Primary Type: Lesson Plan
Status: Published
This is a resource from CPALMS (www.cpalms.org) where all educators go for bright ideas!
Resource ID#: 48585
Fair is Foul and Foul is Fair: Analyzing Language in
Macbeth
In this lesson, students will analyze character motivation, dialogue, and theme by performing a close reading of a scene from Macbeth. By breaking
down the Shakespearean language and rewriting the text in modern day language, students will input their new dialogue into an internet based
program called GoAnimate to transform their new version of the text into an anime cartoon movie. Students will use this cartoon in a formal
presentation to the class where they will point out literary elements from the story and describe the motivations and actions of the characters.
Subject(s): English Language Arts
Grade Level(s): 9, 10
Intended Audience: Educators
Suggested Technology: Document Camera,
Computer for Presenter, Computers for Students,
Internet Connection, LCD Projector, Microphones,
Adobe Acrobat Reader
Instructional Time: 3 Hour(s)
Resource supports reading in content area: Yes
Freely Available: Yes
Keywords: Macbeth, literature, William Shakespeare, character analysis, dialogue, technology, presentation, movie,
cartoon, dramatic literature, ambition, fate, close reading
Resource Collection: CPALMS Lesson Plan Development Initiative
ATTACHMENTS
GoAnimate Rubric Macbeth.doc
Macbeth Story Sheet.pdf
Macbeth Text 11.docx
LESSON CONTENT
Lesson Plan Template: General Lesson Plan
Learning Objectives: What should students know and be able to do as a result of this lesson?
Students will be able to analyze and interpret the ways in which an author's style (use of connotation, denotation, tone, mood, theme, symbolism, metaphor, simile,
dramatic irony,) develops the author's purpose, tone, and theme found in complex and challenging texts.
Students will be able to summarize and make inferences about the meaning of a text using the passage to support their summary.
Students will be able to explain how lines from the play demonstrate character motivation and drive the plot.
Students will be able to gather relevant details to support claims about a text and present these findings in an organized and coherent fashion.
Students will be able to utilize digital media in their presentation to highlight key literary elements and to add interest.
Students will be able to determine the meaning of words and phrases in a text and analyze their impact on meaning and tone.
Prior Knowledge: What prior knowledge should students have for this lesson?
The students need to have:
already read the play Macbeth.
a basic understanding of some of the following literary terms: Tone, Mood, Theme, Symbolism, Dramatic Irony, Tragedy, Iambic Pentameter, Blank verse,
page 1 of 5 foreshadowing.
background knowledge of William Shakespeare and the Renaissance.
experience locating strong textual evidence.
the ability to recognize and trace themes in a literary work.
the ability to recognize unfamiliar words and use context clues to decipher the definition, or know how to utilize the dictionary to discover the meaning.
experience using the internet and basic computer programs like Microsoft Word.
Guiding Questions: What are the guiding questions for this lesson?
Questions on theme:
When is ambition dangerous?
Is fate predetermined?
Is an accomplice just as guilty as the person who commits the crime?
If you kill, should you should be killed in return (“an eye for an eye”)?
Are things in life not always as they seem? How so?
Be sure to ask students how the questions above apply to the lesson in the story. For example, how is ambition dangerous for Macbeth? How is this shown in the play?
What lesson do you think Shakespeare is trying to tell us, the audience, about ambition in life?
What influences the characters?
What are the desires of the characters?
What types of images or ideas continue to reoccur?
What clues does the text give that helps you to infer what might happen next?
Teaching Phase: How will the teacher present the concept or skill to students?
The Hook
Step 1: Explain that there are many different versions of Macbeth and show this 5 minute video clip from YouTube. Tell students this video includes multiple versions
of a short excerpt from Act 1, Scene 1 from the play. Before students watch the video, tell them to fold a piece of paper in thirds and label "1," "2," "3," for each
section. As they view the clips, tell them to write down details that they see (images, the setting, memorable quotes/ words, ways the director creates mood).
Step 2: Ask students to turn to their shoulder partner and describe some of the details that they recorded in their foldable from the scenes.
You might ask them some clarifying questions to get the discussion going:
1. What is the setting of each clip?
2. Were there any memorable images? How were the images different?
3. Was there anything in the adaptations that were alike?
4. How did the director create a mood? What were the moods of the scene in each version?
Step 3: Elicit responses from pairs and list the differences and similarities on the board. Ask students why they believe that the director made those choices. Then
explain that the actual text of the play does not explicitly explain the scene as "a hospital" or "a grave yard," or "the shore," but that the director of the play chose the
setting of each scene.
