The Boys Who Challenged Hitler

Knud Pedersen and The Churchill Club

by: Phillip Hoose

J. Mongelli, D. Davis, A. Ciaravino

8th Grade Reading

Unit 3 Core

Introduction

The Boys Who Challenged Hitler: Knud

Pedersen and the Churchill Club is the

remarkable true story of a small group

of courageous Danish teens whose acts

of sabotage against the German military

inspired their country to rise up against

the Nazi occupation.

Introduction – long description

At the outset of World War II, Denmark did not resist

German occupation. Deeply ashamed of his nation’s

leaders, fifteen-year old Knud Pedersen resolved with his

brother and a handful of schoolmates to take action

against the Nazis if the adults would not. Naming their

secret club after the fiery British leader, the young patriots

in the Churchill Club committed countless acts of

sabotage, infuriating the Germans, who eventually had the

boys tracked down and arrested. But their efforts were not

in vain: the boys’ exploits and eventual imprisonment

helped spark a full-blown Danish resistance in the latter

years of the war.

Video/Pictures

Introduction Video

German invasion of Norway and

Demark 1

Brainstorm

“He alone who gains the youth,

owns the future”

- A. Hitler

- What does this statement mean to you?

- Do you agree with this statment

Reading Journal (Intro/Ch. 1)

In chapter one the author

explains how Knud and

his friends felt about

many of the teachers at

their school being

German sympathizers.

How does this anecdote

help the reader

understand the

relationship between the

Danish people and the

German soldiers?

Vocabulary

Write a definition for the

following words as they

are used in the text, use

context clues to determine

the meaning.

conviction pg. 10

endeavor pg 10

barracks pg 11

convene pg 13

occupation pg 15.

Reading Question Ch 2

Why was Denmark so

important to the Nazi’s.

Refer to the pages 16-24.

The author includes the

newspaper article entitled

“Hitler and Bicycles.

Explain why it was important

for the author to introduce this

in the text.

Vocabulary

Write a definition for the

following words as they

are used in the text, use

context clues to

determine the meaning.

agitated pg 19

indoctrinated pg 19

insignia pg 21

saboteurs pg 22

Reading Question Ch. 3

Briefly

Describe the club

members and their

plan.

What was surprising

about the plan model

they developed

Compare the Pedersen

brothers

Vocabulary

Write a definition for the

following words as they are

used in the text, use context

clues to determine the

meaning.

• enviously pg. 26

• monastery pg. 27

• jeering pg. 31

• placate pg. 32

• profusely pg. 32

• adjourned pg.33

• gravitated pg. 36

Reading Question Ch 4

In chapter 4 the “club”

members complete a mission

against a Danish company

who was a German

sympathizer. Describe their

actions and feelings when

they carry out this mission.

What contradictions are we

beginning to see expressed

by the Danish people?

Vocabulary

Write a definition for the

following words as they are

used in the text, use context

clues to determine the

meaning

• solidarity pg. 39

• facilitate pg.39

• Liberating pg. 42

• Traitorous pg. 42

• Stooges pg. 43

Reading Question Ch 5

The boys discuss killing

a German soldier as part

of their show of

patriotism. What does

this discussion and the

resulting decision tell us

about the young men

and the ideas behind

their club.

Vocabulary

Write a definition for the

following words as they are

used in the text, use context

clues to determine the

meaning

• reconnaissance pg. 46

• irreverent pg. 47

• adjacent pg. 48

• affront pg. 48

• woefully pg. 50

• forum pg. 50

• brigade pg. 51

Reading Ch 6

Why do you think

the witnesses to the

“Club’s” actions stay

silent?

Vocabulary

Write a definition for the

following words as they are

used in the text, use context

clues to determine the

meaning

• combustible pg. 54

• unanimous pg. 55

• happenstance pg. 58

• teemed pg. 59

Reading Ch 7

What is the

significance of the

the theft of the

machine gun?

Vocabulary

Write a definition for the

following words as they

are used in the text, use

context clues to determine

the meaning

colossal pg. 61

pitted pg. 61

exposure pg.61

Reading Ch 8

Explain why Eigil

wants to stop the

mission.

Vocabulary

Write a definition for the

following words as they

are used in the text, use

context clues to determine

the meaning

Raucus pg. 71

Bedlam pg. 71

Pyrotechnics pg. 73

Reading Ch 9

Describe the

mission led by

Borge. Why didn’t

the follow through?

Vocabulary

Write a definition for the

following words as they

are used in the text, use

context clues to determine

the meaning

Reconnaissance pg. 79

Cordial pg. 79

Reading Ch 10

What was the

significance of the

Danish firemen’s

actions?

Vocabulary

Write a definition for the

following words as they

are used in the text, use

context clues to determine

the meaning

• Saboteurs pg. 83

• Ore pg. 85

• Sentry pg. 85

• Pyre ph 86

Reading Ch 11

What was the

catalyst that tipped

off the police that

lead to the capture

of the boys?

Vocabulary

Write a definition for the

following words as they

are used in the text, use

context clues to determine

the meaning

Elated pg. 89

Brusquely pg. 92

Reading Ch 12

Why was the trial of

the boys such a

delicate situation?

Vocabulary

Write a definition for the

following words as they are

used in the text, use context

clues to determine the meaning

Irreverent pg. 98

Censorship pg. 102

Unconscionalbe pg. 102

Ire pg 104

Reading Ch 13

Explain why Judge

Andersen had tears

on his eyelashes

right after

sentencing the boys

to such harsh

sentences.

Vocabulary

Write a definition for the

following words as they are

used in the text; use context

clues to determine the

meaning

• inept pg. 109

• wanton pg. 110

• henchmen pg. 113

• spirited pg. 114

Reading Question Ch 14

In your opinion, was it

fate that caused the

boys to get caught at

4am, or could they have

made wiser decisions to

avoid that situation?

Elaborate.

Vocabulary

Write a definition for the

following words as they are

used in the text; use context

clues to determine the

meaning

• harrumphed pg. 117

• decommissioned

pg.119

• allegedly pg. 120

• bedeviled pg. 121

Reading Question Ch 15

Reflect upon how Eigil,

Jens, Uffe, and Knud

each chose to use their

garden plot. How do the

garden plots compare to

each boy’s personality

and state-of-mind at this

stage of their prison

stay?

Vocabulary

Write a definition for the

following words as they are

used in the text; use context

clues to determine the

meaning

• confiscated pg. 123

• monotonously pg. 125

• insidious pg. 125

• despondently pg. 125

• censorship pg. 128

• languished pg. 129

• nemesis pg. 132

Reading Question Ch 16

Compare the prison

picture on page 140 to

the way Knud felt in the

last sentence on pg.

141. Is Knud truly free?

Explain your answer.

Vocabulary

Write a definition for the

following words as they are

used in the text; use context

clues to determine the

meaning

• saboteur pg. 137

• retooled pg. 138

• populace pg. 139

• naively pg. 139

Reading Question Ch 17

Compare Knud’s lost

social network (pg. 153)

to a modern day social

network. Show the

comparisons and

contrasts in a T-chart.

Vocabulary

Write a definition for the

following words as they are

used in the text; use context

clues to determine the

meaning

• cavernous pg. 143

• stigmatized pg. 143

• teetering pg. 144

• brandished pg. 145

• attuned pg. 150

• rant pg. 152

Reading Question Ch 18

Big Question: What

surprised you in this

chapter?

Vocabulary

Write a definition for the

following words as they are

used in the text; use context

clues to determine the

meaning

• transitioning pg. 159

• relieved pg. 161

• mulled pg. 162

• publicizing pg. 164