"A drum, a drum! Macbeth doth come."  The withered and wild witches of Shakespeare’s Scottish play launch an examination of the fantastical elements in Act I, scene iii, paying particular attention to the action, imagery,...

“Is this a dagger which I see before me . . .” As part of a study of Macbeth, class members engage in a series of activities that get them up and moving. Individuals practice, then deliver, a line from the Scottish play. The entire class...

Here is an authentic assessment task for Shakespeare's Macbeth. Young literature scholars prepare, perform, and record a news broadcast about the major events in the play. For example, groups may choose to report on the death of Lady...

Are you looking for great activities to incorporate in a unit study of the Scottish play, Macbeth? You need not prick your thumb leafing through pages of ideas; instead, something marvelous your way comes in a 20-activity toolkit from...

Something wickedly wonderful this way comes in a lesson that focuses on Macbeth. After a close reading of the play, class members craft a literary analysis essay in which they use evidence from the text to show how Shakespeare uses the...

How do complex characters develop throughout a text? Pupils read Act 5.1 from Shakespeare's Macbeth, which depicts Lady Macbeth's descent into madness. Using discussion and writing exercises, scholars analyze how Shakespeare develops...

Is it better to be dead than to "dwell in doubtful joy," as Lady Macbeth suggests in Act 3.2 of Shakespeare's Macbeth? Using the resource, scholars work in small groups to discuss how Lady Macbeth and Macbeth begin to unravel following...

Madness, violence, despair—the titular character of Shakespeare's Macbeth is spiraling out of control. Pupils first explore the topic with a collaborative jigsaw discussion. At the end of the instructional activity, they write about how...

Using the resource, scholars work in small groups to rehearse a selected scene from Shakespeare's Macbeth. Finally, they present their interpretive dramatic readings to a group of peers or the whole class and complete a self-assessment...

'Tis not easy to understand the language of the Bard! But, hark! Fret not! With the assistance of this joyous lesson plan, young players learn how to translate Shakespeare's English into modern language. Groups examine passages from...

Tired of those blank stares after your class reads a particularly complex passage from a Shakespearean play? Help high schoolers untangle that prose with a literature circle activity. Ten different roles prompt class members to focus on...

How does Lady Macbeth's ambition help advance the plot of Shakespeare's Macbeth? Scholars explore the topic using discussion and a jigsaw activity. Next, they complete a quick write to analyze how Shakespeare develops Lady Macbeth's...

What do readers discover about a character within the first few sections of a text? Pupils begin reading Shakespeare's Macbeth and analyze the language in the first few scenes of the play. They also demonstrate understanding with a Quick...

Would Machiavelli consider Macbeth a successful ruler? Scholars ponder the intriguing question, demonstrating their knowledge of Shakespeare's Macbeth and Machiavelli's The Prince. They collaborate with peers to share their opinions,...

How do the Three Witches' interactions with Macbeth advance the plot of Shakespeare's Macbeth? Learners complete a Quick Write to answer the question. They also participate in a whole-class dramatic reading of Act 4.1.

How do film adaptations differ from their literary counterparts? Scholars watch and analyze the 2011 Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) production of Shakespeare's Macbeth. Pupils complete a Quick Write analyzing how the RSC production...

Shakespeare's Macbeth has something for everyone. Scholars complete a mid-unit assessment. They craft multi-paragraph essays to analyze how the author's structural choices create tension and suspense in the play's first two acts.

Lady Macduff uses a metaphor to suggest that her husband does not possess the courage of even a tiny, short-winged bird—ouch! Using the resource, pupils discover Act 4.2 of Shakespeare's Macbeth. Using reading, writing, and discussion,...

Withered, wild, and bearded are three adjectives that describe the Witches from Shakespeare's Macbeth. Scholars view paintings and discuss how different artists depict the witches. Pupils also complete a Quick Write to analyze Henry...

What decisions might an author make about the structure of a play? Pupils participate in an evidence-based discussion about Shakespeare's choices in Macbeth. Next, scholars analyze the effect of Shakespeare's structural choices in Act 2,...

How do directors' choices emphasize different elements of a drama? Scholars participate in a discussion about the Royal Shakespeare Company production of Macbeth and Akira Kurosawa's Throne of Blood. Finally, they write an analysis of...

Commemorate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death with a packet of cross-curricular literacy lessons and activities centered around two of the Bard's most popular plays, Macbeth and The Tempest. Class members look for...

A tragic play includes imperfect heroes, pity and fear, and a fatal flaw. Scholars analyze Shakespeare's Macbeth as an example of the tragedy genre. Pupils demonstrate understanding by completing a Quick Write discussing how Shakespeare...

One sentence, so much meaning. Scholars analyze a quote from Act 2.3 of Shakespeare's Macbeth and explore the plot in a jigsaw discussion.