Step 4: Explain that like these various representations, the students will generate their own representation of the play using an Internet based program called
GoAnimate and show them a sample.
Act 3: http://goanimate.com/videos/0hLliDnnJcu0?utm_source=linkshare
Step 5: Distribute the GoAnimate Rubric for the project and review the rubric with the class. Clarify any questions.
Guided Practice: What activities or exercises will the students complete with teacher guidance?
The Guided Practice Activity
Step 1: Distribute Macbeth 1.1 Handout and story sheet. Explain to students that they will be re-reading Act 1, Scene 1, which is the same scene that they just
watched on the YouTube clip. (Students should have already read the scene when they read the play prior to this lesson, so this should be a review of the text.) Have
students re-read Act 1, Scene 1 silently and highlight any words that they still do not know.
Step 2: Put the Macbeth 1.1 Handout under the document camera. Call on three students to read the scene aloud after the silent reading.
Step 3: Paraphrase the first three lines for the class, describing your logic aloud. Go to http://nfs.sparknotes.com/macbeth/ for a complete breakdown of the lines in
plain English. Be sure to point out any of the unfamiliar words in these lines and elicit responses from students on possible meanings using context clues. For example
"ere" in line 5 means "before." Without telling them the definition of this word, ask students to turn to their shoulder partners and attempt to use clues from the
sentence to try to decipher the meaning. When you paraphrase the line with this word, use student reasoning and responses to come to a consensus on the meaning
of this word.
Step 4: Tell students to finish paraphrasing the scene with their shoulder partner. Give them roughly 5 minutes. Then review student interpretations as a whole group
line for line, eliciting their responses to fill in the right hand section paraphrasing the scene as a group.
Step 5: Ask students to turn to their story sheet. Model how to plot some of the literary information into the Macbeth Story Sheet. For example, ask students to turn to
their shoulder partner and decipher what the mood is from this piece. Remind them to support their choices from the text. Elicit responses from the class. Some
responses might include, "eerie," "magical," "grotesque." Write the word "eerie" in the mood section at the top of the story sheet. Then ask students to provide
examples of words from the text to support this claim. Answers might include:"Hover through fog and filthy air." Explain that people do not hover, which is eerie in
itself to picture someone hovering. Also, generally, fog itself creates an eerie, and almost sinister atmosphere.
Step 6: Explain that students will do this on their own for the scene they choose.
page 2 of 5 Step 7: Create a class sample of the GoAnimate cartoon using your answers from the paraphrased Macbeth 1.1 scene from the Macbeth 1.1 handout. Go to the
computers to http://goanimate.com/. Show them how to create an account and use the "quick video maker." Emphasize that their director choices will need to be
explained in their presentation, and that they need to be logical due to textual evidence. As you choose a template or allow them to choose a template, think aloud
about your choices. For example: "I chose the Space Odyssey template because I felt that this scene with the witches represented a place of the unknown and it is
very magical. To me, space seems magical and the text describes the setting as a 'desert'."
Step 8: Create a quick video for them and show them how to share it. (See samples in teaching phase. But it's best to create a sample on the spot so that students
realize how easy is.)
Step 9: Assign students their individual scene. Macbeth has 28 scenes.
Independent Practice: What activities or exercises will students complete to reinforce the concepts and skills developed in the
lesson?
Independent Practice Activity
Step 1: Students paraphrase the dialogue from their scene in play form on a separate sheet of paper and analyze the text using their story sheet.
Student role during activity:
Return to the text for another close reading.
Paraphrase the text and analyze the scene using the story sheet.
Formulate presentation touch-points. Record these key points on an index card.
Generate the GoAnimate cartoon using the website.
Teacher role during activity:
Circulate around the room and clarify ideas and help students to locate textual evidence for the story sheet.
Assist students in highlighting the presentation touch-points and organizing these ideas.
Help students to navigate in GoAnimate and create their cartoon.
Closure: How will the teacher assist students in organizing the knowledge gained in the lesson?
This should take place before the summative assessment
Step 1: Model grading the cartoon using a sample. Play one of the cartoons below. Using the Go Animate rubric given during the teaching phase, show students how
to grade the project.
