The Macbeth Webquest is intended to explore meaning in Shakespeare's play and to lead to a more genuine experience of the performance. While my Shakespeare unit has historically included acting out the play, I have found it difficult for students to truly appreciate Shakespeare's play. The process here is intended to lead students to an understanding of Shakespeare's literary style and major themes in order to create a fun, thoughtful performance of Macbeth as a final project. My hope is that the media-rich, interactive style of the webquest, together with its versatility for mobile devices, will improve students' experience in spite of the Shakespearean language barrier. I imagine the unit will continue to be improved upon, so please contact me with your ideas for improving the site.
Shakespeare's plays were never originally intended to be read in a classroom. They were made to be performed by acting crews and experienced by interested audiences. They were made to make money--and not from the only the social and intellectual upper class. The high reading level of Shakespeare's plays makes for a sufficiently rigorous learning activity for anyone involved. This webquest intends to combine the necessity for modern critical reading skills with the playwright's historical intention for the plays. Continue reading to see the standards it addresses.
This site is created for high school students and teachers as part of a unit on Shakespeare's Macbeth.
It is assumed that students who and teachers who use this site are familiar with using web browsers and common navigational structures, downloading files, viewing online video content, and emailing or sharing documents. For my own students' submission of assignments, they will need to have a Google account and be familiar with creating a document and updating sharing preferences (this is not required to be able to access and use the site though).
As a result of completing this webquest, students will be able to...
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.2
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.3
Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.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).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.9
Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work (e.g., how Shakespeare treats a theme or topic from Ovid or the Bible or how a later author draws on a play by Shakespeare).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.6
Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate. (See grades 9-10 Language standards 1 and 3here for specific expectations.)
The design of this webquest is based on the model by Bernie Dodge and Tom March and contains the following sections for learners.
- Introduction: This section provides an overview to familiarize students and teachers with the page.
- Task: This part is on the Introduction page and is labeled Overview of Tasks. I have categorized the tasks into four sections in the top navigation: learn foundational background material, then read and analyze the play, evaluate film adaptations, and finally plan and create their own performance.
- Process: This breaks down the four task sections into 9 specific steps (labeled Step 1, Step 2, etc.). A description of each step is included in the task overview section on the introduction page.
- Evaluation: A rubric is provided on the Performance page and the Evaluation page so that students can self-score themselves before the day of the performance. The teacher will use the same rubric when evaluating student performances at the end of the webquest. Answers to the individual assignments (the background handout, play guide, etc.) are withheld to prevent student access.
- Conclusion: This section asks students to reflect on what they have learned throughout the unit. How is Shakespeare's play still relevant today?
After tracking major ideas, symbols, and motifs throughout the play, students will use their understanding to plan and develop a genre-specific adaptation of the play to be performed as a final project. A rubric is provided on the Evaluation page.