Globe Education Shakespeare: Macbeth

This iBook includes the full text of Shakespeare's Macbeth, including highlighting, a glossary, and some text analysis. The preface introduces the Globe Theatre, both in Shakespeare's time and today, including a virtual tour. The text of the play is scrollable, like in an ebook, and features pictures from recent productions of Macbeth along with audio clips of commentary from the actors and directors. 

The Rehearsal Room section includes acting exercises to deepen students' understanding of a scene or character, taking kids out of the tablet and onto the stage. Each scene includes a brief summary and the "director's notes." Students can review the highlighted terms as flash cards or review sample questions and answers about key scenes in the Examiner's Notes section. As with any iBook, text can be highlighted, underlined, and annotated.

Throughout Globe Education Shakespeare: Macbeth, clear instructions explain the iBook's features. Navigation is intuitive, and the analysis is presented in more of a question-and-answer format while still maintaining depth. The pop-up vocabulary help is on par with other similar tools.

What really sets this digital reading of the play apart is its emphasis on the players. The included images from the Globe today, as well as the conversations with modern-day actors, help bring the play to life. It's an innovative approach that makes perfect sense for anyone reading the play in a classroom setting. The Rehearsal Room activities lend themselves to some great active-learning exercises. The more students connect with the play, the more they'll find it engaging, deepening their understanding.