Lecture by Anna Funder at the University of Reykjavik, 22 September, 2012, Daily life under communism. Funder gives an insight into her work, Stasiland, including the dissidents and Stasi men that she interviewed and what they revealed about life in East Germany, 1945-1989. This resource includes the YouTube video and worksheet to accompany the video.

Analysis of the online book review of The Narrow Road to the Deep North by ReadingBukowski. The reviewer discusses the character of Dorrigo Evans, the perspectives of the Australian POWs and the Japanese guards, the fragmented and non-linear structure of the novel, the themes of surviving trauma, memory, how we memorialise things and the futility of war. She mentions that the railway is a metaphor for life’s journey, that beauty and horror are not mutually exclusive in the way that good and evil may be. This resource is part of a unit of work on Richard Flanagan’s novel, The Narrow Road to the Deep North.

Brief video by the New Yorker, Flanagan’s Island. The video is an interview with Richard Flanagan, author of The Narrow Road to the Deep North. It covers the setting where he writes his books, his process of writing, his background and his beliefs. This resource is part of a unit of work on Richard Flanagan’s The Narrow Road to the Deep North.

Analysis of brief newspaper article by Mary McConville, ‘Weary’ Dunlop. The article gives a concise overview of the life of Edward ‘Weary’ Dunlop.

Sydney Morning Herald article written by Richard Flanagan about how his father’s experiences on the Thai-Burma Railway inspired his writing of * The Narrow Road to the Deep North*.

Analysis of article written by Michael Williams from The Guardian entitled Dinner with Richard Flanagan, a child of the death railway. The article is a report on an interview with Richard Flanagan, author of The Narrow Road to the Deep North and details Flanagan’s inspirations in writing the novel and the process of writing it. This resource is part of a unit of work on The Narrow Road to the Deep North.

Analysis of the article, Scars of the Burma railway trauma that never healed from the Telegraph (UK) and written by Tom Rowley. The article reports on the experiences of Fred Seiker, a Dutch POW who worked on the construction of the Thailand-Burma Railway. It is a good narrative of Fred Seiker’s deprivations and his mixed feelings and beliefs about his experiences during and after the war. This resource is part of a unit of work on Richard Flanagan’s The Narrow Road to the Deep North.

Analysis of the 1945 speech by Australian Army Staff Sergeant G.G. Rickwood to the Rotary Club of Cessnock in which he narrates his experiences as a POW on the Thai-Burma Railway. Students analyse: Who gave the speech? What do we know about his background? Why did he deliver the speech? What was his purpose in giving the speech? Who was the audience? Where were they located? What was their reaction to the speech? What words and phrases would we now see as racist or antiquated? How would this language be received in 1945, when the speech was given? List the incidents that made this speech a “story of hardship and horror, of death, disease, and suffering.” What values, beliefs and humanitarian acts were displayed by the Australian and British POWs? Is mere survival and kindness enough in situations of extreme abuse?

Activities for Richard Flanagan’s novel, The Narrow Road to the Deep North - Book 1 Chapters 10-18.

Source-based activity on the question: What changes did the Australian Commonwealth Government make during WWII? Students examine the documentary and visual evidence to identify and assess the defence, economic, logistical, labour, taxation, social services and internment of enemy aliens changes made by the federal government during WWII. This activity is designed for Stage 5 students of the NSW History K-10 Syllabus for the National Curriculum. Depth Study 3: Australians at War - World War II.

Word search using key words and concepts from Richard Flanagan’s novel, The Narrow Road to the Deep North.

Activities for Book 1 Chapters 1-9

13-minute documentary and worksheet on how Australian WWII and Korean War veterans and civilians felt at the moment they were captured and as they were held prisoners. Excellent resource for Stage 5 students of the NSW History K-10 Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum. Depth Study 3 - Australians at War - World War II.

