William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare.

William Shakespeare is considered by many to be the greatest playwright of all time, although many facts about his life remain shrouded in mystery. He lived during the reigns of Queen Elizabeth I and King James I and coined hundreds of new words and phrases that we still use today.

His books can be quite challenging to read for grown-ups, never mind children! However, Andrew Matthews has rewritten a selection of his plays so that children can read and enjoy them. If you would like to read one of Shakespeare's plays, I have a selection in my office that you are welcome to borrow.

All I ask is that you have a really good go at reading one of the plays and post some information on my blog.

It can really help if you read a play in a small group so that you can help each other. You could find a quiet space in the playground or on the field to read at lunchtime perhaps.

Mr Wright.

Poetry Week - 29th September 2014.

I've been looking forward to poetry week since we started school in September! I love reading poems, and I shared a few with you last year. Do you remember the assembly on William Wordsworth and the Lake District? Have a look for an earlier blog.

On Monday I read one of my favourite poems,  "Night Mail" by W H Auden. I believe it was written  for a documentary about the GPO (General Post Office) - today we know the GPO as the Royal Mail.

I have added the youtube link below - please check with your parent or carer before watching.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmciuKsBOi0

Night Mail.

This is the Night Mail crossing the Border,
Bringing the cheque and the postal order,

Letters for the rich, letters for the poor,
The shop at the corner, the girl next door.

Pulling up Beattock, a steady climb:
The gradient's against her, but she's on time.

Past cotton-grass and moorland boulder,
Shovelling white steam over her shoulder,

Snorting noisily, she passes
Silent miles of wind-bent grasses.

Birds turn their heads as she approaches,
Stare from bushes at her blank-faced coaches.

Sheep-dogs cannot turn her course;
They slumber on with paws across.

In the farm she passes no one wakes,
But a jug in a bedroom gently shakes.

W H Auden

Quiz Time!

Do you remember me talking about the poem during assembly? See how many questions you can answer!

• What border are they referring to?
• What is a postal order?
• What do you think beattock is?
• What is the relevance of the word "shovelling"?
• What causes the jug to gently shake?