This unit plan outlines a 5-day lesson to teach William Shakespeare's play Macbeth to a 12th grade English class. Each day focuses on a different act of the play. Students will analyze characters, create podcasts and videos, build robots, and use various technologies like wikis, blogs, and social media to demonstrate their understanding. The goal is for students to fully understand the plot and meaning of Macbeth by the end of the week.
2. Analyze the leaner
THE LESSON IS BEING TAUGHT TO AN HIGH SCHOOL BLOCK (90
MINUTES) ENGLISH CLASS; IT IS FOR STUDENT IN THE 12TH GRADE,
APPROXIMATELY THE AGES OF 17-18.
THERE ARE 15 STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM: 7 BOYS AND 8 GIRLS.
IN ADDITION, 3 OF THE STUDENTS HAVE ADD.
3. Main OBJECTIVE
THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS LESSON IS TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THE PLOT
AND MEANING OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S PLAY MACBETH.
THEY WILL LEARN THROUGH VIDEOS, PODCAST, POSTERS, BOOKS,
PICTURES, MAPS, AND POWERPOINT.
BY THE END OF THE WEEK, STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN THE
MAIN EVENTS OF MACBETH IN DETAIL, WITH 95% ACCURACY.
4. Day 1
Introduce the students to the classroom accounts that will be available to them during this section of
Macbeth. This includes:
Macbeth Wikispaces: calendar of assignments, background information about the play, practice
quizzes, links to the other classroom sources, and a place to catch up on classwork for students who
missed a day of class. http://holland75.wikispaces.com/Page1
Class Twitter and Facebook: the class will have a choice to be active on either the class’s twitter or
Facebook, or both. The purpose here will be for the class to be able to communicate publicly/privately
with each other, and also with the teacher.
@Holland12thgradeEnglish2015//Holland’s 12th grade Block English class
Class Zello: the class’s zello account will only be active the day before a test, in which a certain time
and day will be placed to use it. The class can get on during that time and ask questions the teacher
questions, and others can listen also in case they have the same questions.
Macbeth Blog: the class blog will be made as though Macbeth had a blog throughout the play, and
students will be asked to check this blog frequently and respond to his post as a writing assignment.
http://leftbananagarden.tumblr.com/
After covering the background information posted on the class wikispaces; the class will be assigned
which characters to read and then engage in an oral reading of act one in “The Tragedy of Macbeth”
Then, students will be assigned to check the Macbeth blog for homework and respond to the question
that will relate to what happened in act one
5. Day Two:
The class will begin by discussing the blog post, and quickly summarize what happened in act one of
Macbeth. Then, we will proceed by reading act two of Macbeth. After finishing, the class will be assigned
the podcast assignment:
Podcast assignment: Breaking news! The good King Duncan is dead! It is now your job to cover the
incident! Students write a radio drama based on this event and record it for your “radio talk show”
(complete with commercials).
The class will be given time to time in class to work on their script/record for their podcast, and will be
asked to summit their podcast on the class’s wikispaces before class tomorrow.
The class also will be asked to check the Macbeth blog and respond to a post that corresponds with act
two of “ The Tragedy of Macbeth”
6. Day Three:
The class will begin by discussing the blog post, and quickly summarize what happened in
act two of Macbeth. The class will then orally read act three of Macbeth. After finishing act
three, the class will be assigned the YouTube and storytelling assignment.
YouTube and storytelling assignment: for this assignment students will be asked to create a
script and make a video that reenacts act three from Macbeth. Students can choose either
to keep it traditional or try a modernized version of their scene. They will then film this scene
and it was be published on the class’s YouTube channel.
They will be given time in class to complete this assignment and it will be due before class
the next day.
The class also will be asked to check the Macbeth blog and respond to a post that
corresponds with act three of “ The Tragedy of Macbeth”
7. Day four:
The class will begin by discussing the blog post, and quickly summarize what happened in act three of
Macbeth. The class will then orally read act four of Macbeth. After finishing act four, the class will be
assigned the Media and Material assignment,
Media and materials assignment: After finishing act four, each student will be assigned a character from
“the Tragedy of Macbeth” and then be assigned to create a poster that represents their character and it
must include something from each act. This poster will be made on PowerPoint, and will have to feature
one product of Photoshop. Their poster will be printed and also posted on the class’s wiki page. They will
be given time in class to complete this assignment and it will be due before class the next day.
The class also will be asked to check the Macbeth blog and respond to a post that corresponds with act
four of “ The Tragedy of Macbeth”
8. Day five:
The class will begin by discussing the blog post, and quickly summarize what happened in act four of
Macbeth. The class will then orally read act five of Macbeth. After finishing act five, the class will be
assigned the arts and bots assignment:
Arts and Bots assignment: students will be asked to create a robot that reflects a scene that has
occurred in the Tragedy of Macbeth. After reviewing the basics on how to build the robot, the class
will divided into groups of three and will be given time in class, and the weekend to complete this
assignment and be ready to present by Monday.
The class also will be asked to check the Macbeth blog and respond to a post that corresponds with
act four of “ The Tragedy of Macbeth”
Practice quizzes will be available on wikispaces for the exam next week.
Also, a time will be assigned that the class can contact the teacher via Zello.
9. Use of Technology
WIKISPACES
TUMBLR ( BLOG)
COMPUTERS, LAPTOPS, VIDEO RECORDER
SMARTPHONES
SMARTBOARDS AND PROJECTOR
TWITTER, FACEBOOK,ZELLO
PODCAST
POWERPOINT
YOUTUBE