most helpful. All aspects of the assignments, though, are aligned to the Common Core State Standards in order for students to have ample opportunities to practice and demonstrate their knowledge across numerous, essential literary skills.
 
PLEASE NOTE: This resource is NOT EDITABLE! It is intended to be comprehensive, but if you have particular needs for your classroom, please contact me! (lauren@lit-lessons.com)
Format
  • ZIP file (PDFs and Word Docs for Digital Links)
  • Non-Editable
  • 41.32 MB
  • 202 Pages
  • Links for Student Pages in Google Slides™
Rights
  • This downloadable resource supplies one single-teacher license for use in your classroom. 
  • Photocopying of this product is allowed only for the classroom use of the purchaser. 
  • Replication of this product, in whole or in part, for commercial sale or broader distribution is strictly prohibited. 
  • This product also may NOT be shared electronically, digitally, or otherwise in a manner that violates the Terms of Use detailed by LIT Lessons. 
  • For explicit information on permissions, please see the Terms of Use document included with this resource. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.
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The Story That Cannot Be Told Novel Study

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The Story That Cannot Be Told Novel Study is a comprehensive set of standards-aligned instructional materials for teaching The Story That Cannot Be Told by J. Kasper Kramer. With over 100+ materials, students will deeply engage with the novel and develop their literacy skills. The close reading activities, literary analysis resources, Soviet Bloc nonfiction readings and activities, vocabulary, assessments, and final project options all provide opportunities for your students to practice and apply what will be their growing understanding of the novel. They also provide numerous ways for you to DIFFERENTIATE learning for your students, allowing you to choose the assignments that best support your students’ learning while being conducive to any classroom model.

Download a Preview
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The comprehension guide and literary analysis resources provide a framework for students to deeply engage with every chapter grouping of The Story That Cannot Be Told. The 48 assignments – 24 comprehension and 24 literary analysis – are designed to not only to have students practice essential literary skills but also demonstrate their comprehension of the text. In having students demonstrate their understanding of the novel across both dimensions, the resource allows for differentiation and flexible implementation.

Download a Preview
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The 24 close reading lessons explicitly focus on critical Common Core State Standards to develop students’ literacy proficiency. Using The Story That Cannot Be Told as the foundational text for close reading, each lesson focuses on a particular skill, such as setting, conflict, tone, and plot, and provides students an opportunity to develop and demonstrate their ability to perform that skill. Each assignment also requires students to use textual evidence to support their claims. The resources could supply homework, facilitate guided reading groups, or stimulate whole class literacy discussions for each chapter grouping. You can choose the purpose that best suits your students and your classroom.

Download a Preview
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The standards-aligned assessments will help you measure your students’ comprehension of The Story That Cannot Be Told and their ability to apply the literary skills taught throughout the unit. The materials include 24 reading checks, 3 novel quizzes, 3 final tests, and essay choice board.

Download a Preview
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The vocabulary resources will engage students in varied activities to expand their vocabulary. The resources include materials to help teach challenging vocabulary words in The Story That Cannot Be Told that will then build your students’ vocabulary. With 6 vocabulary lists of 10 words each and a crossword puzzle, practice assignment, and quiz for each set, the materials provide opportunities for differentiation to suit the needs of the classroom.

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