Have students predict what the character with this name might be like. A theme of the first 12 chapters of the novel could be the. Identify a major and minor problem that maniac faces in the. Writers block can be painful, but well help get you over the hump and build a great outline for your paper. In two mills, he was called maniac magee after defeating john mcnab, a giant five feet eight twelve year old child, in a baseball game. Novel unit maniac magee ideas for teaching, resources.
Explain that the book they will read is titled maniac magee. Maniac magee students can explore racism and the truth behind what happens when people spread rumors. Find proof from the story to support the different qualities inhabited by maniac and grayson. Mcnab was a member of the cobras, a survivalist gang who hates and fear blacks. His nickname was maniac magee which would probably mean that he did crazy events.
The first reason he became a legend is because the pickwell family is a very large family, so when jeffrey was in the dining room, they thought that he was one of the family friends but they realized that he was not, not to mention they were not in the dining room, they were in the living room. This lesson will give a summary of the popular book maniac magee, a novel written by jerry spinelli. This literature unit guide is designed to be used alongside the soldseparately maniac magee by jerry spinelli. Choose from 500 different sets of maniac magee chapter 4 flashcards on quizlet. See, not everyone loves the idea of a white kid living with a black family in a. Parents need to know that jerry spinellis maniac magee is an exciting, moving, and sometimes funny story, brilliantly told, about an orphan boy who runs away from his feuding aunt and uncle at age 8 and makes a. Maniac magee novel study unit activities book report.
Feeling his race is making trouble for the generous beale family, maniac shuttles back and forth between the east and west end, searching for family and a. Exploring themes of racism and inequality, it follows the story of an orphan boy looking for a home in the fictional town of two mills. Maniac magee is a heartwarming book first published 25 years ago. He came into this world named jeffrey lionel magee, but when his parents died and his life changed, so did his name. For example, if a social worker went to the mcnabs house in maniac magee by jerry. It stuck with me more than in just a lifelong love of butterscotch krumpets, but also in the sweetness of the main character and the good that he finds in well, everyone. Jeffrey lionel magee is a caucasian boy who is orphaned at the age of three. Write their ideas on the board, then have a volunteer look up the word in a dictionary. The protagonist in most novels features the main character or good guy. He becomes a local legend for feats of athleticism and helpfulness, and his ignorance of sharp racial boundaries in the town. See more ideas about maniac magee, book study and 6th grade reading. Maniac magee novel study guide grades 5 to 6 ebook.
It is a great movie to show how a book can be so much more rewarding than television. Think back on some of your favorite characters from past. Fifth graders read jerry spinellis, maniac magee, which focuses on homelessness, illiteracy, and racism. The protagonist of maniac magee is a most unusual character living a very different kind of life than most boys his age. You might try the following activities with the class before handing out the book. A guide for using maniac magee in the classroom, grades 58 9781557345370.
Maniac magee by jerry spinelli is a young adult novel published in 1990. Jeffrey lionel maniac magee is an orphan searching for a loving home when he finds himself in a small, segregated town in pennsylvania. Maniac magee deals with important issues while presenting an engaging protagonist and compelling story. Maniac magee novel study unit activities book report distance learning. Maniac magee by jerry spinelli reading group activity guide this activity guide is set up so it can be used as a unit plan for the teacher, or used by students in. Fifty alternatives to the book report teaching ideas william. Parents need to know that jerry spinellis maniac magee is an exciting, moving, and sometimes funny story, brilliantly told, about an orphan boy who runs away from his feuding aunt and uncle at age 8 and makes a name and legend for himself in a racially divided town. Well explore the major events and problems in the book, and discuss its conclusion. Jeffrey lionel magee is living a normal life until his parents are killed in a tragic. Maniac magee was born in a dump, his heart is a cereal box, he has an eightinch pet cockroach on a leash. Students confront the idea of discrimination by identifying some of the ways people discriminate against other people. In this novel unit, youll find 18 differentiated activities for maniac magee by.
