Macbeth - Learning Objectives

The learning objectives for Year 6 students studying Macbeth in a 3-week unit are comprehensive and designed to cover a variety of reading, speaking, and writing skills. The core texts for this unit are William Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' and 'Shakespeare Stories' by Leon Garfield, which provide a historical link to the theme of Shakespeare's plays. Students will engage with different writing outcomes, such as composing a persuasive text from Lady Macbeth's perspective, a spell poem, a balanced argument regarding King Duncan's death, and an information text on crime and punishment. Additionally, they may recount an experience or describe a meeting with the witches.

Objectives for spoken language include giving opinions with reasons, listening to others, and using Standard English in discussions. Students will also recite or perform their own compositions. When reading, they will explore a range of narrative genres, understand different structures, and discuss how these guide the reader. They will evaluate texts for layers of meaning, make predictions, and summarize main ideas, considering how the context of a text affects its reception. Writing objectives focus on understanding the need for different sentence structures, language choices, and levels of formality for various text types. Students will develop a toolkit for writing that includes structure, organisation, techniques, and point of view. Grammar and vocabulary objectives aim to teach the use of cohesive devices, the appropriate use of active and passive voice, and the use of semi-colons in lists, all tailored to the text type, purpose, and audience.