English Home Learning Pack

Over the next 2 weeks, we are going to be exploring our new text –

Macbeth. This week, you will be reading extracts of the text to gain

an understanding of the story and writing some descriptive

paragraphs based on the text. The story begins by three witches

telling the Scottish general Macbeth that he will be King of Scotland,

the events after that unfold on Macbeth’s quest to become King.

1. Reading Activity

o Part 1: Read Extract A – then answer the questions on it.

o Part 2: Read Extract B – then answer the questions on it.

2. Grammar Activity – Sentence starters

o Varying types of sentence starters helps to improve your

writing and avoids repetition

o Complete the activity to refresh your memory and

practise using the different types of sentence starters

3. Grammar Activity – Similes and metaphors

o A quick activity to reinforce the difference between the

two features

o Practise writing some examples using the context of

Macbeth

4. Planning Activity – The 5 senses

o Describing sound, sight, touch, smell and taste helps to

build a more detailed image in the readers head

o Plan your description of the witches on the heath

5. Writing Activity – Character & setting description (the three

witches on the heath)

o If you have access to the internet, watch this video clip:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/class-clips-video/english-ks2-

macbeth-ep1/zfqv8xs

o Using the grammar features we have revised, write a

descriptive paragraph about the witches on the heath

6. Grammar Activity – Parenthesis

o When describing, adding extra detail is crucial - using

parenthesis helps to make your writing flow when adding

in information

7. Writing Activity – Describing the battle

o Using the video clip / images to help you, describe the

battle that takes place before Macbeth and Banquo meet

the witches

8. Creative Activity – Draw one of the following scenes

o The witches on the heath

o The battle

1. Reading Activity - Part 1

Extract A

All day, the three witches waited on the edge of the

battlefield. Hidden by mist and magic, they watched the

Scottish army win a victory over the invading forces of

Norway, and after the fight was done they lingered on,

gloating over the moans of the dying. As thunder rolled

overhead and rain lashed down, one of the witches raised

her long, hooked nose to the wind and sniffed like a dog

taking a scent. “He will be here soon,” she said.

The second witch stroked the tuft of silvery hair that

sprouted from her chin, and grinned, showing her gums. “I

hear the sound of hooves, sisters,” she said. The third witch

held up a piece of rock crystal in front of her milky, blind

eyes. Inside the crystal, something seemed to move. “I see

him!” she screeched. “He comes! Let the spell begin.”

Two Scottish generals rode slowly away from the battlefield,

their heads lowered against the driving rain. One was

Macbeth, the Thane of Glamis, the bravest soldier in King

Duncan’s army. He was tall, broad-shouldered and had a

warrior’s face, broken-nosed and scarred from old fights.

His companion and friend, Banquo was younger and

slimmer, with a mouth that was quick to smile, although he

wasn’t smiling now. Macbeth’s dark eyes were distant as he

recalled the details of the day’s slaughter. ‘A hard fight to

protect an old, feeble King,’ he thought. ‘If I ruled Scotland...’

His mind drifted off into a familiar day dream: he saw himself

seated on the throne, with the golden crown of Scotland

circling his brow...

Answer the following questions on Extract A:

1. ‘… after the fight was done they lingered on, gloating over the

moans of the dying.’

Which word is closest in meaning to gloating? Circle one.

relishing hovering sailing weeping

2. ‘… their heads lowered against the driving rain.’

What does the way they held their heads suggest about how

Macbeth and Banquo may be feeling?

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

3. Give one reason why Macbeth’s appearance shows he has

fought in many battles.

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

4. Identify two ways Banquo and Macbeth are different.

1.________________________________________________

2.________________________________________________

5. Why do you think Macbeth daydreamed about becoming

King?

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

6. Suggest two things about the witches characters based on the

extract. Use evidence from the text to support your answers.

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

Reading Activity - Part 2

Extract B

Suddenly, his horse reared and whinnied, its eyes rolling in terror.

Macbeth struggled to control the horse, and at that moment a bolt

of lightning turned the air violet. In the eerie light he saw three

weird hags barring the way, their wild hair and ragged robes

streaming like tattered flags in the wind.

Macbeth’s hand flew to his sword, but Banquo hissed out an

urgent warning. “No, my friend! I do not think swords can harm

creatures like these.”

A small, cold fear entered Macbeth’s heart, and he snarled to

conceal it. “What do you want?” he demanded of the witches.

“Stand aside!”

Moving as one, the witches raised their left arms and pointed

crooked fingers at Macbeth. They spoke, and their voices grated

like iron on stone.

“All hail, Macbeth, Thane of Glamis!”

“All hail, Macbeth, Thane of Cawdor!”

“All hail, Macbeth, who shall be King!”

Macbeth gave a startled gasp – how had these withered crones

come to read his secret thoughts?

The witches turned their fingers to Banquo. “All hail, Banquo!”

they chanted. “Your children shall be kings!” And they vanished

like a mist of breath on a mirror.

“Were they ghosts?” Banquo whispered in amazement. “They

were madwomen!” snorted Macbeth. “How can I be Thane of

Cawdor? He is alive and well and one of King Duncan’s most

trusted friends.”

