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.

Mix and match the correct meaning to the terms and concepts and paste these in student workbooks. Students then use this topic metalanguage to write a sentence.

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.

Photographs of Raimond, Romulus and Christine to support student understanding of the characters in Romulus, My Father.

Romulus, My Father Crossword

Crossword and answers for the topic, Spanish Conquest of the Americas.

Crossword based on Lloyd Jones’ novel, Mister Pip.