Over the summer, you will read and study the historical fiction novel Between Shades of Gray, written by Ruta Sepetys. You may purchase the book (new or used); you can also check out the book from your local library. While you will finish the book before school starts in August, we will discuss the novel at length as we begin our first literature unit of the semester. Therefore, it would be in your best interest to plan to have access to the book for the first month of class.

Between Shades of Gray

Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.

Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously—and at great risk—documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives. Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart.

goodreads.com

Please note: Sepetys addresses some sensitive material in the story to stay true to the setting during WWII, develop complexity within the plot, and build dynamic characters. We will not censor the text; in fact, as scholars of literature, we must always consider why authors choose to address/ write about certain topics. With that being said, we as your English teachers do expect you to handle the sensitive material with maturity.

Reading Requirements

You are expected to read the novel closely and prepare for an exam during the first week of school. The following resources are included to help you better understand the novel. Review the resources closely before beginning to read.

Reading Notes: Elements of Plot & Figurative Language
Pre-reading Context and Background Information
Note-Taking Guide: Character Tracking and Major Themes
Final Project: Newspaper Front Page

Reading Notes

LET'S START by covering some important concepts that will help you study the text.

Elements of Plot Notes

Watch the video explaining the elements of plot.

You should take good notes on a piece of loose-leaf paper that you can add to your reference binder. You must have these notes organized and completed by the time school starts in August.

Label your notes "Elements of Plot."

Figurative Language Notes

Watch this video explaining figurative language.

On a new sheet of paper, carefully record these notes. You must have these notes organized and completed by the time school starts in August.

Label your notes "Figurative Language."

Pre-Reading Context

Review this information BEFORE you begin the novel. This will help you understand the story.

Context and Background

Suggested Note-Taking Guide

Final Project

Review this BEFORE you start reading; this will give you a clear understanding of what to look for while you read.

Newspaper Project - As You Read/ Once You Finish the Novel

Demonstrate your understanding of Ruta Sepetys's Between Shades of Gray with the collection and synthesis of figurative language examples and key events, figures, products, and places (etc.). Essentially, you will be creating the FRONT PAGE of a NEWSPAPER.

You will turn in your completed Newspaper Project before school starts on Wednesday, August 12th.

The resources posted below include instructions for the assignment and an example.

STEP 1: Click the image below to see the directions STEP 2: Click below to see an example