See more ideas about maniac magee, teaching and 5th grade reading. Access thousands of highquality, free k12 articles, and create online assignments with them for your students. Maniac magee little, brown, 1990 was the newbery medal winner in 1991. Wellresearched, thoughtprovoking quotations by some of historys greatest thinkerseach quotation relates to a theme in the book. Also contains an interesting activity on having a talk show related to the book source midwifes apprentice, the these lesson ideas can take your students to a higher level of thinking. He was born in a house, a pretty ordinary house, right across the river from here, in bridgeport.
My sixth grade students read the book maniac magee before watching the nickelodeon version. I recommend showing students example book jackets from their favorite stories to get them motivated and their creative juices flowing. It won the 1991 newbery medal and remains a vital, relevant classic. Maniac magee is a book that stuck with me long after i read it in fifth grade for the first time. The theme of belonging is important to chapters 112, which begin with maniac running away and end with him moving in with the beales. Learn maniac magee chapter 4 with free interactive flashcards. Maniac magee is the story of jeffery lionel magee, a homeless drifter who finds his way. It deals with racism and its effects on a young man who, though white, finds more warmth and kindness on the black side of town than on his own side. Maniac jeffery magee is one of the most refreshing and memorable characters in a. What is the theme of chapters 112 in jerry spinellis. Maniac magee by jerry spinelli novel guide teaching. Students are responsible for creating the game board. Inspire your students with this brave story about racism and homelessness. Books similar to maniac magee meet your next favorite book.
He runs away from his aunt and uncles tensionfilled home, and lives with a succession of people. This book was about jeffrey magee, a kid who ran away, having adventures with people he encounters in a racist town. Vocabulary lists and study guides, quizzes and tests with keys. Organize your thoughts in 6 simple steps narrow your focus. It is with amanda and her family that magee found a home. Students love this creative board game book report and it is a great way to recyclereuse materials too. Maniac magee topics for discussion jerry spinelli this study guide consists of approximately 30 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of maniac magee. For those of you who havent already had the pleasure, let us introduce you to this wonderful book.
On jeffreys first day at two mills he became a legend for two reasons. Improve your students reading comprehension with readworks. Maniac magee power point maniacs teaching resources. In 1978 he presented a 15part series for the bbc, men of ideas. The novel received critical acclaim upon release and in 1991 won the prestigious newbery medal. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Spinelli 1990, little, brown how would she describe the home and. A 5th grade literature guide unit is suitable for 4th 8th grade. Through a series of whole class, small group, and independent lessons and activities, students practice synthesizing what they read and learn how to find answers to different types of.
Among the things that maniac eats in the book are spaghetti at the pickwells, carrots, apples, and dayold hamburger buns at the deer shed at the elmwood park zoo, and a bite of mars bar. These projects help students work through its themes, characters, and events by creating a. In this book, spinelli deals with the absurdities of racism. I also kind of have favorite foods and i love when i can get them. A great way to teach figurative language from a book thats overflowing with it. I can see why jerry spinelli won the newberry award for his mondern classic, maniac magee. Hes so cool that he has his very own jumprope rhyme. The legend of maniac magee theme two mills is divided in two, until maniac, who is white finds a home with a black family.
Maniac magee by jerry spinelli chapters 1 4 before you read the chapters. Help your students make the books they read come alive with these 22 creative book report ideas and. Bryan magee, who has died aged 89, was hardly a typical member of the political. Times may be hard, and tenyearold bud may be a motherless boy on the run, but bud. Men of ideas hardcover may 31, 1979 by bryan magee author. This book report was made by, valentina, julia, abby, will, and devon.
A guide for using maniac magee in the classroom, grades 5. This relates to the book because it is the name of the bully who bullies. Everything you need to teach the novel maniac magee by jerry spinelli except the book. Jeffrey gets the nickname maniac after performing athletic feats of mythic proportions and appearing fearless in the face of bullies and other terrifying situations. Theres no need to run around trying to plan a unit for the book maniac magee, the work has already been done for you. Maniac magee is a novel written by american author jerry spinelli and published in 1990. It deals with racism and its effects on a young man who, though white, finds more warmth. Better than book reports, these ideas will have your students think more complexly about. This shows how maniac is in love them and always gets them when he can.
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