Lesson Plan 2 of Macbeth
ASM: Language Arts
Beth Herman-Davis
Name: Loretta Hunt
Age/Grade 9th – 12th Reading & Writing Enrichment (Read 180, remedial)
Subject Area(s)_English/Literature____
Unit Macbeth___
Lesson Title: _ Macbeth’s Ambition
Estimated Time: 90 minutes
Purpose/Rationale for lesson: At this point in the unit, students will have read almost
the entire adapted version of Macbeth. I like to show clips from various movies of
Macbeth to make the book come to life for the students. There are several different
movie versions, including the Orson Wells movie, the Philip Casson account with Judi
Dench, and the 1971 Roman Polanski version. In the opening lesson, I show the Roman
Polanski version and in this lesson I will show the Judi Dench soliloquy while
sleepwalking.
Curriculum Framing Questions:
Essential Question: How does an individual’s ambition impact his/ her relationship with
society and him/herself?
Unit Question: What have Macbeth’s ambitions caused?
Lesson or Content Question: How do you know what Macbeth’s motives are and what
have been the consequences of those motives?
Goal: Students will be able to identify specific words in the opening soliloquy that point
to and foreshadow his motives through this point in the story. Students will watch a clip
of Lady Macbeth racked with quilt from aiding in the death of so many for ambition’s
sake.
Learning Objective(s):
 Students will be able to identify Macbeth’s motives through searching key terms
in literary text.
Curriculum Standard(s):
EL.HS.WR.18 - Use conventions of punctuation correctly, including semicolons, colons,
Hyphens and dashes.
EL.HS.LI.06 - Identify themes in literary works, and provide support for interpretations
from the text.
Materials Needed:
 Write Source books
 Adapted Macbeth play – “a retelling”
 Opening Soliliquy
 Clip of Lady Macbeths sleepwalking scene
1
mailto:http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv=IOkyZWQ2bmQ
Background knowledge or skills students need prior to lesson:
 Ability to read aloud
Procedures:
 Hook or Introduction: The following DOL on the board – Capitalization, End
Punctuation, Using the Right Word, Comma (Numbers)
Would you believe that over 7000 years ago Ancient Egyptians liked to bowl on alleys
alot like ours
Would you believe that over 7,000 years ago ancient Egyptians liked to bowl on alleys
a lot like ours?



Students will rewrite the DOL correctly in their notebooks. (15 minutes)
Independent Reading as a group (15 minutes)
Rotations of computer and small group. In small group, give an overview of what
we have read in Macbeth so far:
1. Macbeth was given the title “the Thane of Cawdor” from General he and
Banquo have beaten the invading Norwegians and Scots who were
traitors.
2. This elevation in title fulfills the witches’ predictions that Macbeth would
be Thane of Cawdor, but what about King?
3. Upon hearing that King Duncan was coming to dinner, Lady Macbeth tells
Macbeth to look innocent and leave everything to her.
4. Macbeth is reluctant to go through with the plan to kill Duncan, but Lady
Macbeth says she will do it.
5. Macbeth prepares to kill Duncan and thinks he sees a dagger floating in
the air, which leads him to Duncan’s room.
6. Macbeth makes a mistake and does not leave the knife with Duncan, so
Lady Macbeth returns the daggers, making it look as if Duncan’s guards
have murdered him.
7. (Act Two, Scene Three) Macduff comes into the castle and discovers the
murdered king. The guards are blamed and Macbeth kills them (he says
because he was so angry with them) and then the king’s sons plan to leave
the country for fear that they will be murdered next.
8. Outside the castle, Ross and an old man talk about the strange things that
happened on the night the king was murdered. Macbeth is named king.
9. In the king’s palace at Forres, Banquo suspects Macbeth of murdering
Duncan. Macbeth invites Banquo to a banquet and hires two murderers to
kill Banquo and his son, Fleance.
2

