Embedded Files
"Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill."
Macbeth 8 - Things Bad Begun - Act 3 reading and discussion: We will end up skipping a lot of the play for our class readings because they will be covered by the students in small groups (and in one case - because Shakespeare didn't actually write most of one scene). But we will read aloud the first three scenes from Act 3 and discuss them. We won't read what follows: the Banquet scene because the students will be doing a very close dive when they make their Prompt Books for the Scene (about two lessons hence). Other than that - things are pretty much as we've been doing them - the students take a quiz, we start reading - and we discuss along the way.
Lesson Overview - Things Bad Begun - Macbeth Act 3 in-class reading
Lesson Overview - Things Bad Begun - Macbeth Act 3 in-class reading
The Quiz: Students will be quizzed on Act 3 at the very beginning of the class period. Because this reading is longer - as well as very important, it will count for 200 points (most reading quizzes are 100 points).
Reading through the play in class. See my page on Reading Plays Aloud in Class for more on this. Every student will read - and as they do their reading - you will stop them (hopefully at the completion of a line) and ask questions or point things out (questions are better). You also need to announce (probably every day) that they may also raise a hand if they are confused, have a question, or want to point something out. This last one may be especially true given that they read it on their own and taken notes on the reading. ADVISE (AGAIN PROBABLY EVERY DAY) THE STUDENTS TO USE A DIFFERENT COLOR PEN (OR PENCIL) TO TAKE NOTES IN CLASS - SO THEY CAN SEE WHAT THEY CAME UP WITH VERSUS WHAT THE CLASS CAME UP WITH (this is an invaluable idea - that actually came from a student a long time ago in my class).
Today's Play-Reading Agenda (this is for a 50 minute period):
Start Act II , beginning with Scene 1
Important Takeaways (there are SO many more important things to point out - mainly through asking - see my Notes on today's reading for more). REMEMBER: Have students see these points for themselves by asking questions to get at these.
Scene 1, line 1-3 : Banquo realizes that Macbeth has acted to make the Witches prophecies come true - notice a few lines down - that Banquo wonders if his prophecies (fathering kings) will come true - but shows no inclination to act on it (which makes him the better man)
line 11 - here is our chief guess - point it out so the students will see it again later in the Banquet Scene.
line 39 - Macbeth's inquiry if Fleance goes with Banquo. Why does he want to know? In my class I would tell my students about a betrayal I had in high school were I was set up by a "friend" to get beaten up...
line 102 - "We are men, my liege." This is another great line to ask the students if they stopped to figure out this exchange when they read. They are men as mongrels are dogs...
Scene 2, line 20-21: this is the sleep that Macbeth talked about earlier murdering
Scene 3 - Why THREE murderers - I thought there were only two....Have some fun and ask the students who the third murder could be (Lady Macbeth disguised, One of the witches?)
REMEMBER - There are so many important details that can be found in my script notes below
Remind students of what the next reading is and when it is due - and to follow their bookmarks.
Most Recent Test for the Reading - Act 3
Most Recent Test for the Reading - Act 3
I call these tests (rather than quizzes) because they require more time (and with notetaking - effort) than the usual reading assignment - so I want to reward that effort with more points. It's so important to quiz (see my page on Quizzing) - if the class doesn't read first - a great opportunity is lost - for the students to discover on their own - to question on their own - before it is talked about in the entire class.
The Folger Script for today's reading.
The Folger Script for today's reading.
Please note that the Folger Online Edition of Macbeth will have the same corresponding page & line numbers that I reference. Also, the script is available to download from them as a PDF, Microsoft Doc, and with or without line numbers. My students had their own copies (which I strongly recommend) that they could take notes directly in - and which have so many valuable footnotes on the left side of the page. See my handout on Reading Shakespeare in my opening Macbeth Lesson.
This is my script - my "promptbook" if you will - that I follow while we do our in class reading. Please see the page on Reading Plays Aloud in Class. The page numbering, pagination, and line number align with the Folger Edition above. There are notes that should prompt discussion (of course you will have your own as well) - but very often it doesn't go much beyond an underline or a word or two. I have included in the Lesson Overview above Five Important points in that day's reading.
20151214-101306.mp4Class Recordings
Class Recordings
Audio - a recording of today's reading and discussion of the play.
Audio - a recording of today's reading and discussion of the play.
A recording of the students reading the play and the questions, answers, and discussion that ensues. Today we read aloud and discuss Act III of Macbeth. We don't go over the banquet scene as the students have just spent the previous two days creating prompt books for that scene. We do read the scenes up to that though - including the exchange between Macbeth and Banquo, the exchange between Macbeth and his wife and the murder scene.
Remote Teaching
Remote Teaching
See my page on Reading Aloud in Class. We did these lessons with students reading remotely - very successfully.
The Folger Library has an online edition of the play without the annotations - Shakespeare words (what appears on the right hand page in the paperback edition. It also includes in this online edition the very useful synopses that appear before each scene.
Here is the description from Amazon: "This volume of the Shakespeare Set Free series is written by institute faculty and participants, and includes the latest developments in recent scholarship. It bristles with the energy created by teaching and learning Shakespeare from the text and through active performance, and reflects the experience, wisdom, and wit of real classroom teachers in schools and colleges throughout the United States. "
Macbeth Made Easy Group Work: Shakespeare is often taught using easier vocabulary, more simply structured translations such as Shakespeare Made Easy or No Fear Shakespeare. The huge problem with those translations is that they assume that the most important thing about Shakespeare and his plays - are the stories. This Group Work - in three parts - is designed to get students to see for themselves that the real genius of Shakespeare can be found in his words.
WHAT CAME BEFORE:
WHAT CAME BEFORE:
Macbeth Act 2 reading continues: In Class Aloud or Small Group Reading
Thoughts on the Lesson
Thoughts on the Lesson
Students will cover major part of Act III on their own. The next lesson will have them look at the "To be thus" soliloquy in a new and very deep way. Then, they will spend two days creating a "Prompt Book" (an actor's or director's script complete with annotations) for the famous Banquet Scene. I really believe part of this learning process has to do with letting them on their own after you've done the groundwork in class. This culminates in the magnificent Macbeth Day were the students put on scenes from the play - for all the class periods studying the play.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse