Teacher Resources

In this module, students identify the text structure used in passages that explain the impact of Joseph Stalin and his policies on the former Soviet Union.  This self-paced module is aligned to College and Career Ready Standards for Literacy in Social Studies/ History Frameworks.

This module contains several interactive features. Watch the Learn How to Use this Module tutorial to familiarize yourself with these features.

Please review the Accessibility page for all of your students.

Module Information

  • Grade band: 9 - 10
  • Readability level: Lexile Level 1105
  • Focus Standard:
    RH.9-10.5 - Analyze how a text uses structure to emphasize key points or advance an explanation or analysis.
  • Topic: Totalitarianism in Stalinist Russia
  • Completion Time: 10 – 20 minutes
  • Vocabulary: Visit the Glossary page or click on words highlighted within the module for a narrated definition.

Teaching Resources for this Module

Review the resources below for additional information on teaching text structures:

Content Cards Text Structures, Grades 9-12 Opens a new window

Common Core: Helping Students Master Text Structure presentation Opens a new window

Module Bibliography

Beck, R., et.al., "Modern World History Patterns of Interaction" (Boston: McDougal Littell, 2009).

"Life in USSR under Stalin," History Learning Site.com, 2000

"The Cold War and Stalin's Last Years," Spark Notes.com, accessed January 13, 2015,

Using This Site

This lesson is built for use on classroom computers and tablets. If you have access to a desktop computer, laptop, tablet or an interactive whiteboard in your classroom, you may complete the lesson in your classroom. Otherwise, you will need to schedule time to use your school's computer lab. For technical specifications, see below.

Some activities on this site may include videos and narration, so you may want to have headphones available for students working at individual stations. For best results in viewing the videos and interactives, you should have a high-speed, stable Internet connection.

This lesson may contain PDFs for students to complete. They can print the PDFs and fill them out by hand, or download the files and fill them out on the computer. Most or all portions can be filled out online. Please check with your Instructional Technology Specialist for instructions on downloading the PDF. (Note that to complete the PDFs on the computer, you will need a viewer, such as Adobe Reader, that supports forms.)

Technology

This site is an Internet-based activity, and it was built to run on the following computer operating systems and browsers:

  • Windows 7 or Newer: IE 8, 9, 10, 11; Current version of Chrome; Current version of Firefox
  • Mac OS 10.7 or Newer: Current version of Safari
  • iPad2/iOS6 or Newer: Current version of Safari
  • Android 4.0 or Newer: Current version of Android browser
  • Chromebook: Current version of Chrome

Users running Internet Explorer 8 will not be able to use the highlighter tool. Instead, teachers should consider partnering students for a brief discussion.

Visit the Accessibility page for detailed information on the site's accessibility features.