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Anon Methought the Umbrellas Began to Move
Learners reenact a scene from Macbeth using umbrellas as props.
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Hark! The Sounds of Murder
Students analyze the Macbeth murder scene through textual analysis and construct the murder scene of Duncan through the use of sound only. In this Macbeth lesson, students work in groups to analyze the murder scene of Duncan from...
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Lesson 1: Theatre Arts
Students create and perform based on cuttings from various plays and literature to demonstrate the learning of the process of improvisation. Students connect improvisation with theatre and real life. Students participate in a class...
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Character Study in Macbeth
Eleventh graders analyze a Shakespeare soliloquy by writing a prose summary of it. They keep a character journal, following one character through the play and analyzing what the character does and says, as well as, might have done or...
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Double, Double, Toil and Trouble: A Dual Exploration of Macbeth
Students emulate a key practice of Renaissance theater: doubling. The goal of this lesson is for students to experience-to see, hear, and feel-the differences between characters. Each group presents scenes to the rest of the class.
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Viciousness in "Twelfth Night" and "Lord of the Flies"
Learners work in discussion groups to examine the treatment of Malvolio in Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" by comparing the play to the novel "Lord of the Flies".
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Julius Caesar: iambic pentameter
Read in iambic pentameter! Read Julius Caesar and Macbeth to study the famous meter. While the lesson plan points out the specific passages to use, you'll have to find them and copy them yourself.
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The Play's the Thing
Young scholars study the life and works of William Shakespeare. They investigate the art of playwriting and write a play of their own.
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Bloody Business
Students research word frequencies in Macbeth and create a frozen picture inspired by a word. In this Macbeth lesson, students view Blood Will Have Blood and discuss the dual meaning of the word "blood." Students identify...
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"What are these...?"
Learners discuss the "witches" of Shakespeare. In this literature analysis lesson, students research the influence of Macbeth's sisters on his behavior. They examine various terms used to describe the sisters, and discuss...
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Writing Process
Students read Macbeth and work in groups to organize and create an outline for a persuasive essay. For this persuasive essay lesson, students work in tiered learning groups to organize their thoughts for a persuasive thesis about the...
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HAMLET HOOK
Learners their personal reactions to issues of family relationships in light of the the plot, characterization, and themes of the play. They analyze the characters of Hamlet on an emotional level not just intellectual.
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Knock, Knock, or Whose Line is it Anyway?
Students compare two versions of Macbeth and participate in improvisational acting. In this improvisational lesson, students read and discuss the text before watching two different versions of the film. Students roleplay...
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Looking at Life through the Creation of Personal Metaphors
Students focus on the creation of personal metaphors, which are first illustrated in pictures and caricatures and then extended to descriptive/analytical paragraphs. They teach the lesson to others using their own personal metaphors as...
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Macbeth Presentations
Young scholars make Powerpoint presentations or Web pages about Macbeth. Their presentations must include at least three elements from a provided list. They write reflective papers about their learning experience.
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Knock, Knock
Students explore the use of sound as a special effect to enhance or radically change the meaning of a scene. They design a soundscape for Macbeth's porter scene, and conclude by listening to and watching two different film treatments of...
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Who's There: Acting in the Dark
Students participate in a performance of Macbeth using the lighting techniques that were employed during the Shakespearean era. Working in groups, student reenact a scene. Afterward they discuss the challenges of working with limited...
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The Wooden 0
In this "The Wooden O" learning exercise, students read about the first public theatres in London and answer discussion questions about attending a play during the 1500-1600's. Students then create a poster of the Globe theatre and...
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Othello's Predecessors: Moors in Renaissance Popular Literature
Students gather textual citations from Othello, discuss stereotypes that they hold, examine primary source materials, and write character profiles.
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Othello's Father of the Bride
Young scholars read and analyze Act one of the play Othello. They examine the themes of love and marriage and interpret Brabantio's words by using different subtexts.
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"O, I have lost my reputation" - Why Reputation Matters in Othello
Students examine Othello's references to and attitudes toward reputation.
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The Concept of the Hero
Students explore the symbolic implications for the concept of the hero with a focus on the Beowulf theme. In this hero concept instructional activity, students find specific examples of monsters from Beowulf to complete the chart....
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The Power of Music
Pupils analyze the music Shakespeare chose for his play The Tempest. They seek to research why he alluded to popular music and contemporary artists. Students make connections between their own musical knowledge/tastes/interests and the...
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Scatterbrained Soliloquies
Students reconstruct a famous soliloquy from Romeo and Juliet which the teacher has cut apart and scattered. They piece the soliloquy back together making sense of the passage.