‘Macbeth’: exploring evidence and including context in an essay on Lady Macbeth
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain what happens in Act 1, Scenes 5 to 7 of ‘Macbeth’ and begin to evaluate the character of Lady Macbeth.
Key learning points
- Topic sentences need to be clear and linked to the question
- Judicious quotations from the text are used to create compelling arguments
- Writer’s methods should be explored without always relying on single word analysis
- Context can be used to develop arguments
Keywords
Machiavellian - Machiavellian is an adjective. It describes someone who gets what they want in cunning, ruthless and immoral ways.
Compelling - If an argument is compelling, it is convincing and persuasive.
Methods - Methods are techniques a writer uses. These encompass everything: language, form, structure and characterisation.
Context - Context concerns the circumstances in which a text was written; context helps us to understand the writer’s intentions further.
Feedback - Feedback is information given to someone to help them improve something.
Common misconception
Contextual information in an essay should comprise of one final sentence in each paragraph.
Context should be weaved throughout an essay to help explore a writer's intentions.
Teacher tip
Consider if the models in this lesson could be replaced by models from your own students.
Equipment
You need access to a copy of William Shakespeare's 'Macbeth'.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of serious crime
Depiction or discussion of peer pressure or bullying
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).Lesson video
Loading...
Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.When is 'Macbeth' set?
Q2.Which words describe Jacobean society?
Q3.A villain describes someone who gets what they want in cunning, ruthless and immoral ways.
Q4.What happens in Act 5, Scene 1 of 'Macbeth'?
Q5.In Act 3, Scene 4 of 'Macbeth', Macbeth seeks the witches. Why would this have been a shocking moment for the play's first Jacobean audiences?
Q6.In what ways does Shakespeare use Act 3, Scene 4 of 'Macbeth' to signal Lady Macbeth's diminishing power?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is the term we use to describe 'Macbeth's' first audiences?
Q2.Which of the following can make for compelling evidence in an English literature essay?
Q3.Which of the following could allow for meaningful use of context in an English literature essay?
Q4.How does the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth alter over the course of 'Macbeth'?
Q5.A student wrote this topic sentence in response to the question, 'Is Lady Macbeth presented as a dutiful wife?'. 'Shakespeare presents Lady Macbeth as very dominant.' What feedback would you give?
Q6.A student decided to explore the quotation, "Here's the smell of blood still" from Lady Macbeth in 5.1 in order to examine the idea of guilt. What would help make this a compelling piece of analysis?
To help you plan your 10 English lesson on: ‘Macbeth’: exploring evidence and including context in an essay on Lady Macbeth, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 English lesson on: ‘Macbeth’: exploring evidence and including context in an essay on Lady Macbeth, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 English lessons from the Macbeth: Lady Macbeth as a Machiavellian villain unit, dive into the full secondary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.