3 Cloze activities on Stasiland: Biography Anna Funder Investigative Journalism Theme: Resilience

Karl-Eduard von Schnitzler was the compere on The Black Channel, a program on East German television until 1989. He is a true believer in the Communist cause and the methods the Stasi used to silence critics. Anna Funder interviews him in her search for how the activities of the Stasi affected the lives of ordinary East Germans. This set of activities includes background information, a passage from the text and a blank Stasi file for students to complete on von Schnitzler’s background,personal details and beliefs.

Former East German rocker, Klaus Renft stands apart from the other characters interviewed by Anna Funder. He has found peace with his treatment by the Stasi and has his Stasi file as a means of reminding him of his younger days, not to explain how the Stasi meddled in his personal life. Is his contentment a product of alcoholism or something else? This set of activities includes background information, passages from the text and an analysis of Klaus’ character and history.

Ezine article from ZD Net on internet surveillance by the government of the United States . Article supports the teaching of the text, Stasiland. Activity asks students to analyse the article to identify hoe this surveillance takes place and where in the world surveillance occurs.

The Stasi established a surveillance network in East Germany that monitored and reported upon all aspects of life. This resource provides background details in this surveillance network, passages from the text and student activities focused around the nature and extent of the network and the impact of surveillance on the lives of the characters in the text.

Hagen Koch was a Stasi officer who marked out where the Berlin Wall was to be built. But when the state began to interfere in his own family life, Hagen took a stand to resist. The decision resulted in retribution against him and his family. This set of activities includes background information on the character of Hagen Koch, passages from the text and questions related to his character, influence of the state on hi upbringing and the reasons behind his decision to resign from the Stasi.

Worksheet on the video clip, The Real Mr Pip - Harry Baxter on Bougainville.

Book review by Janet Maslin from the New York Times and student activities.

Topic summary for the non-fiction text, Stasiland by Anna Funder. Includes themes, setting, symbolism, key quotes, structure and style, metalanguage, characters, author, comparative texts and genre.

Information report assessment task on the novel, Mister Pip. The task is: Select one of these themes from the text: fantasy vs reality, living in a warzone, tradition vs modernity, hybridity, strangers in a strange land, storytelling. How does the text help the reader to understand the theme? Give examples to support your report.

Background notes, key passages and student activity relating to Matilda Laimo, the protagonist in Lloyd Jones’ novel, Mister Pip.

Analysis of scenes from the film version of Mister Pip. Students analyse details of the scenes, notably atmosphere, colour, gestures and poses and camera angles.

Grace represents the tragedy. Her fall from a life of promise to the ravages of major depression foretell the tragedy of the village’s fall from idyllic paradise to being ravaged by the redskin army. This resource includes background notes on Grace, key passages from the text and student activities.

Activity requiring students identify the section in the novel in which the event takes place.

Background information on the history of Bougainville since 1889, stifled attempts at independence and the civil war from 1988-1996 when the Autonomous Region of Bougainville was declared. This background explains the context in which Mister Pip is based. The student activity involves completing a timeline of key events in the civil war.

Crossword based on the graphic novel, Persepolis. The Story of a Childhood.

Romulus is a common man, but a man of extraordinary character, craftsmanship and endurance. His resilience to the beatings at the hands of the Gestapo, migration to a new country, wife who becomes incurably insane, his own battle with mental illness and deprivations of living in poverty in rural Victoria is a testament to the human spirit’s ability to overcome at all odds. This set of resources includes background notes on Romulus, passages from the and student activities.

As a moral philosopher, Raimond Gaita introduces the reader to many philosophical ideas and beliefs, relating these to the people and events of his childhood. This activity identifies 9 of these and asks students to research what they are and how they relate to the text: humanism, stoicism, moral absolutism, fatalism, multiculturalism, communism, relativism, spiritualism and puritanism.

Ezine article from The Monthly entitled ‘From Frogmore, Victoria’ and written by Helen Garner. She describes a visit to the sites in the text, Romulus, My Father with the author and the reactions of Raimond Gaita and herself to each of the sites in the light of the events that took place there. Student activities included.

Analysis of a photograph of Raimond Gaita’s childhood home of Frogmore. Students examine the details and make assumptions about the impact of poverty on the ideas and writings of Raimond Gaita.