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MacBeth: Graphic Novel
Student Outcome Statement: Arts Skills and Processes - Level 3 – Uses a range of specific arts skills, techniques, processes conventions and technologies in presenting arts works for identified audiences or purposes.
Teaching/Learning Purposes/Objectives: To enable the student to:
 | Understand comic book conventions and their target audience |
| Develop the skills and techniques to decode the chosen Shakespeare scene |
| Use comic conventions to communicate the play’s issues and audience needs |
Background planning and requirements
Major Purpose: To decode the Shakespearean text into a recognised format
Key Question: How can Shakespeare’s play communicate in a different text?
Inspiration: MacBeth… the comic book illustrated and adapted by David Messer *
* David Messer (2005) William Shakespeare’s MacBeth: Complete Text with Explanatory Notes in Comic Book Format, Random House Australia: Australia.
The Hook: Imagine you’re a graphic novelist
- What’s happening? You’ve been given the job of recreating Shakespeare in comic form
- Who’s it happening to? You are David Messer
- Where is it happening? In your private home office
- When is it happening? This afternoon
- What’s at stake? You must choose and show both the conventions of a graphic novel, as well as outline the interactions present in the Shakespearean text
Resources:
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| MacBeth Comic |
|
| Copies of the incomplete scene |
|
| Comic/storyboard |
Lesson(s) description
- Present the conventions of a graphic novel. Identify style, amount of information, possible purpose and audience
- Review the structure of the MacBeth comic. In a whole class activity, identify key points of MacBeth such as plot, characters and presentation of story.
- Complete the scene. In a small group activity, ask students to complete a chosen scene. Ask students to identify the previous discussed points to complete drawings.
- Begin project/assignment. Most likely in pairs, instruct students to commence their assignment, namely the completion of a given scene. Focus will be on the clear communication of the Shakespearean text in another genre rather than the quality of the drawings.
- Conclusion – Depending on the class’ time structure, this project could be part of one lesson or an entire program; therefore additional class time, theory and instructions will be appropriate.
Lesson Evaluation:
Some parts modelled upon ‘The Giant who threw Tantrums’ in John O’Toole and Julie Dunn (2002) Pretending to Learn: Helping Children learn through Drama, Longman French’s Forrest.
View other lessons plans... MacBeth: Graphic Novel Twelfth Night: Theatre Promotions
Twelfth Night: Women's Day Henry the Fifth: Swearing Shakespeare The Globe Theatre
Antony and Cleopatra: Construct a Character Character Debate Titus Andronicus: See the Emotion
The Tempest: Adaptation Shakespeare TV
...or view other 'Performing Shakespeare in the Classroom' journal entries...
Week One - Week Four Study Break One - Week Eight
Week Nine - Week Twelve Week Thirteen - Week Fourteen
...or view other journals...
Semiotics and Performance: The role of the Actor (2005) Performing Shakespeare in the Classroom (2005)
Drama and The Curriculum (Summer, 2005) Children's Theatre (2004) Acting (2004)
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Contact Andrew @ thechaseison@optusnet.com.au
This page last updated: 17th February 2006