Analysing Ambition

Overview

Subject: GCSE English
Age Group: Year 10-11 (ages 14-16)
Curriculum Area: AQA GCSE English Literature (Paper 1, Section A, Shakespeare - Macbeth)
Level: Foundation/Higher Tier
Lesson Duration: 60 minutes
Lesson Objective: By the end of the lesson, students will have a clear understanding of how ambition is explored in Act 1, Scene 7 of Macbeth. They will analyse the language, character motivations, and context, and practise responding to an exam-style question.

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Breakdown of Syllabus Content

Key Focus Areas

1. Understanding the Context:
   • Historical and social context relevant to Macbeth
2. Language Analysis:
   • Power and ambition in Macbeth’s soliloquy
3. Themes:
   • Ambition and morality
4. Character Development:
   • Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s dynamic

Strategies to ‘Wow’ Teachers:

• Engaging, critical discussions facilitated through creative activities.
• A dramatic reading by students to bring the text alive.
• Embedded exam preparation through innovative exercises.

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Structured Lesson Plan

0-5 Minutes – Introduction

Task: Set the context for today’s learning

• Briefly explain how ambition is a major theme in Macbeth.
• Write “Ambition is…” on the whiteboard and ask students to generate their own definitions as a quick brainstorming activity. Summarise their ideas into one definition that connects to Macbeth’s character.

Resources Needed: Whiteboard, markers

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5-15 Minutes – Contextual Overview

Task: Provide a contextual understanding of ambition in Shakespeare’s time

• Explain:
  • 16th-century attitudes to hierarchy (Great Chain of Being).
  • The role of ambition: How striving to move upward could be seen as disruptive or dangerous.
  • Reference King James I and the Gunpowder Plot. Discuss how Shakespeare caters to his monarch by exploring dangerous ambition.
• Facilitate a quick discussion:
  • Do we see ambition as good or bad in today’s society? Compare with Shakespeare’s era.

Resources Needed: Handouts with key points on context

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15-35 Minutes – Close Reading & Language Analysis

Task: Analyse Macbeth’s soliloquy in Act 1, Scene 7 ("If it were done when ’tis done…”)

• Provide students with annotated extracts of the soliloquy. (Higher-tier students can attempt their own annotations.)
• Highlight:
  1. Shakespeare’s use of metaphor (e.g., “poisoned chalice”).
  2. Repetition emphasising Macbeth’s doubt and hesitation.
  3. Juxtaposition between ambition and morality.
• Group Work: Split the class into small groups and assign each group a question to discuss, such as:
  1. How does Shakespeare present Macbeth’s inner conflict?
  2. Why is ambition portrayed as a destructive force here?

Plenary Activity: Groups report their findings back to the class.

Resources Needed: Copies of annotated soliloquy extracts, worksheets with guiding questions

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35-45 Minutes – Exploring Character Interaction

Task: Act it Out

• In pairs, students read/perform the dialogue between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in Act 1, Scene 7, exploring how Lady Macbeth manipulates her husband.
• Provide students with a short character cue sheet that categorises their behaviours/motivations.
• Discuss:
  • Why does Lady Macbeth see ambition as a strength?
  • Why does Macbeth see his ambition as dangerous?

Teacher Tip: Encourage students to use tone and body language in their acting to express the characters’ emotions.

Resources Needed: Dialogue scripts with key terms defined

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45-55 Minutes – Apply the Knowledge

Task: Answering an Exam-Style Question

• Provide this question on the board:
  Starting with this extract, how does Shakespeare present ambition as a dangerous characteristic in the play?
• Give students 10 minutes to write the opening paragraph of their response. Encourage them to include:
  • A clear thesis statement.
  • Reference to the extract.
  • Reference to context.

Teacher Role: Model one example thesis on the whiteboard before they start writing.

Resources Needed: Exercise books, pens, example thesis on the board

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55-60 Minutes – Reflection and Closing

Task: Reflect on the Lesson

1. Students give one-word feedback on how ambition was presented in Macbeth.
2. Exit Ticket:
   Write down one thing you learned about ambition in Macbeth today and one question you still have.

Teacher Tip: Collect the exit tickets to gauge understanding for follow-up lessons.

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Differentiation Strategies

• Foundation Students: Provide sentence starters for the exam-style question and a more detailed annotation guide for Act 1, Scene 7.
• Higher Students: Challenge them to find additional examples of ambition’s impact elsewhere in the play for homework or prepare a contrasting view on Lady Macbeth’s ambition.
• EAL Students: Offer a glossary of difficult words and simplified annotations.

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Assessment for Learning

• Formative: Evaluate group contributions during discussions and the plenary activity.
• Written Work: Check opening exam responses for understanding and expression.
• Exit Ticket: Assess reflection and remaining questions.

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Homework

• Higher Tier: Write two additional paragraphs for the exam question, supporting your argument with context and detailed analysis.
• Foundation Tier: Summarise how ambition changes Macbeth’s character from Act 1 to Act 3 in one paragraph.

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Closing Remarks

This lesson creatively blends literary analysis with active student participation, embedding exam skills in a natural and engaging way. By focusing on the theme of ambition, students deepen their understanding of Macbeth while practising core skills aligned with the AQA spec.