10. In the palace at Forres, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth discuss their
unhappiness. Macbeth is planning to kill Banquo and Fleance without
telling Lady Macbeth.
11. In a park near the palace, another joins the two murderers. They kill
Banquo, but Fleance escapes.
12. At a banquet, Macbeth is told that Banquo was murdered but Fleance got
away. The ghost of Banquo appears to Macbeth and he starts acting crazy
at the dinner. Lady Macbeth sends the guests away because everyone is
staring at Macbeth, who is talking to the air!
13. Hecate, the goddess of the evil part of the night and protector of witches,
scolds the witches for meddling and makes her own plans to destroy
Macbeth. The three witches meet Hecate, the goddess of witch craft.
14. In the palace at Forres, Lennox and another lord discuss what they know:
Macbeth is the murderer; the murdered king’s oldest son, Malcolm, is safe
in England; and Macduff has gone there to seek help against Macbeth.
15. In a cave, a large boiling pot bubbles. The witches show Macbeth three
false spirits who give three new predictions: to beware of Macduff; that he
cannot be beaten in battle until Birnam Wood moves to Dunsinane Hill;
and that he cannot be killed by any man born of woman. Macbeth learns
that Banquo’s descendants will rule one day. Learning that Macduff has
gone to England, Macbeth plans to kill Macduff’s wife and children.
16. In Macduff’s castle at Fife, Lady Macduff is angry with her husband for
leaving her and their family behind when he went to England.
Continue to read through Act Five, Scene One. Assign characters as follows:
Doctor
Lady (nurse)
Lady Macbeth
This will take place in group rotations with small group reading and
instruction and instructional software during computer time.
(15 minutes for each group= total of 30 minutes)

Hand out the opening speech of Macbeth’s from Act I, scene VII. Even though
Read 180 is reading a adapted version of the play, I think it will be good for the
students to see the opening speech in its original form (page 5). Students will
read the speech and highlight the parts that point to the fact that Macbeth knew
that he was killing Duncan for the sake of ambition. Students will work in pairs.
(10 minutes per group = 20 minutes)

Closing: Show clip of Judi Dench as Lady Macbeth in the sleepwalking scene at
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=judi+dench+as+lady+macbeth&a
q=0. This is the scene that they just read.
Differentiation/Accommodation:
 During small group activities, I will walk around and assist students who have
additional questions or problems.
3
 For students with the IEPs related to Specific Learning Disorders, I will offer
additional help with comprehension during rotation time. This version of Macbeth
is already adapted with simpler language, but I could ask about any additional
assistance needed with comprehension.
 Student with a 504 plan for cerebral palsy will not be expected to “act out” any of
the improvisational part. He can take part in the group by listening or taking a
position of a more sedentary character.
 Students with emotional disturbance will not be pushed to be a part of the
improvisation, however, they must be “in” a group.
 All of these readers are struggling and below proficiency, therefore this entire
class is designed to help them improve on their reading and writing.
Attention to Literacy:
 Reading and interpreting the scene.
 Daily Oral Language on the board
 Scholastic Inventory software application
Assessment and Evaluation of Student Learning:




Writing the DOL in their journals
Participation in group work
Staying on task in small groups
Filling out the daily reading log
4
Name __________________________________
Macbeth Motives
Read the following opening speech of Macbeth’s from Act I, scene VII in his
castle. Highlight the lines that show that Macbeth knows ambition is the only
reason that he killed Duncan.
Macbeth speaks
If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well
It were done quickly: if the assassination
Could trammel up the consequence, and catch
With his surcease success; that but this blow
Might be the be-all and the end-all here,
But here, upon this bank and shoal of time,
We'd jump the life to come. But in these cases
We still have judgment here; that we but teach
Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return
To plague the inventor: this even-handed justice
Commends the ingredients of our poison'd chalice
To our own lips. He's here in double trust;
First, as I am his kinsman and his subject,
Strong both against the deed; then, as his host,
Who should against his murderer shut the door,
Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this Duncan
Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been
So clear in his great office, that his virtues
Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued, against
The deep damnation of his taking-off;
And pity, like a naked new-born babe,
Striding the blast, or heaven's cherubim, horsed
Upon the sightless couriers of the air,
Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye,
That tears shall drown the wind. I have no spur
To prick the sides of my intent, but only
Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself
And falls on the other.
5