I will begin my Macbeth unit for the seniors tomorrow and I have a feeling it will either go extremely smoothly or be the most unkempt farm road ever. First, because I will now be in charge of all of my CT's classes until Spring Break. This means not just double the workload, but quadruple! Second, my CT and I are unsure on just how much experience the students have with Shakespeare but are certain that they will struggle quite a bit with the language. As a result, I've decided to use an abridged version of the play. This is also due to the fact that I'm using the play to continue my CT's unit of ethics so the play is not the main focus. The students have just finished watching the movie "A Few Good Men," in which the characters are up against the federal government/U.S. Marines in a hazing scandal that resulted in a man's death. Although it is quite the jump back in time, Macbeth has the similar ethical themes of standing up against the ruling force for what you believe in. (I would share my abridged version of Macbeth, but I cannot seem to find a way to post it. If you'd like it, I'd be happy to email it to you!)
In preparing for this unit, I've done a lot of online
searching for ideas and resources...There is plenty out there, but I
haven't found a great deal to be of use. I'm a bit torn when it comes to
www.folger.edu.
They have a great deal of resources and lesson plan suggestions for a
variety of subjects...None of them so far have really been for me,
though. However, that does not mean that they can't be useful in a
different classroom. :) I did find one source that I would love to
incorporate ideas from: Macbeth Unit. If I have time, I would love to get the SmartBoard out and and try some Shakespeare Jeopardy!
The part of this unit that I am most excited about is the final project I have developed. I took an idea from one of the KPTP workshops I attended and tweaked it to suit my needs. I have four senior classes (about 80 students). I plan to break them all into small groups and assign each a scene from the play that they will then develop into a children's book in modern English. They will be asked to identify/use such things as foreshadowing, symbolism, and irony if necessary. I will then compile each group's pages into a book (probably digital). I'm hoping this will encourage them to put a great deal of effort into the project because some of the art projects I've tried with the juniors have had rather sad results when it comes to effort.
First I have to say that I love the title of this post and it is fitting for what you are going through. I am also in the same boat and I know how it feels. I had been teaching my three senior classes and have now taken on the sophomores. We have six classes every day with our planning at first hour. I am always looking forward to lunch.
ReplyDeleteAs for your idea with Macbeth, I think it sounds great to have them develop it into a children's book. However, you are correct in not knowing how it will go. I am beginning to think that nothing will please my seniors. I also like your idea of using an abridged version of the play. This may help things to progress a little smoother. I will also take you up on the offer for a copy of it.
When it comes to resources, I always like to check with teacherspayteachers.com. Many times I have found free downloads that are helpful and I am not ashamed to say I have kicked out a few bucks for some whole unit download. With these you can usually get ideas that help you to create something of your own. It certainly makes things easier.
Theresa,
ReplyDeleteThis is a test. Ignore this message
Here's a reply from Natalie:
ReplyDeleteMiss Boydston,
I definitely understand the fear that students will struggle with Shakespearian language. It seems like a lot of students take one look at the text, realize that the wording is totally different than they have read, and immediately shut down. Which is definitely understandable, because it can be a little overwhelming! I know I often struggle to understand or even recognize many of the complexities within the plays simply because I get too distracted by the language. No Fear Shakespeare and other modern retellings definitely help students calm down a bit and realize that they can understand the story. I always think having students transpose sections of the play into their own words is a fun activity that shows how much they understand as well. However, I believe reading Shakespearian text as it is written is important as well. And the more into the story they get, the less afraid of the language they become! I think that once you guys get going your class will really get into Macbeth. I love the idea of centering the focus on ethics as well. That is a great way to get your students thinking about how the material relates to their own lives, and it is important to foster this type of higher level thinking.
I would also like to say that I will definitely be stealing your idea for creating a children’s book out of the different scenes. Even though you’re unsure about how much they will get into it, I think you’ll really be surprised. The project sounds like it would be a blast! What I’ve found is that if I show students how (sometimes overly) excited I am about a project, they tend to catch the fever and get pretty jazzed up about it as well! I try to include a lot of activities like your children’s book idea in my classroom because I think that students really appreciate it when you allow them to express their creativity. And it is so much more fun!