Year 8 English: Pennies for Hitler Yearly Preparation

Vocabulary flashcards covering the study of Jackie French's Pennies for Hitler, key quotes, literary techniques, curriculum outcomes, and marking criteria for the Year 8 Yearly Examination.

Jackie French's Pennies for Hitler (2012)

The historical fiction novel studied, which traces the protagonist Georg's distress and traumatic wartime journey from Germany to rural Australia.

Georg

The protagonist of Pennies for Hitler who endures the challenges of wartime, grief over his father's murder, indoctrination into Nazi beliefs, and loss of identity as a refugee.

Herr Doker Schoner

A character who speaks in a serious tone stating, "The undermensh, the inferiors, who are blind or lame of course the Jews cannot breed", conveying Georg's early indoctrination into Nazi ideology.

"papas face all bloody on one side the other all white"

Visual imagery describing the scene of Georg's father being murdered by university students, which forces Georg to witness the violence and destruction of the Nazi party.

"little jew rat"

A metaphor used by a university student as Georg and his mother escape the graduation, demonstrating the Nazi party's dehumanization and hatred of Jewish people.

"Georg's mind felt like ice"

A simile illustrating that Georg is in shock and frozen in time after seeing his father and the pile of bodies under the window, signaling that his indoctrination is fading.

Aunt Miriam

Georg's relative who gives him the name "George" in England and warns him that "to the nazis you would be Jewish", forcing him to hide his German identity to survive anti-German prejudice.

"Its George now"

A symbolic statement representing Georg being forced to suppress his German identity and language to survive the intense anti-German prejudice of World War II.

Mr. Peaslake

Georg's foster father in Australia who recites poetry with him, helping Georg connect with both his new Australian family and the memory of his father.

"how could a poem be so different from you, but make you feel the right things too? Was this what Papa felt"

A rhetorical question illustrating how Mr. Peaslake's poems connect Georg with both families and remind him of his past.

"I love him… Him and Mrs. Peaslake and even Mud. the dogs the paddocks and Mud's family"

Symbolic realization that Georg has found a caring family, feels comfortable in Australia, and has moved past his traumatic past to embrace a new future.

EN4-RVL-01

The syllabus outcome assessing reading, viewing, and listening for meaning.

EN4-URA-01

The syllabus outcome assessing knowledge of language forms, features, and structures.

EN4-URB-01

The syllabus outcome assessing theme, perspective, and style.

EN4-URC-01

The syllabus outcome assessing valuing texts and context.

EN4-ECA-01

The syllabus outcome assessing expressing ideas and text features.

EN4-ECB-01

The syllabus outcome assessing planning, monitoring, and revising.

2025 Yearly Examination Question

"Discuss how the character/s in the novel you studied endure the challenges of wartime."

Band A Marking Criteria (20-17 Marks)

Effective engagement with the question demonstrating excellent knowledge and understanding of ideas and characters; effective selection and analysis of textual evidence; effective essay structure and control of language.

Band B Marking Criteria (16-13 Marks)

Satisfactory engagement with the question demonstrating developed knowledge and understanding; satisfactory selection and analysis of textual evidence; satisfactory essay structure and control of language.

Band C Marking Criteria (12-9 Marks)

Attempts to engage with the question demonstrating sound knowledge and understanding; sound selection and analysis of textual evidence; sound essay structure and control of language.

Band D Marking Criteria (8-5 Marks)

Limited engagement with the question demonstrating limited knowledge and understanding; limited selection and analysis of textual evidence; limited essay structure and control of language.

Band E Marking Criteria (4-0 Marks)

Little to no engagement with the question and/or knowledge and understanding; little to no selection and analysis of textual evidence; little or no control of essay structure and language.