Act 1: http://goanimate.com/videos/0Ht0DXnIrClU?utm_source=linkshare
Act 3: http://goanimate.com/videos/0hLliDnnJcu0?utm_source=linkshare
Step 2: Tell students that during their presentations, students will need to fully explain each choice they make and the literary element provided. For example, model
the student presentation explanation in the Act 1 sample. Explain that the presenter might focus on the characterization of Lady Macbeth and the theme of dangerous
ambition by describing how Lady Macbeth's actions are feeding Macbeth's ambition. "In this scene, Macbeth doubts that killing Duncan is a good idea. However, Lady
Macbeth's character is so power hungry, that she calls him a coward and plays on his guilt by bringing up the fact that he originally promised her that he would kill
Duncan. This shows the true nature of her character as cold and manipulative, and demonstrates how ambition is driving her actions and will drive the actions of
Duncan in the future."
Step 2: Pair students to practice their presentations and evaluate using the rubric.
Step 3: Summative Assessment: Start the presentations. Have students present in the order of the play.
Summative Assessment
Utilizing their paraphrased text and completed story sheet, students will generate a presentation where they will explain key literary elements and character
motivations in their assigned scene, and they will create an anime video using GoAnimate to use as their visual aid which will act out the scene, highlighting the
elements discussed in the presentation. Go Animate Rubric is attached.
Formative Assessment
After students read and paraphrase their scene they will also complete the Macbeth story sheet for their scene, identify character traits, motivation, literary devices
and memorable quotes. This worksheet will help students devise their presentation touch points, and will also help the teacher to understand how well students are
understanding the literary elements in the play. Here, the teacher can provide feedback on the effectiveness of the evidence students are using to support their claims.
Feedback to Students
As students are working to paraphrase their scene and complete their story sheet, provide corrective feedback by:
asking clarifying questions such as:
What is the setting of this scene and how is the mood conveyed by the setting?
If you were the character, what would be your motivation behind your actions?
What happened in the scene before and how do the actions in this scene propel the plot?
What happens next in the play? How do actions from this scene lead up to those actions?
redirecting misunderstandings
Ask the students to clarify their paraphrased lines of the play to check that they are comprehending the text.
Ask students what literary elements they will point out in their scene and what evidence they will provide to support this claim.
Help students to locate textual evidence to back up their claims in their story sheet.
Question students to help them understand the theme of the play:
When is ambition dangerous?
page 3 of 5 Is fate predetermined?
Is an accomplice just as guilty as the person who commits the crime?
If you kill, should you should be killed in return ("an eye for an eye")?
Are things in life not always as they seem? How so?
ACCOMMODATIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS
Accommodations:
Scaffold the lesson by having the students create a reading log as they read the play prior to this lesson and allow them to use it for the project.
Allow students to use Sparknotes summaries of the play.
Provide audio taped versions of the play so students can listen as they re-read their scene.
Assign the project in pairs.
Provide the students with copies of the scenes so that they can highlight and annotate as necessary.
Allow students to watch another interpretation of their scene on YouTube.
Extensions:
Have students research one of the following and present their findings in an additionalGoAnimate cartoon or PowerPoint.
The theater superstitions about "The Scottish Play"
The real-life history of Macbeth (Cross curricular)
Various productions of Macbeth (Compare two or more productions and describe why the directors may have interpreted the play in these ways.)
Allow students to use the "Full Video Maker" on GoAnimate.
Provide the students with microphones and have them record the voices for their characters.
Suggested Technology: Document Camera, Computer for Presenter, Computers for Students, Internet Connection, LCD Projector, Microphones, Adobe Acrobat
Reader
Special Materials Needed:
Material List:
A complete text of Macbeth: http://shakespeare.mit.edu/macbeth/full.html
Highlighters
Paper
Macbeth 1.1 Handout
Macbeth Story Sheet
GoAnimate Rubric Macbeth.doc
Computers with internet connection
Further Recommendations:
Set suggested time limits for all the independent and paired activities. This creates a sense of urgency. For example, in the guided practice activity, give pairs 4
minutes to paraphrase the scene.
If possible, provide the students with copies of their scenes so that they can highlight and annotate as necessary.
Be sure to spend some time on GoAnimate so that you can show the students how to use the program.
SOURCE AND ACCESS INFORMATION
Contributed by: Daryl Cullipher
Name of Author/Source: Daryl Cullipher
District/Organization of Contributor(s): St. Johns
Is this Resource freely Available? Yes
Access Privileges: Public
License: CPALMS License - no distribution - non commercial
Related Standards
Name
LAFS.910.RL.1.1:
LAFS.910.RL.1.2:
LAFS.910.RL.1.3:
LAFS.910.RL.2.4:
LAFS.910.SL.2.4:
Description
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences
drawn from the text.
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including
how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text,
interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative
meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language
evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).
Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically such that listeners can follow the
line of reasoning and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and
page 4 of 5 LAFS.910.SL.2.5:
task.
Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to
enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.
page 5 of 5