Anderson High School, Lerwick, Shetland, continue their support with innovative partnerships and lots of cross-curricular work.

Published on 27th Nov 2011

Anderson High School, Lerwick, Shetland, continue their support with innovative partnerships and lots of cross-curricular work.

Last year the school undertook a prokect in conjunction with the local Shetland Museum and Archives, Royal British Legion. More details can be found in the article below featured in the National Archives Magazine. Click here to read the article.

Jon Sandison, a teacher in the school and great Poppyscotland supporter said "Pupils completed a presentation at the Museum and Archives after doing research in school. There is also detail in the article about other educational tasks and detail which the local Museum and Archive faciliated. There work and help was outstanding in this project. Likewise, so also was the materials and assistance which you provided. As well as raising money, we raised awareness of what Armistice Day is all about. We hope to repeat the project again this year, and hopefully raise even more money."

The school share with us below what other activities they undertook during the Remembrance period. You will see that the activites were truly cross-curricular, covering every area.

In Anderson High School various activities and events took place during the week. This included regular reflective tannoys of poetry and statements on conflict that got people thinking about war, and how we can avoid it. A key focus of the week was on the memorial in Anderson High School, and raising awareness of it to pupils and staff alike. Also, each break time, Poppy fundraising, run by pupils, took place throughout the school. Events within the school culminated on the 11th with a ceremony in the English Department. There, Shannon Boston, Ethan Bradley, as well as representatives from the Royal British Legion Scotland, laid a wreath on behalf of the school at the memorial to former pupils who fell in the First World War. Following the laying of the wreath, there was a minutes silence, and a Last Post played by Roy Hughson on the bugle. This minutes silence was replicated throughout the whole Anderson High school with all pupils stopping what they were doing for thoughts and reflection. After this, pupils read out the names of all young men on the memorial. Craig Meheut, of 2A, who read out some of the names, said "It is good to remember the soldiers that died for us in past wars." After this, Emily Shaw from S6, read out "They Shall not grow old, as we are left grow Old" verse. To finish it all up, Flowers of the Forest was played by Gussie Angus on the bagpipes. This rounded of an emotional ceremony, with pupils and staff both reflective and emotional. The moving ceremony was summed up by 2A pupils. Liam Buchanan who said "Armistice Day is important because thousands of people gave their lives to defend this country. The least that we can do is remember them." Ethan Bradley also went on to state that "it is important to remember the men and women who fought and died to protect us. If we forget, then they would have fought and died for nothing. It was important that we sold poppies to support serving soldiers."

At the Remembrance Service on Sunday 14th November, S6 pupils Nicole Mouat and Hayley Thomson represented the young people of Shetland by laying a wreath at the War Memorial.

Also within Anderson High School, various Departments got involved with different activities. In Science, S1 were worked on elements and compounds and linked this to the Armistice by looking at chemicals used for biological warfare, such as Mustard Gas. In Biology, pupils planted the poppy seeds provided by Poppyscotland. The class agreed that If they survive, germinate and grow into poppies they will sell them to staff and pupils with money going to Poppyscotland. The pupils took some of the extra packets of seeds home to their relations so they could plant them in their gardens! In Home Economics, pupils looked at the food diet of service personnel during the different conflicts, whilst Languages pupils looked at how commemoration is arranged in the countries pupils are studying. Other activities in language included some specific songs and poems in both French and German on mostly an anti-war theme. Activities also included a short story by Borchert in German (anti-war) for S3 and S5 while S2 and S2 watched the opening scenes of film 'Joyeux Noel' in three languages. In English, pupils looked at war poetry relating to the First World War. In addition, Music also got involved by challenging senior pupils to write a composition based on this theme. Some went on to look to choose Flanders Field to music as one of the options. In Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies, pupils had lessons on both red and white poppies with arguments for and against each. Pupils then went on to produce their own white and red poppy board. At the same time, Art went on to decorate the display board where pupils were fundraising poppies at lunchtime.

Back to Latest stories