I. Curricular Framework

Concept:

Perspectives

Essential Question:

What are the characteristics of the choices that lead to the downfall of heroes?

Bridge:

Equivocation

Content:

Macbeth 1 of 3

Outcomes:

II. Standards Aligned

III. Instruction and Assessment

1. Connect: Connecting to the Concept Experientially

Objective: Students will begin to recognize the importance of perspective in their own lives.

Activity: 1) Guided imagery: Imagine having something you always coveted, but obtaining it would be hard work. Think of the steps you might take to attain your goal. Imagine the same goal, only this time, obtaining it more easily would require some "shady maneuvering." 2) Teacher distributes a blank test on Act One of Macbeth; in groups, students are asked to come up with strategies they might employ to insure a good grade on this test. At random, teacher collects one group of four tests and announces that this group gets an automatic "A" and will not have to attend class on exam day. After the outbreak of protest is contained, students are asked to record all feelings in their journals they are experiencing at having been presented with such "good" or "bad" fortune.

Assessment: Student involvement, engagement, and quality of student insights as expressed in journal entries.

2. Attend: Attending to the Connection

Objective: Students will begin to recognize how situations can be viewed differently, depending on one's perspective.

Activity: The next day, students are asked to reflect on the previous day's activity. How could the "good" fortune be viewed as "bad" and vice-versa? In groups, students come up with examples from current events or fiction, movies in which "good" fortune could be viewed as "bad" and vice versa.

Assessment: Quality of discussion, group examples.

Assessment, Phase One, Level of Engagement, Fascination:

3. Image: Creating a Mental Picture

Objective: Students will be introduced to the concept of dual perspective or equivocation.

Activity: Students will create visual metaphors or written analogies for the idea of dual perspective.

Assessment: Strength of metaphor or analogy.

Assessment, Phase Two, Seeing the Big Picture:

4. Inform: Receiving Facts & Knowledge

Objective: To introduce “fair and foul” as the first of many examples of perspective in Macbeth.

Activity: Read Act One scenes one and two. Discuss fair and foul as an example of dual perspective.

Assessment: Understanding of language, quality of discussion.

Assessment, Phase Three, Success with Acquiring Knowledge:

5. Practice: Developing Skills

Objective: Students will be able to articulate in writing the "essence" of perspective as it is depicted in opening scenes.

Activity: Students choose the line that captures the essence of these two scenes, and they write a paragraph defending their choice. (These lines may be chosen by the teacher in less advanced classes. All lines usually point nicely to the perspective issue that permeates the play.)

Assessment: Quality of written discussion.

Assessment, Phase Four, Success with Acquiring Skills:

6. Extend: Extending Learning to the Outside World

7. Refine: Refining the Extension

8. Perform: Creative Manifestation of Material Learned

Assessment, Phase Five,Performance, Creative Use of Material Learned: