Grade 10 – Regular (Developmental) - Collection 5 – Absolute Power
Semester 2: 6 Weeks
Central Text
Selections
EQ: How do human ambition and the eternal quest for power
Close Reader
Selections
represent universal human traits?
How are universal human traits reflected in literature?
Argument: from “Why Read
Shakespeare?” by Michael Mack
980L, p.203
LG: Analyze the use of rhetoric in an
argument
Anchor Text:
Drama: The Tragedy of MacBeth by
William Shakespeare p.213
LG: Analyze interactions between
characters and theme.
Reading Focus
Close Reader:
Drama: from The Tragedy of
Macbeth by William
Shakespeare p.292c
Film: from MacBeth on the Estate
by Penny Woolcock p.293
LG: Analyze representations of a
scene.
Argument
Rhetoric
Denotations
Connotations
Tone
Tragic Heroes
Dramatic Conventions
Blank Verse
Rhetorical Devices
Structure
Character
Theme
Inferences
Tension/Surprise
Figurative Meaning
Irony
Imagery
Analyze Source Materials
Analyze How an Author
draws on Shakespeare
Poem: “5Teengagement:
by Patricia Smith p. 309
LG: Make and support inferences
about word choice.
Teengagement:
Language Focus
(grammar, vocabulary, syntax)
Rhetorical Questions
Inverted Sentence
Structure
Archaic Language
Absolute Phrases
Latin Roots
Academic Vocabulary
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Identify Fallacious Reasoning
Understand Use of Language: Archaic Words
Sentence Structures
Use Media in Presentations
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Analyze Cultural Experience
Orient Readers of Narratives
Analyze Complex Characters
Integrate Various Sources of Information:
Strategies for Gifted Learners - FL Gifted Frameworks
Intertextual Unit:
“Ambition”
Performance
Task : Write an
Analytical Essay
p. 313
Performance
Task : Analytical
Essay Rubric
p.316
Golden Novel:
Night
(Novel will be
addressed in QBA2
Exam)
comprise (comprising)
incidence (incident, coincidence)
priority (prioritize)
thesis (hypothesis)
ultimate (ultimately, ultimatum)
Extensions - Secondary Gifted Resources
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Formative and
Summative
Assessments
Online Selection
Tests
Analysis
Cite Evidence
Narrative
Argument
Debate
Discussion
Poetry Reading
Short Story: “The Macbeth Murder
Mystery” by James Thurber
580L, p. 301
LG: Analyze how an author draws
on Shakespeare.
Additional
Suggested
Resources
Writing Focus
Listening & Speaking
Focus
Historical Text: from Holinshed’s
Chronicles by Raphael Holinshed
1630L, p.295
LG: Analyze historical text.
Print Version
Interventions ESE Accommodations - ELL Strategies - ELL Accommodations
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Analyze Argument and Rhetoric: Level Up Tutorial:
Analyzing Arguments
Analyze Character and Theme: Level Up Tutorial: Theme
Analyze Representations: Level Up Tutorial: Methods of
Characterization
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Analyze Historical Text
Analyze How an Author Draws on Shakespeare: Level Up:
Elements of Drama
Support Inferences About Word Choice: Level Up
Tutorial: Figurative Language
Collection 5 Thematic Connections
“Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn the power of man.”-Macbeth Act IV Scene I
Connection: Mack issues a warning
about life using literature as an example,
specifically the tragic hero Macbeth in
his failed attempt at absolute power.
Likewise, the poem details the absolute
power of Hurricane Katrina, which serves
a warning to the reader.
Text 1 "Why Read
Shakespeare?"
In a speech, the speaker
presents an argument on
the value of reading
Shakespeare in an effort
to leave students eager
to ask questions and seek
meaningful answers
about their educational
experience.
Text 5 "5:00 PM Tuesday,
August 23, 2005"
Absolute power is
conveyed through the
personification of
Hurricane Katrina. The
poet depicts Hurricane
Katrina as a proud,
terrifying woman ready to
overtake everything in her
path.
Connection: Hubris is a tragic flaw that causes downfalls. The
characters in Macbeth Murder Mystery show hubris as they
present themselves as all-knowing experts of Shakespeare's
text with erroneous results. Likewise, Hurricane Katrina is
personified as proud, ambitious, and all-powerful. The poem
leaves the reader with the impression that ambition either
destroys the self or causes destruction for others.
Text 2: The Tragedy
of Macbeth
Connecting Theme:
How do human
ambition and the
eternal quest for
power represent
universal human
traits?
How are universal
human traits
reflected in
literature?
Text 4: "The Macbeth
Murder Mystery"
The author demonstrates
similarities between
dramatic tragedies and
murder mysteries by having
two characters interpret key
events in Macbeth with a
humorous style. Each
character surmises who they
suspect really murdered
Duncan by citing evidence
from the text.
Connection: Mack makes the argument
that literature teaches you about life,
and the better you understand
literature, the better you understand life
(and vice versa). Macbeth becomes a
universal character that serves as a
warning to the reader. Detriments will
befall those who seek absolute power.
Mack even notes that Macbeth does not
look like a fascist dictator, instead he
looks a lot like us.
Macbeth, a tragic hero,
succumbs to the temptation
of absolute power by
committing several murders
to become King of Scotland.
He is influenced by
prophecies and his greedy
wife to secure his unjust
rule. His ambition utlimately
destroys him.
Connection: Both texts chronicle the crimes of
Macbeth although with different styles. The first is a
historical document that lacks the memorable
storytelling of Shakespeare. This original document
inspired the Bard to develop his tragedy, where he
focuses on Macbeth as tragic hero - a universal
character that can be found within us.
Text 3 "Holinshed's
Chronicles"
Connection: In both texts, the
issue of reliability and validity
needs to be discussed. Chronicles
seems unreliable because in truth
King Macbeth was considered a
just ruler. In contrast, the
characters in Macbeth Murder
Mystery cite reliable text to draw
invalid conclusions for humor
sake. The characters demonstrate
hubris (pride) when surmising the
true killer although the male
character may be using verbal
irony to highlight the
ridiculousness of invalid
arguments.
This historical document,
although its reliability may be
questioned, details the
murders committed by
Macbeth during his vie for
absolute power. Shakespeare
used this original document
to inspire his tragic play. Note
the similarities and
differences between the two
texts.
Thematic Connections