Mending Wall Worksheet

The teacher then make use of task cards (worksheet 1) to ensure the students gain critical understanding of the key components of the poem. This exercise will enable the student to take ownership of the poem and dig deeper in the poem analysis. Since the class is of mixed ability, as a scaffolding technique, some clues or answers may be provided for some tasks where others are open ended (Tutorials, Stories & Cox, 2017). The answers of each students are then compared, contrasted and further discussed.

Worksheet 2

Frost in his poem ‘Mending Wall’ gives a vivid and visual aspect of the poem. As compared to the classical poem, here the student may picture how the speaker is having an internal monologue about the wall and fences. The teacher

It is thought to have been first performed at the Globe Theatre, London in 1611, though it is likely to have been done earlier than this. Central to the tragedy of Macbeth is the physical and moral destruction caused when “An ambitious man usurps power … [and] in the process, moral and spiritual are also seriously attacked, but in the end, order is restored under a wise, strong and legitimate king” (Total Study Edition, 2016). It is a good idea for using this play at school, as it is one of Shakespeare’s shortest play with a simple and single plot and focused interest on a few characters. The students will be thrilled in studying this play as it is full of violence, murder and revenge thus containing all the characteristics of today’s popular TV series like Games of Thrones.

As a warm up exercise and to get in the mood of the medieval times, the teacher starts with an open discussion about a popular show with elements and themes relating to Macbeth. The popular TV series Vikings is used as reference. The teacher then chooses one or two episodes where the themes of ambition, murder, jealousy etc. are prominent. The students could watch the series after which they are requested to write down the name of the actors in the series with a connected feature (Re Worksheet 3):

Ragnar Lagertha

For example, the contrast in the ambition of Ragnar to become the leader and the ambition of Macbeth to be the king could be analysed at a later stage. Same may apply to Lagertha and Lady Macbeth to compare their influence on their respective husband.

Due to the use of Shakespearean English, the teacher will have to read the extract (Act 1 Scene 5) and retranslate it in modern English for better understanding. For instance;

The raven himself is hoarse

That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan

Under my battlements. Come, you spirits

That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here,

And fill me from the crown to the toe