Teach Persuasion with Macbeth: A Media Literacy Lesson on Ethos, Pathos, and Logos

Bring Shakespeare's Macbeth into the 21st century with this engaging high school lesson plan on media literacy and persuasive rhetoric. Students will learn to identify ethos, pathos, and logos in modern advertisements and then apply these powerful techniques by designing a compelling magazine cover for a modern retelling of the Macbeth story. Perfect for grades 9-12 and easily adaptable for homeschool settings, this creative, project-based lesson connects classic literature to the real world and includes a clear assessment rubric.

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Lesson Plan: Selling Shakespeare: Persuasion, Power, and Macbeth's Magazine Debut

Subject: English Language Arts, Media Literacy

Grade Level: 9-12 (Homeschool Setting)

Time Allotment: 90-120 minutes

Materials Needed

  • A copy of or summary of Shakespeare's Macbeth
  • Access to the internet (for viewing advertisements) or a stack of physical magazines
  • Large paper or poster board (or a digital design tool like Canva, Google Slides, etc.)
  • Markers, colored pencils, or collage materials (scissors, glue, old magazines)
  • Notebook and pen/pencil for brainstorming
  • Handout: "The Three Appeals: Ethos, Pathos, & Logos" (details below)

1. Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, the student will be able to:

  • Identify and define the three primary persuasive appeals: ethos, pathos, and logos.
  • Analyze how these persuasive techniques are used in real-world advertisements to influence an audience.
  • Apply these persuasive techniques to creatively design a magazine cover that "sells" a modern interpretation of the Macbeth story.

2. Alignment with Standards (Example: Common Core ELA Standards)

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.8: Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious reasoning.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.5: Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.

3. Lesson Activities & Instructional Strategies

Part 1: The Hook - What Makes You Look? (15 minutes)

  1. Engage: Begin by showing the student 3-4 powerful and distinct advertisements (e.g., a heartwarming Subaru commercial, a sleek Apple product launch ad, a celebrity-endorsed Nike ad).
  2. Discuss: Ask guiding questions:
    • "What message is this ad sending?"
    • "How does it make you feel?" (Happy, inspired, worried, hungry?)
    • "Who do you think this ad is for?"
    • "What makes it convincing or memorable?"
  3. Connect: Explain that these ads aren't just selling products; they are selling ideas and emotions using ancient techniques of persuasion. Today, we're going to become masters of those techniques.

Part 2: Direct Instruction - The Persuader's Toolkit (20 minutes)

  1. Introduce the Concepts: Provide the student with the "Three Appeals" handout or explain the concepts directly.
    • Ethos (Credibility & Character): Persuading through authority, trust, or character. It answers the question, "Why should I trust you?"
      Examples: A dentist recommending a toothpaste; a famous athlete wearing a specific shoe.
    • Pathos (Emotion): Persuading by appealing to the audience's emotions. It makes you feel something—joy, anger, pity, fear.
      Examples: Ads with cute puppies or babies; stories of overcoming hardship.
    • Logos (Logic & Reason): Persuading using facts, statistics, and logical arguments. It appeals to the audience's intellect.
      Examples: "4 out of 5 doctors agree..."; "Saves you 30% on your energy bill."
  2. Guided Practice - Ad Detectives: Together, look at several magazine ads or commercials. For each one, have the student identify the primary appeal being used.
    • "Is this ad using a celebrity to build trust? (Ethos)"
    • "Does this ad use a sad story to make you want to donate? (Pathos)"
    • "Does this ad show a graph of its effectiveness? (Logos)"
    • Note that many ads use a combination of appeals. Encourage the student to find examples of this.

Part 3: The Creative Challenge - Modern Macbeth's Magazine Cover (45-60 minutes)

  1. The Premise: "Shakespeare's Macbeth is being reimagined for today. Your job is to create the cover of a popular magazine to promote this new version. You need to use persuasive techniques to make people desperate to know the story."
  2. Brainstorming (15 mins):
    • Modernize Macbeth: Who is the modern Macbeth? A ruthless tech CEO? A rising political star? A celebrity chef? Who are Duncan, Lady Macbeth, and Banquo in this world?
    • Choose a Magazine: What kind of magazine would feature this story? TIME (serious news), Forbes (business), Vanity Fair (culture and drama), PEOPLE (celebrity gossip)? The magazine choice will determine the tone.
    • Headline Ideas: Brainstorm headlines using the three appeals.
      • Pathos Example: "The Price of Power: The Secret Torment Behind the CEO's Smile."
      • Ethos Example: "An Exclusive Interview with His Top Advisor: 'I Never Trusted Him.'"
      • Logos Example: "By the Numbers: How Macbeth's Hostile Takeover Toppled an Empire in 7 Days."
  3. Design & Create (30-45 mins): The student designs the cover. This should include:
    • Magazine Title: Clearly displayed.
    • Main Image: A powerful, central image of the modern Macbeth or another key character.
    • Main Headline: The most compelling, attention-grabbing headline.
    • Supporting Headlines/Taglines: At least two smaller headlines that use different persuasive appeals to add depth and intrigue.

Part 4: Closure & Presentation (10 minutes)

  1. Share & Explain: The student presents their finished magazine cover.
  2. Reflection Questions:
    • "Tell me about your modern Macbeth. Why did you choose this concept?"
    • "Which persuasive appeal do you think is strongest on your cover and why?"
    • "Point out where you used ethos, pathos, and logos in your headlines."
    • "Who is the target audience for this magazine?"

4. Differentiation and Inclusivity

  • Support: Provide a pre-made magazine cover template with designated spots for the title, main image, and headlines. Offer a list of "headline starters" to help with brainstorming.
  • Extension: Challenge the student to write a one-paragraph "Editor's Note" for the inside of the magazine, using persuasive language to further hook the reader into the cover story. Another option is to design a competing magazine cover from a different character's perspective (e.g., The Banquo Conspiracy on a gritty news magazine).

5. Assessment Methods

  • Formative (Ongoing):
    • Student participation and responses during the initial discussion about ads.
    • Accuracy in identifying ethos, pathos, and logos during the "Ad Detectives" activity.
  • Summative (Final Product):
    • The completed magazine cover will be evaluated based on a simple rubric:
      1. Application of Persuasive Techniques (10 pts): Cover clearly and effectively uses at least two of the three appeals in its headlines.
      2. Creativity & Concept (5 pts): The modern interpretation of Macbeth is imaginative and cohesive.
      3. Clarity & Presentation (5 pts): The student can clearly articulate their design choices and explain how they used persuasion during the final presentation.
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