The Auld Alliance

Listening challenge

Watch and listen to the Robert Henryson video.

As you watch and listen, tick off words you hear being read in the poem, from a checklist which has several red herrings.

After the identification stage, try to work out what the words mean – often this will be from how they sound, but can also be arrived at by altering the spellings.

Word challenge

Match the Scots and the English definitions. Organise the words into verbs, nouns and adjectives.

Sequencing challenge

Watch and listen to the video again and attempt a sequencing exercise, to check understanding of plot development thus far. Predict what they think might happen next in the story.

French challenge

Match the French and the English definitions.

Watch the animated version of the same fable in French and listen for the words on the cards. Discuss the differences between the Henryson version, your prediction and the French version of the Aesop’s fable.

Town and country challenge

In groups, discuss and make a list of the advantages and disadvantages of living in a town or the countryside.

Use a search engine and newspapers and magazines to read and research the kind of language used to advertise houses, in order to make them seem as appealing as possible. Create your own adverts for selling a house in a town and a house in the countryside via estate agents who use these media.

Evaluate how successful the adverts are, using a set of negotiated success criteria.

Flyting challenge

Poets in both the Scottish and French Renaissance courts were 'maister flyters'. This involved a duel of words in which poets would compete against each other to see who could deliver the wittiest insults – a bit like modern 'rap battles'.

In groups, using the game, select nouns, adjective and verbs and take part in a classroom flyte. The glossary will provide support.