“And how could my children be kings if you took the throne?”

Banquo asked.

Answer the following questions on Extract B:

1. How did the author describe the weather at the moment

Macbeth first saw the three witches?

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

2. “No, my friend! I do not think swords can harm creatures

like these.”

What do you think Banquo meant by ‘creatures like these’?

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

3. Write a definition for the word ‘fear’.

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

4. Find and copy the word closest in meaning to ‘sinister’.

_________________________________________________

5. Identify two features of the witches’ appearance.

1.________________________________________________

2.________________________________________________

6. How can the reader tell that Macbeth is shocked by the

witches’ statements? Use evidence from the text.

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

2. Grammar Activity – Sentence starters

Starting sentences with the same word/phrase each time can make

your writing boring, so it is important to vary them by using different

sentence starters. There are lots of ways you can start sentences to

make them more interesting and to refresh your memory we are

going to recap a few.

ADD SPICE

A = Adverb – Lovingly, he stared into her crystal-clear, blue eyes.

D = Drop in clause – The old oak tree, that stood alone in the

garden, swayed in the wind.

D = Describing word – Immense and ferocious, the giant stormed

into the castle.

S = Simile – As brave as a tiger, he slayed the evil monster.

P = Preposition – On top of the heath, stood the three witches.

I = ‘ing’ word – Unlocking the door, she left the room.

C = Connective – Although he was hurt, he carried on with his quest.

E = ‘ed’ word – Scared, he froze and waiting for them to speak.

Now that we have recapped some different ways sentences can be

started, it is your turn to try writing one of each using the context of

Macbeth.

Adverb:

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

Drop in clause:

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

Describing word:

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

Simile:

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

Preposition:

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

‘ing’ word:

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

Connective:

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

‘ed’ word:

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

Challenge: Can you think of any other different ways you could start

your sentences in a descriptive piece of writing?

3. Grammar Activity – Similes and metaphors

What is a simile?

- A simile is the comparison of one thing with another thing of a

different kind, used to make a description more emphatic or

vivid (e.g. as brave as a lion).

What is a metaphor?

- A metaphor is when a word or phrase is applied to an object

or action to which it is not literally applicable (e.g. he was a

tornado, blasting his way through the opposing team).

Activity 1: Simile or metaphor?

1. The car moved like a snail.

2. The house was a zoo.

3. The puppy was as fast as a cheetah.

4. My dad is a teddy bear.

5. My brother eats like a pig.

6. The test was a breeze.

7. The stars are diamonds in the night sky.

8. He is a walking dictionary.

9. Peter is an angel.

10. Abigail is as tall as a giraffe.

Activity 2: Writing similes

Please write two similes below about the witches.

Example: Three old bags stood on the heath, their hands like

shrivelled prunes stirring the mixture in the cauldron.

1._____________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

2._____________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

4. Planning Activity – The 5 senses

When describing a setting or a character, it can be very easy to just

focus on how they look (sight). It is important however to ensure we

also use the other senses (sound, taste, touch, smell) too to enhance

the effect on the reader.

Your task is to write some descriptive sentences about the three

witches and the heath using all 5 senses. You may then decide to

use some of these in your descriptive paragraphs during your writing

tasks.

Sense Sentences

Sight

Sound

Touch

Taste

Smell

5. Writing Activity – Character & setting description (the three

witches on the heath)

o Using the grammar features we have revised (sentence

starters, similes and metaphors) write a description of the

scene where the witches are on the heath

o Remember to use all five senses to enhance the effect on the

reader

o Please describe the setting and the characters

Here are some pictures and a word bank to help you:

Witches/setting - Word bank

heath/heathland sinister bleak malicious

cauldron hunched thunderous mysterious

gloomy grotesque dull ghastly

eerie ominous repulsive crooked

clouded mist deserted damp hooded cloaks

clapping thunder long hooked nose

silvery hair milky, blind eyes

withered crones cackle gnarled tree haggard

If you have access to the internet, watch this video clip:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/class-clips-video/english-ks2-

macbeth-ep1/zfqv8xs

6. Grammar Activity – Parenthesis

Sometimes, we want to add a bit of extra information to a sentence

as an afterthought. If we left out this extra word or phrase, the main

sentence would still make sense. This is called parenthesis. Below

you are going to be completing some tasks to recap this technique.

7. Writing Activity – Describing the battle

o Please re watch the video clip from Activity 5

o Describe the battle that takes place before Macbeth and

Banquo meet the witches

o Remember to include parenthesis to add extra detail to your

writing

Here are some pictures and a word bank to help you:

Battle - Word bank

fierce powerful ambitious ruthless

ferocious unforgiving battlefield conflict

roaring swords ringing against each other

a swarm of opponents

a sea of enemies

victorious clanking armour heart-thumping destruction

weapons hostile casualties despair

courage never-ending slaughtered deafening

English Home Learning Pack 8. Creative Activity

Draw one of the following scenes:

o The three witches on the heath

o The battle