Macbeth for 4th grader?

[madteaparty]

On a whim, I bought him a ticket to go with us to see the current Ethan Hawke production in NYC (living social deal). Are there any age appropriate books we can read now? Not conservative at all when it comes to reading material, and he does have some exposure to Shakespeare but just the comedies. Many thanks!

[Farrar]

There's the Shakespeare Animated Tales from the BBC, which you can find on Youtube.  There's one for the Scottish Play.

 

There's also a Bruce Coville book of it, which is really lovely.

 

I directed a short production of it for the Folger's Children's Festival last year and it was a fun play for kids.  The Witches, the tricky prophesy, the betrayals...  They loved it.  Have fun!

[Farrar]

Oh, also, Ethan Hawke did an episode of that PBS show about Shakespeare's characters that might be of interest to you - there's some stuff in there that's not perfect for younger viewers, IIRC.  Nothing too bad - but I know they look at a production that's a bit scantily clad and sexy dark.

[GoVanGogh]

We used No Fear Shakespeare in fifth grade.

If you are not familiar with them, they have the original on opposite side of page as modern English.

[TianXiaXueXiao]

I recommend the Shakespeare Can be Fun! series.

 

[Muttichen]

I'd skip the kids' versions.  The play itself is so accessible!  We just read it aloud to the kids at that age and watched a BBC video. The younger kids listened along and one day I caught my preschool boys dueling with plastic swords and saying, "My voice is in my sword!"  

[madteaparty]

Thank you everyone!

[Farrar]

You know, I like the kids' versions - even for adults.  So I don't see it as dumbing it down.  If you don't know the play, it's the nicest way to meet it before seeing it.  That's certainly what we do for my fourth graders.  But I guess it depends on your goals.  For me, if I'm about to take my kids to the play, the prep is just getting to know the story - I wouldn't want to read the whole play first or watch the totality of a different version.  One interesting thing we watched before doing the play was this three radically different first scenes.  But warning, because the third and final one is a bit too much for some kids this age.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clG8ha2D26g

[PhineasPoe]

I am using the Shakespeare can be fun with my fourth grader. Just purchased the Macbeth one and am really excited to go through it with him. I don't have a problem with going through a "kid's version" when they are young. I agree with the reasoning that they can learn the story when they are young by reading an easier translation, which will help them to deal with the language of the originals when they are older. We are doing this with Homer and Virgil as well by reading Alfred J. Church's translations of their work. I don't see why Shakespeare deserves to be treated differently.

 

[duckens]

I read the Usborne version to my dd6.  A 4th grader would understand more, and could read it to you!

 

 

[Cricket]

I'd skip the kids' versions.  The play itself is so accessible!  We just read it aloud to the kids at that age and watched a BBC video. The younger kids listened along and one day I caught my preschool boys dueling with plastic swords and saying, "My voice is in my sword!"  

 

We just finished reading Macbeth.  My 7 yo and 10 yo dds absolutely loved it.  I caught them in their room actually reading the play to each other.  We listened to an audio version (the one with David Tennant as the Porter) and followed along with a text.  The audio version was great and really made it come alive.  I was amazed at how much my younger ones understood and appreciated about the original work.  (And I actually prefer the original language because some of the more inappropriate-for-youngers stuff goes over their head!  :) )

[madteaparty]

I'd skip the kids' versions.  The play itself is so accessible!  We just read it aloud to the kids at that age and watched a BBC video. The younger kids listened along and one day I caught my preschool boys dueling with plastic swords and saying, "My voice is in my sword!"  

The issue with reading a play is that it seems to be a bit choppy "Act 3, Scene 2. Three witches enter" on and on. Unless I can get DH to act some parts ;)

[Muttichen]

My dh would read it in different voices and replace the stage directions with a quick summary of what's coming up.  "Ok, this scene is out on the heath.  Macbeth is going to talk to the witches..."

 

We also have a great audio version we'd listen to and follow along with.

[PeterPan]

William Shakespeare's Macbeth: Bruce Coville, Gary Kelley ...