Issue 7 Term 1: June

Term Times

Perth High School

English and Media Studies department Twitter: @EnglishPhs www.phsenglishdept.wordpress.com

#weAREphsreaders

Dates for the diary:

N5 26/8/19 Creative folio submitted for self-evaluation 9/9/19 RUAE checkpoint 2 Own words and analysis focus

23/9/19 1st draft: discursive folio submitted for TEACHER marking

Higher

23/8/19 Discursive folio submitted for self-evaluation

9/9/19 RUAE checkpoint 2 Own words and analysis focus

16/9/19 1st draft Discursive folio submitted for TEACHER marking

What’s going on in the

department?

Mon: Rock Band (Music dept)

Climate Change Club (4.17)

Tues: Creative Writing (4.5)

Wed: Poetry Society (4.4)

Thurs:

Fri: Mahjong (4.13)

See individual teachers for

supported study session times

Have you spotted our

news board outside Mr

Miller’s office?

Look for our word of

the week; QR codes

with interesting articles

to read; as well as

library news.

Issue 7 Term 1: June

Study Suggestions

Miss Cowan’s S2

After reading The Tulip Touch, we wrote

letters and received leaflets from a local

charity in Perth called Home Start. We looked

at the layout of the leaflets, picked out

important information, and worked out how a

charity like that one could have helped Tulip if

it had been available to her.

We have also using our media studies skills

to design film posters for the novel.

First Minister’s Reading Challenge

Mrs Fraser was pleased to share with the Scottish Book Trust all the exciting book

related activities we have been taking part in this year, as part of the First Minister’s

Reading Challenge. Here are some of the examples of what we shared:

Do you have any ideas for creating a reading culture at PHS? See Mrs Fraser in 4.5, if

you want to share your ideas.

Library News:

The Library has bought a range of new teen

fiction recently, but aims to place another

order of fiction/non-fiction in the new

session. If there is anything you’d like to see

in our collection that we don’t already have,

please do let us know!

On return in August, the Library would like to

run S1 induction sessions in the Library on

finding books and how to borrow. The in the

run up to the October holidays we’d love to

come visit S1 again in your classrooms to

run a practice quiz as a taster to putting

together our 2019 Kids Lit Quiz

team. Having visited the P7s in May, we’re

hopeful of encouraging quite a few keen

readers to take part in this.

Issue 7 Term 1: June

Awesome Authors take the Floor!

“Writing is easy. All you have to do is cross out the wrong words.”

Mark Twain

Well 2B1 have been discovering the reality of these words! They are writing short stories that are

scheduled to be published – yes published! – in a book. The pupils are involved in the whole process from initial

conception to final product. They have agreed the title – yes, that’s right we actually had 30(sh) pupils debate

and agree a title! (We should send these guys to Parliament!) They worked on cover design; they voted on the

final cover (check out some of the amazing draft covers below!); they were involved in proof reading and editing

their own stories and the stories of others. On top of that, they have been researching charities; they will deliver

a presentation on their charity; and the class will vote on the charity that they would like to support – any profit

from book sales will be donated to this charity (so, sadly, no retirement fund for Mr Caldwell!); and then the hard

bit – pupils will be responsible for marketing and selling copies of the book.

So what’s the book called? ‘Tales from the 5th Floor’ – and it is a genius title. It really is. In the process of

this project, we discovered that Perth High has its very own Urban Legend – the mysterious 5th floor. Apparently

this is a bit of prank that existing pupils tell the new S1s when they arrive in August. The S1s are told the

swimming pool is on the 5th floor (okay that’s cruel – but not as bad as what happened in my day, we arrived in

High School with the threats of having our heads flushed down the toilets!) Anyway – we thought ‘The 5th Floor’

was a great title suggestion for a book of short stories. The 5th floor really symbolises what this book is about – a

book of fiction and fantasy – a world of limitless possibilities – I mean who is to say that there is not a 5th floor?

One of our pupils even chose to write her short story about the 5th floor – and it’s amazing – you’ll love it!

One of the hardest parts about this process, for me, has been to see pupils come up with amazing book

covers, but for the covers not to make it. So, I thought Term Times would be a great opportunity to showcase

some of these cool covers. None of these are the final cover – but they will give you a flavour of what is to come!

Enjoy!

Mr Caldwell

Skye T

Malwina R Eli W

Iona S

Issue 7 Term 1: June

Have a great summer of reading

Summer reading challenge

This summer we have seven weeks of holidays:

think of all that wonderful reading time.

If you are stuck for ideas, why not use the

picture opposite as inspiration for your reading

challenge or take inspiration from

recommendations from staff and pupils below.

‘Shift’ by Kim Curran (Caiden S4)

‘The Gone Series’ by Michael Grant (Jamie S2)

‘Dear Evan Hanson’ (4 authors) (Polly S4)

‘From Nowwhere. My Story’ Jamie Vardy

Autobiography (Erin S2)

‘Lord of the Rings’by JRR Tolkein (Doug S4)

‘Enchantee’ by Gita Trelease (Mrs Fraser)

Graphic novels from the PHS library (Ben G S2)

‘Pride and Prejudice’ by Jane Austen (Eve S5)

Issue 7 Term 1: June

UK Poet Laureate news

Carol Ann Duffy’s tenure as Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom came to a close in May, heralding

the beginning of Simon Armitage’s decade in the post. At this once-in-a-generation changing of the

guard, here are some interesting facts about the post and its most recent holders.

The first official poet laureate, John Dryden, was appointed in 1668 by Charles II, but was sacked twenty years later when the Glorious Revolution turned the country orange and he wasn’t protestant enough.

The Poet Laureate is appointed by the Queen or King of the day, and there is an expectation that the poet will produce verses to mark significant national events, including royal weddings and funerals.

The salary for the post is just £5,750; but there is a bonus barrel of sherry as well.

Perhaps the most memorable public poem written by the former Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy, is Last Post. The poem was written to commemorate the passing of the last two British soldiers from WW1, Henry Allingham and Harry Patch:

“There's coffee in the square, warm French bread and all those thousands dead are shaking dried mud from their hair and queuing up for home. Freshly alive, a lad plays Tipperary to the crowd, released from History; the glistening, healthy horses fit for heroes, kings… If poetry could truly tell it backwards, then it would.”

New appointee, Simon Armitage, is as well-known to English and Welsh students as Carol Ann Duffy – both have been staples of GCSE English for nearly two decades. Whilst less well-known in Scotland, Armitage’s poem The Hard did feature on an Advanced Higher English prelim, and his book Walking Home follows his travels on the Pennine Way from Kirk Yetholm in the Scottish Borders.

Famous for his wry Yorkshire wit, one of Armitage’s most famous poems imagines what Batman’s life would be like if he and Robin went their separate ways:

“Batman, it makes a marvellous picture: you without a shadow, stewing over chicken giblets in the pressure cooker, next to nothing in the walk-in larder, punching the palm of your hand all winter, you baby, now I’m the real boy wonder.”

Thanks Mr Kearns for the info!