Unit of work on Richard Flanagan’s The Narrow Road to the Deep North. Written for students of the Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE) and more broadly for the Australian Curriculum. The unit includes: Activities for Book 1 Chapters 1-9 Activities for Book 1 Chapters 10-18 Activities for Book 2 Chapters 1-9 Activities for Book 2 Chapters 10-19 Activities for Book 3 Chapters 1-9 Activities for Book 3 Chapters 10-19 Activities for Book 3 Chapters 20-27 Activities for Book 4 Chapters 1-7 Activities for Book 4 Chapters 8-13 Activities for Book 5 Chapters 1-9 Activities for Book 5 Chapters 10-18 Character profile: Amy Mulvaney Character profile: Keith Mulvaney Character profile: Ella Lansbury Character profile: Darky Gardiner Character profile: Jimmy Bigelow Character profile: Sheephead Morton Character profile: Gallipoli von Kessler Ezine article: Life and death on the Thai-Burma Railway Ezine article: Dad and the Burma Railway Video: Australian Prisoners of War Part 1: A Short History of Australian POWs Worksheet: Australian Prisoners of War Part 1: A Short History of Australian POWs Video: Australian Prisoners of War Part 2: Capture Worksheet: Australian Prisoners of War Part 2: Capture Video: Flanagan’s Island Worksheet: Flanagan’s Island Video: Book review by ReadingBukowski Worksheet: Book review by ReadingBukowski Video: Ramona Koval interview with Richard Flanagan Worksheet: Ramona Koval interview with Richard Flanagan Video: Hellfire. A Soldier’s Story. Worksheet: Hellfire. a Soldier’s Story. Word search 1945 newspaper report - The Story of the Thai-Burma Railway Ezine article: Scars of the Burma railway trauma that never healed Ezine article: Dinner with Richard Flanagan, a child of the death railway Newspaper article: ‘Weary’ Dunlop Close study of a passage: Dorrigo’s childhood in Cleveland, Tasmania Close study of a passage: Colonel Kota beheads a prisoner Close study of a passage: Amy tells Dorrigo that their affair is known Theme: War Crime Metalanguage mix and match activity Map of key sites Dorrigo Evans as Charon the Ferryman True or false revision activity Symbolism activity Crossword

Worksheet to accompany the 11-minute documentary, Australian Prisoners of War. Topic 1: A Short History, produced by the Commonwealth of Australia Department of Veterans Affairs. Excellent overview to Australian POWs in international conflicts in the Twentieth Century. Only touches on internment of people of German, Japanese and Italian descent and foreign military personnel captured in war in Australian camps. This activity is part of a unit of work for Stage 5 students of the NSW History K-10 Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum. Depth Study 3: Australians at War - World War II.

Scaffolded analysis of 3 primary documentary sources: Prime Minister Robert Menzies broadcasts to Australia that it is at war with Germany Minister for Defence, Geoffrey Street announces the formation of the Second AIF Stan Arneil, POW on the Thai-Burma Railway writes diary entries, 1943 Designed for Stage 5 students of the NSW History K-10 Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum. Depth Study 3: Australians at War - World War II.

Poster demonstrating the application of specific aspects of visual literacy ( content, emotional response, medium and form) to a diagram of a Japanese miniature submarine from the topic, Australia in World War II. Second page includes the full scaffolding of a visual literacy response. Designed for Stage 5 students of the NSW History K-10 Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum. Depth Study 3: Australians at War - World War II.

Mapping activity for the topic, Australia in World War II. Students research and locate significant sites connected with World War II in South-East Asia. Designed for Stage 5 students of the NSW History K-10 Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum. Core Study 3: Australians at War - World War II.

Information report assessment task on the topic, Australia in World War II: Select one of the following: civilians in Australia, POWs on the Thai-Burma Railway, the Rats of Tobruk, servicemen in the Kokoda Trail Campaign. Who were these people? What were their experiences during the war? What parts of the Anzac Legend did they portray? The task includes guidance on how to write an information report, structure and language features of an information report and rubric/marking guide. There is no word length on this task. This will need to be adapted to the ability of your individual cohort/class.

30 statements from the topic Australia in World War II. Are they true or false? Designed for Stage 5 students of the NSW History K-10 Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum. Core Study 3: Australians at War - World War II