Name:…………………………………….

Prince of AFGHANISTAN

About the Book:Two Australian soldiers, Casey and Mark, are involved in an American mission in Afghanistan to rescue hostages captured by the Taliban. Mark is a new recruit from a small country town, Emerald Creek, in the Snowy Mountains. Casey, on the other hand, is an experienced dog handler. He is responsible for Prince, a dog who has been trained to sniff out land mines. After the mission is completed, Casey and Mark are waiting for a helicopter to take them back to base. Unfortunately, a Taliban rocket takes out the helicopter just as it is landing: Casey is killed and Mark and Prince are left deafened and injured.

Realising that the Americans will believe that they have all been killed, Mark makes the decision to take Prince and head overland back to the American base. Initially, the story unfolds as a fairly typical ‘on-the-road’ story, as Prince and Mark make their way on foot through rough terrain. During the journey, they must try to keep ahead of the Taliban who are pursuing them, and deal with searing heat, thirst and hunger. While they face plenty of obstacles, they receive no assistance and are constantly in peril. Consequently, they must learn to trust each other if they are to survive. Eventually, the two are lying in a field of maize near death, both having been shot. Will they survive?

Running parallel to the story of Mark and Prince’s journey, the reader gradually learns more about Mark and his background. We discover that he is not merely the reluctant hero of this adventure. Instead, flashbacks reveal that Mark is dealing with his own considerable demons: back in Emerald Creek, Mark's mother has died of cancer, his relationship with his father is strained, and he has come to rely on marijuana as an escape. Joining the army was Mark's solution to his problems and was done, in part, to spite his father. At one point, he realises that his life in many respects has been similar to the unfortunate Afghani's that he encounters during the journey.

As can be seen, this is a multilayered novel and can be used to explore a range of themes. These include: the nature of courage and heroism mateship and trust the bond between humans and animals father-son relationships the effects of war on all sides

About the Author:Louis Nowra was born in Melbourne. He has written five non-fiction works, young adult novels , plays, as well as radio plays, telemovies and film scripts. Ice was shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Literary Award 2009, and won an Honourable Mention in the Manning Clark House National Cultural Awards 2009.

While you read…Reading is one of the core activities of study. You need to be able to understand what you read and be able to recall the main ideas when you need them.

While you read Prince of Afghanistan, you will learn and practise how to use ‘sticky notes’ to help deconstruct the novel. Watch the YouTube clip on weebly on how to use ‘sticky notes’.

You will also learn how to use Visible Thinking Charts to help you organise and synthesise your ideas.

Novel Study Matrix

Choose one activity to complete from each level of Bloom’s Taxonomy, discuss with your team members and complete in your workbook.

Remembering(factual answers, recollection and recognition).

Summarise the main events of the novel on a timeline.

List and describe the main characters in the novel. Write down two important quotes that relate to each of them.

Recall details about the setting by creating a picture where a part of the story took place.

What is your favourite chapter? Write two paragraphs on what happens in this chapter.

Understanding (Translating, interpreting and showing understanding).

Using a line graph, map out the action of the novel.

Predict what could happen next in the story.

Choose one setting from the novel. Explain why this setting is important. Draw this setting the way you think it would look.

Explain how the main character felt in the beginning, middle and end of the novel.

Applying(Using information gained in different or familiar situations).

Choose an important event in the novel. Write a newspaper report about the incident.

Think of a situation that occurred to a character in the story and write about how he or she could have handled the situation differently.

Write down examples of positive and negative representations of women in the novel. Explain why you have identified these two representations.

What advice would you give soldiers after reading this novel? Design a brochure that details this information.

Analysing(Breaking into parts to examine more closely).

Brainstorm the important themes in the novel. Identify and list quotes that reveal these, analysing how the themes are developed. Use PEETEEEL paragraphs to do this.

Use a table to compare and contrast how each character has changed throughout the novel. Find quotes to support your explanation.

Select one main character to analyse in a character journal. For each chapter:

1. 1. List 2 – 3 key quotations from or about the character.

2. 2. Examine the character’s actions, behaviour and reactions.

3. 3. Select one word that best represents the character.

Identify the orientation, climax, complication and conclusion of the story.Justify your response in three paragraphs.

Evaluating(Judge, use criteria, rank and justify)

How realistic do you consider the characters in the novel to be? Write two or more paragraphs on this question. Make sure you provide specific reasons and examples.

Write two or more paragraphs on whether you consider the conclusion of the novel to be a satisfactory one. Justify your response.

The characters in a novel behave in specific ways that may or may not be appropriate in each circumstance. Choose one place in the novel where you did not agree with the behaviour of one character and evaluate the character’s actions.

In what ways would the story be different if it was told from a different perspective? Write a paragraph on how this would change the story.

Creating(Combining information with new situations to create new products and ideas).

Choose a section from the novel. Rewrite this section as a two minute monologue to present to your class.

Imagine that you are a character in the novel. Offer some advice to another character in the novel. Present this as a two minute informal speech to your class.

Pretend you are sitting with the author of your chosen novel and you are presenting your opinion about this novel. Present what you would say to the author in a two minute formal presentation to the class.

Choose one of the characters from the novel. Write and present a poem from their perspective on one relevant issue they experienced. Present this to the class.

Formative Task

“Authors write novels as a way of sharing their opinion about social issues.”

Discuss this statement, making detailed reference to TWO key issues/concerns evident in your chosen novel.

Due: Week 11 along with the Novel Study Matrix activities you have chosen to complete.

MARKING CRITERIAThe student has demonstrated the ability to:Elements E D C B A

Social Issues/ Concerns

Identify an issue evident in the novel.

Describe a key issue/concern evident in the novel.

Explain two key issues/concerns in the novel.

Analyse two issues/concerns evident in the novel.

Analyse critically two issues/concerns evident in the novel.

Textual Support

Use minimal or no textual reference in response.

Use limited textual reference to support response.

Use adequate textual reference to support response.

Use effective textual references, including quotations, to support argument.

Use extensive and insightful textual references, including quotations, to support argument.

Language and Structure

Use recount to respond.

Use limited features of the PEETEEEL essay, with lapses in language and subject specific terminology.

Use most features of the PEETEEEL essay, with sound control of language and subject specific terminology.

Use skillfully the features of the PEETEEEL essay, with effective control of language and subject specific terminology.

Use skillfully the features of the PEETEEEL essay, with highly developed control of language and subject specific terminology.