Text Pairings: Macbeth & Long Way Down [S5 E121]
Listen to the full episode below:
If you’re been racking your brain for a way to approach a Shakespeare unit in a way that is engaging and impactful for your students, then you’ll want to stick around. This episode is a conversation between Amanda and one of her coaching clients, Kelsi. You’ll get to hear them give all the juicy details about an incredible unit that they designed together.
Kelsi is a former middle and high school English teacher. She is now transitioning out of the classroom into the role of a literacy coordinator for her country’s Educational Service Center.
Kelsi initially came to Amanda for help because her English course was extremely standards-based and focused on teaching for mastery (aka, drill, drill, drill for state testing). She was struggling to create units that made sense, but were also purposeful and met her students’ needs and interests.
A Shakespeare unit was coming up, and Kelsi desperately wanted to find a way to teach it in an innovative way. So, her and Amanda came together to create a unit that paired Macbeth with A Long Way Down, by Jason Reynolds.
Not to spoil anything, but…the results were magic.
In comparing the two texts, they came up with an engaging essential question that was perfect for Kelsi’s group of Sophomores. Inside the episode, Kelsi shares the step-by-step specifics of how she structured this unit, which routines she implemented, and how she assessed her students’ learning.
Basically, this interview really demonstrates a real-life example of everything that we preach on this podcast! We hope that this episode encourages you to give a paired text unit a chance. Who knows, maybe your students will be asking you for more Shakespeare by the end of the school year like Kelsi’s students did!
Topics Discussed:
The plan that we came up with in order to make Macbeth relevant for students.
Keeping the trifecta in mind: your texts, your themes, and your skills.
The moment that Kelsi knew the unit was going to be successful and engaging for her students.
Some main themes that connected the two texts.
Kelsi’s experience with a Macbeth close read.
Resources:
Follow Marie on Instagram: @thecaffeinatedclass
Follow Amanda on Instagram: @mudandinkteaching
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More about Brave New Teaching:
Join hosts Amanda Cardenas (Mud & Ink Teaching) and Marie Morris (The Caffeinated Classroom) in discussions about being brave, trying new things, and all things teaching! As seasoned classroom teachers, Amanda and Marie bring their experience, insight, energy, and oh, so many opinions and ideas... It's time for all teachers to take their classroom and teaching practice into their own hands!
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