Category Archives: Advanced Higher

Wendy is a boss: note-taking

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Yep, for those of you who are super-asute, this is already on the other blog.

Note-taking is super important when it comes to revision time (and is still creative process!). By the time exams role around you want to have streamlined your notes down to the bare-minimum suitable for your needs. Take the 2016 Advanced Higher group as an example.

The Advanced Higher class of 2016 were studying Hamlet and Macbeth. They knew that a wide variety of questions would come up in their exam paper ranging from character study, setting analysis, scene setting and key incidents. They had to prepare for them all. The three girls work best from a combination of listing and mind-mapping which they then learned by rote (writing and repeating). The girls are now extremely familiar with the PEEL system for writing essays so the most important parts for them when it came to revision was making sure they knew the plots inside out and had the quotes learned so they could regurgitate them in the exam.

Wendy’s notes, in particular, were super effective. She had narrowed her list of quotes down to the bare minimum. Most of the quotes could double up and be used for character study, setting analysis, scene setting and key incidents depending on the question she selected. She then made her notes work super hard for her. She colour-coded them down the side. For each quote she now has a reminder of why it is useful. Even more importantly her notes have a clear layout, are spaced out well and are neatly written – exactly what you want in your final revision notes.

See if you can have a go at making revision notes for yourself

Macbeth Homework questions

So You have now copied out all the notes on Macbeth and know everything about the man and his crazy wife. Here are two questions for you to have a go at over the holidays. Fun times for you!

1. “Concealment and discovery are central to any drama.”
Discuss the structural and thematic significance of “concealment and discovery” in Macbeth.

2. “The great tragedies stamp themselves on the imagination through a series of powerful theatrical images in which the whole meaning of the play can sometimes seem to be compacted.”
Discuss the effectiveness of theatrical imagery in conveying meaning with reference to Macbeth.

Macbeth – a little headstart on the plot

taken from http://school.devoteddvd.com.au/macbeth-shakespeare-retold-dvd.html

Later in the year we will be studying Macbeth as our Drama. A few years ago the BBC adapted the story into a modern setting, transposing Macbeth and Duncan into an award-winning restaurant. If you are just wanting to get a rough idea of the plot of Macbeth without having to deal with the Shakespearian language this should be an easier way of getting to grips with it. The link below will take you to the

Revision Music

So apparently games soundtracks are really good when revising or working. The idea is that the music doesn’t distract you as there is no words but the way in which the pieces have been composed keep you focused – after all tehy are designed to stimulate your mind and keep you focused on playing the game. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbxldqFqH1g

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7tc0VfZwtk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp5hvWBtbjA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XN0Gr4ttd5M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqj6FQ6OVuE

and especially for National 5;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUHWrpjGVkg