LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE

Lesson Guilt and Fear in Macbeth

Title

Course English Literature Grade 10

Step 1: Lesson Rationale

Learning Goals and Focus (Quick overview of lesson focus):

Students will be provided with a list of quotes from Shakespeare’s Macbeth play and asked to identify
whether they signify fear or guilt in the character, along with a few sentences defending their thinking.

Lesson Objectives: SWBAT: (What students will be able to do):

- Students will be able to identify themes fear and guilt by looking at quotes from Macbeth
- Students will be able to defend their claims and interpretation of the provided quotes with
contextual and personal support

Learning Standards:
- CCSS.ELA.RL.9-10.1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text
says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
- CCSS.ELA.RL.9-10.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text,
including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word
choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it
sets a formal or informal tone).

Essential Questions:
- How can language be powerful?
- How do our personal experiences shape our view of others?

How this lesson connects to students’ cultural, personal, and/or academic backgrounds:
Every person on this earth has experienced both guilt and fear in one way or another, all to different
extents depending on the situation. As we discuss these two emotions throughout the lesson, it’s very
likely that students will self-reflect on moments in which they have felt these things and even share them
within their assignment to explain why they believe one quote is more “fear” filled than another. This
lesson encourages students to defend their thinking based on not only the context of the play Macbeth,
but also their own experiences and interpretations of these emotions. Different cultures and communities
often view guilt and fear differently; what may not seem too worrisome to one person might be a
complete guilt-trip or fear inducing for another. This lesson allows each student to share their interaction
with the text with assistance from their own life.
 Step 2: Formative Assessment Strategies
- Define: guilt and fear in your own words
- Summary: of your thinking when deciding between fear and guilt; how did you know the quote
was one emotion over the other? What experience do you have with this that makes you
confident in your answer?
- Exit Slip: What did you think of today’s lesson plan?

Instructional Strategies and Learning Tasks

Time Learning Activities and description of class Questions Posed: What guiding questions will
procedures you ask students throughout the lesson?
Include assessing questions AND advancing
questions.

5 min - How are you feeling right now?

Mindfulness check in with students
- This exercise is meant to give students
the opportunity to pay attention to their
bodies and thoughts before class
- When we practice mindfulness, it
become easier to consider our
well-being before starting a 45min class
online
- These questions posed to students are
not meant to be answered out loud,
they are just for students to think about
for themselves
Emotionally and/or physically?
- Pay attention to your body; are you
tense? Stretch if you need to.
- Are you hunched over? Stand up
before we get started!
- Try some breathing exercises if you
need a quick reset
- Example: Inhale 5sec, Hold 8
sec, Exhale 10 sec
- Drink some water!

5 min - Does anyone need me to reword or

Provide timeline for the day with directions that
clarify any of this for them?
go along with in-class assignment

- Macbeth assignment: Students will be

provided with the link to a document
filled with multiple quotes from the play;
the goal is to have students state
whether the emotion in each quote is
driven by guilt or fear, with an
explanation for their thinking.
 - In order to complete the assignment,
students must access the Doc and
select “File -- Make a Copy”. This is the
copy they will complete and turn in by
the end of the day.
- Students are allowed (and encouraged!)
to discuss their own experiences with
guilt and fear to defend their answers
- Rubric will be included on Document so
students can have an understanding of
how they will be graded

30 - How do you know that is the correct

Students will begin Macbeth assignment
min answer?
individually.
- Is it possible that this quote can be
- Teacher will give students a reminder seen or felt in more than one way?
after 15 minutes to get up and stretch - i.e. Is this quote only fear? Can
for a little before continuing their work it also be guilt or another
emotion?

5 min - Any final questions, comments, or

Final check in with students before end of class
- Exit slip: What did you think of today’s
lesson? Be honest :)
concerns before I let you go for the
day?
- I will be here a few extra minutes after
class if anyone wants to stay and chat
- Please don’t forget to finish up our
assignment if you didn’t get to during
class today!

Modifications and Accommodations

- This assignment was made to be worked on individually, but of course exceptions will be made
for a student who may need extra assistance whether that be an interpreter or other
accessibility assistant.
- This assignment is a bit more flexible in terms of there being a “right answer” as it is mostly
based on interpretation and adequate justification; this should help alleviate some, or most,
students from the fear of not answering correctly and scoring low.
 Instructional Materials, Resources, and Technology
What materials will you need in order to teach this lesson?
What materials will students need?

- Electronic device to access online lesson and materials

0 1 2

Objective 1 Student does not Student identifies Student identifies

complete assignment fear/guilt but with fear/guilt in complete
incomplete sentence or sentences
only in one sentence

Objective 2 Student does not Student does not
complete assignment include textual evidence
to support claim but
includes personal
experience; or vice
versa
Student’s support for
their answer includes
both textual support
and personal
experience with
fear/guilt