King all English

The play Macbeth is all about power, fate, greed, and

setting. Of course, all of these topics will come up
while we read the play. But that’s boring!!

Instead of just reading the play, we are going to live

the play.

We are going to focus on our driving question in a whole new way, and hopefully at the end
of this unit you will know what’s the biggest influence on character?

King of all English (Power)

One student in our class has just become King. Just like the rulers of old, this King has been
appointed. You don’t get to pick him/her, and furthermore you have to do everything
he/she says. If you don’t there will be consequences.

Our leader will get to tell you how to sit, who has to act out what role for the play each day,
and how you are divided for assignments. In addition, the king gets special privileges. The
king can eat and drink in class. The king can use his/her phone. The king doesn’t have to
read along. Instead, if he/she wants the king can just listen. Also, the king gets two stickers
each day just for showing up. The King’s first task is to create money with his/her face on it.
This money will become our currency. The King will pass out this money as he/she sees fit-
just like a real Elizabethan ruler. Whoever the King likes gets more mula. Whoever sucks up
gets rewarded with some cold, hard cash. Along with controlling our money this student gets
automatically less work than the rest of you (he/she doesn’t have to act out the play). After
all, we don’t want our King getting hurt, do we?

The Three Witches-or at least one Witch  (Fate)

I too have a role in this project. I am the witches, and as the witches I get to control your
fate. You don’t get to make any major action without receiving a discreet message from me
that tells your destiny. The king does not control me. I control the king. He/she will get
messages as well, and these messages must be obeyed by all. It is your destiny, and you
can’t fight fate.

Word Journal and Character Sketches (Setting)

Where something occurs is important in life and in the play. One of our jobs during our
study of Macbeth will be to focus on location and how it impacts individual characters and
words. You will complete a word journal (details to follow) for each act. This word journal
will lead you to a character that is affected the most by your findings. Thus, that character
will become your focus. You will examine who he/she is, how the word affects him/her,
and what the location means for the person and the word (in other words-does the word
change in a different setting or time period in the play). Be careful though…these assignments are
the most points for this unit.
It’s all about the Benjamins! (Greed)

Our King has money. Lots of it. And like all good Americans, we want as much money as
we can get. In fact, the money you attain in this unit gets you privileges.
 The top fifteen earners will get 20 stickers.
 The top ten earners get free ice cream.
 The top five earners a bag of candy of their choice.
 The top earner (not the King) gets free Jimmy Johns one day.

You can also buy privileges. The King sets up the monetary system, so he/she will tell us
how much each right costs.

Timeline
Day 1 Class Meeting

Introduce Projects
2 Reward Student Goals

Act I
3 Independent Reading
4 Act I

Begin Word Journals

Choose 10 most important lines

4 Act I Quiz
5 Act I Word Journal Due

Act II

Character Sketches
6 Act II

Character Sketches
7 Quiz

Character Sketches Due

8 Act II Word Journal Due

Item Analysis

Student Tracking Sheets

 Class Meeting
9 Reward Student Goals

Act III

Sentence Stems Activity

10 Independent Reading
11 Act III

Metaphors Activity-Characters
12 Act III Quiz
13 Act III Word Journal Due

Seminar
14 Act IV
15 Independent Reading
16 Act IV
17 Quiz

Updated Character Sketches Due

18 Act IV Word Journal Due

Class Meeting
19 Reward Student Goals

Act V
20 Independent Reading
21 Act V

Lady Macbeth-Then and Now

22 Act V

Revisit questions in anticipation guide

23 Macbeth Cash Turned In

Act V
24 Act V Word Journal Due and Final Character Sketch
 Review
25 Macbeth Test