Macbeth Curriculum Unit

Students participate in role-play and dramatization. They conduct scene-by-scene analysis of plot and characterization. They examine atmosphere, irony, imagery, and figurative language. Students focus on structure and on the Elizabethan view of the universe.

Supplementary materials include a glossary, essay topics, research projects, and a quiz and test with answer keys.

Literary Form

• British Drama

21st-Century Skills

• Collaboration
• Critical thinking
• Flexibility and adaptability

Overview

A tragedy with a historical basis in medieval Scotland, Macbeth plays a personal struggle of conscience against the background of civil strife and concern for social order. Three witches instigate events that lead a thane to assassinate the king. Shakespeare’s warning about unrestrained ambition still resonates with modern audiences, prompting discussion of the lure of power, success, and wealth.

Print Book (4S1248): Spiral-bound, 8 x 11 inches, 114 pages, 16 lesson plans, 34 handouts, reproducible.
Book Download (4S1248DL): PDF, 114 pages, reproducible. We recommend Foxit PDF for viewing or editing PDFs.
Grades 9–12.