Special Focus
Scots soundbytes - A dug a dug
Seafield Cat and Dog Home, 1988
© The Scotsman Publications Ltd / SCRAN
© The Scotsman Publications Ltd / SCRAN
This is a good poem to use in P6 and 7 as a lead in to further work on Scots language and dialects. Pupils love the simple language, the dialogue and the humour.
As an example of a short dialogue that tells a story, it is also a useful text for recitations or drama work, or as an inspiration for creative writing.
Audio file: 'A dug a dug' by Bill Keys (1.37MB)
To download this MP3 on a PC right-click on the link and select 'Save Target As'. To download this MP3 on a Mac hold down Ctrl and click on the link and select 'Save target As'. You'll then get a box which you can use to save the MP3 where you want.
Suggested activities
Recitation
- Recite the whole poem to the class, or listen to it on the tape.
- Take one verse at a time. Ask pupils to explain what each means.
- Whole class recitation. Half of pupils recite father's verses and other half the child's.
- Individuals can volunteer to recite each part.
Drama – role-play
What happens next?
They've got the dog. It needs a walk.
What are the two characters saying to each other now?
Did you know?
- The statue of Greyfriar's Bobby in Edinburgh dates from 1873 - only a year after the West Highland terrier died. It was made world famous by Eleanor Atkinson, an American author who had never visited Edinburgh, in a children's book published in 1912. The book was filmed by Disney in 1961.
The Kist
The text of 'A dug a dug' can be found in The Kist anthology, published by Learning and Teaching Scotland.