I. Curricular Framework

Concept:

Perspectives and Choices

Essential Question:

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

Bridge:

Tragic Heros

Content:

Macbeth 3 of 3

Outcomes:

II. Standards Aligned

III. Instruction and Assessment

1. Connect: Connecting to the Concept Experientially

Objective: Students will begin to examine the thriving and fallen heroes in our own lives.

Activity: Students will bring in pictures of modern heroes, real or fictional and differentiate between ones who fell from hero status and ones who have retained hero status.

Assessment: Completion of task.

2. Attend: Attending to the Connection

Objective: To recognize the characteristics of the fallen hero.

Activity: In groups, choose a fallen and a thriving hero and list characteristics which make these people who they are.

Assessment: Completion of task.

Assessment, Phase One, Level of Engagement, Fascination:

3. Image: Creating a Mental Picture

Objective: To examine factors which contribute to rise or downfall.

Activity: Mind-map various factors which contribute to rise or downfall.

Assessment: Quality of mindmap.

Assessment, Phase Two, Seeing the Big Picture:

4. Inform: Receiving Facts & Knowledge

Objective: To compare and contrast Aristotle's, Shakespeare's and our own idea of the tragic hero.

Activity: Read Acts 2-5. Read Aristotle's description of tragic hero. View Macbeth portion of Acting Shakespeare by Ian McKellan. View key scenes in R.S.C. production.

Assessment: Completion of tasks, degree of involvement.

Assessment, Phase Three, Success with Acquiring Knowledge:

5. Practice: Developing Skills

Objective: Students will view play as a complex intertwining of images and themes.

Activity: 1) Tests on each act. 2) Compilation of essence lines which will be analyzed for completeness and figurative power. 3) Students will write a paper on the single line that captures the essence of the play.

Assessment: Completeness, writing ability.

Assessment, Phase Four, Success with Acquiring Skills:

6. Extend: Extending Learning to the Outside World

Objective: To show how Shakespeare's language has meaning in our lives today.

Activity: Using the essence line they chose for their papers, students will create a collage, cartoon, skit, which explains how the line holds significance for our lives today.

Assessment: Accuracy of example, creativity, quality of presentation.

7. Refine: Refining the Extension

Objective: Students will see how their own ideas relate to those of others.

Activity: Students with similar lines will group together to compare/contrast and point to patterns/relationships among the lines depicted in their projects.

Assessment: Ability to see patterns and connections.

8. Perform: Creative Manifestation of Material Learned

Objective: To celebrate understanding of the play and the thematic significance in our lives today.

Activity: Groups invent a new way to share individual efforts to present or display to class.

Assessment: Quality of group effort.

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