When the Hurly-Burly's Done

As students complete the Double Bubble Map, determine how many students matched with each character and put them in groups of 2-3. For example, if 5 or 6 students matched with Lady Macbeth, divide those students into two groups. Provide a long piece of butcher paper to each group.

Distribute the Body Biography handout to each student and transition to slide 11 to review the directions as a class. Explain to students they must create a life-sized, visual and written character analysis by examining their character’s role and motivations in the story of Macbeth.

Transition through slides 12-15 to explain what needs to be represented on the visual portion of their body biography:

• Head: Choose three direct quotes from the play that summarize and encompass your character. Put these on your character’s head or in thought bubbles.

• Heart: Consider what this character loves most. What shape should it be? What colors, symbols, or images could be used? The heart is a good place for illustrating what/who is most important in their life. Place this on your character’s chest.

• Backbone: This is the character’s main objective within the story that makes up their spine. What is their most important goal? What drives their thoughts and actions? How can you illustrate it using symbols? Example: Romeo’s (Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare) spine might look like an ornate, red blindfold because he is blinded by love to the point that he hurts himself and others for it. 

• Feet: What fundamental beliefs and philosophies does this character live by? This should be a symbolic representation of what they stand for. Example: Guy Montag (Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury) could be standing on a pile of books because he believes knowledge paves the path to liberty and freedom, or he could stand on burning books because he believes ignorance is what paves the path toward harm and self-imprisonment.

• Hands: What does the character hold in their hands and why is it significant? Choose items that are associated with the character either literally or figuratively. Example: Harry Potter (Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling) may hold a wand, lightning bolt, or Tom Riddle’s journal.

• Colors: Color symbolism is often used through literary texts. What color(s) do you associate with your character and why? These colors should be incorporated throughout your body biography and in the visuals of each body part.

Show slide 16 and introduce students to the Claims, Evidence, Reasoning (CER) strategy. Then explain the expectations for the written portion of their body biography:

• Written Response and Textual Evidence: Excluding the head, create a written response for each body part that follows the Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) format and includes one quote from the text to serve as your evidence.

  • Put the written responses on a separate sheet of paper. Each response should be no more than one paragraph long.

  • Each person in your group is responsible for writing at least 2 of the 5 responses: heart, backbone, feet, hands, and colors.

Before allowing students to begin, provide an opportunity for students to ask clarifying questions. Encourage students to make clarifying notes on their handout as you review your expectations of the project. Then let the class know the due date for their body biography. Direct them to write this date at the top of their handout for easy reference.

Use the hidden slide 18 as an example of what a written response might look like. The example on the slide, however, is an example from Fahrenheit 451. Consider unhiding this slide to use it as an example for students. If students have not read Fahrenheit 451, edit the slide to reference a work that your class is familiar with.

Show slide 19. Using their Double Bubble Map as well as the colored construction paper, glue sticks, scissors, markers, crayons, and colored pencils provided, have students create the visual character analysis on the sheet of butcher paper. Remind them to write their short responses on a separate sheet of notebook paper. Explain that everyone in the group is expected to contribute to the visual character analysis and write at least 2 written responses. For example, one student in the group might write the short responses for the hands and feet while another student in the group writes the short responses for the heart, backbone, and colors.

If there are only three students in a group, still expect each student to write responses for two of the five options. This could mean that two students both write about the backbone or consider including the head so that there are six different parts to write about.

Allow students no more than 2-3 class periods to complete the body biography. As students work, circulate the room and check in with each group to provide feedback. Use this time to ask prompting questions, like the following:

• What symbol are you planning to use to represent what your character loves?

• Why did your group choose to use that symbol to represent your character’s spine?

• What evidence from Macbeth supports your reasoning?

Alternatively, collect students’ written responses at the end of the activity, provide feedback, and return the responses before students start their essay during the Extend portion of this lesson.

After students finish their body biography, have them hang their visual character analysis in the classroom.

Show slide 20 and give each student enough sticky notes that they can put one on each body biography. Invite students to participate in a Gallery Walk to review each group’s body biography. Ask them to make observations about each group’s character. This can be done verbally through class discussion, or it can be written via sticky notes and left on each group’s poster.