Ideas for classroom organization elementary teacher hacks life. Jeffery lionel magee maniac magee genre of the story. Improve your students reading comprehension with readworks. Maniac magee plot chart organizer by spinelli while reading the novel maniac magee, this graphic organizer will help students analyze the 6 parts of the plot exposition setting, characters, and background info conflict rising action 3 events or details climax falling action 2 events or details resolution novel maniac magee by jerry. Maniac magee designed for grades 7 and 8, this site offers a summary, theme openers, crosscurricular activities, research assignments, and suggestions for additional reading.
The story of jeffrey lionel magee, aka maniac, has become a school standard since its publication in 1990. Maniac doesnt know he doesnt belong in the east end, and he recognizes some of the streets from when he met amanda. This literature unit guide is designed to be used alongside the soldseparately maniac magee by jerry spinelli. Maniac magee by jerry spinelli is a novel that introduces the human rights violation of racism to children in elementary schools. Main conflict maniac is tired of living with his aunt and uncle so he decides to run away, and runs toward two mills. An instructional guide for literature novel study guide for 4th8th. Get a 100% unique essay on book report for maniac magee.
Maniac magee three activities to support the novel. These activities encourage students to discuss the racial divide in two mills, identify the books setting and complete a. Theres even a jump rope rhyme about magee that the kids can jump to and make up other verses for. Without a place to call home, maniac bridges racial boundaries with his super athleticism, knotuntying abilities, and overall good character. Maniac magee is a great unit for teaching both theme and character change. If the events in the novel merit it, write up a report as a social worker would on the conditions in the home and whether or not its a good environment for a child. Maniac magee is a moderately complex novel, in form and in content. Maniac magee by jerry spinelli lesson plans and teaching resources maniac magee vocabulary, comprehension questions, and learning activities, divided by chapters. I think maniac is a good nickname for jeffery because he can do almost anything and everything he does cannot be done by others. Fifth graders read jerry spinellis, maniac magee, which focuses on homelessness, illiteracy, and racism.
Hes so cool that he has his very own jumprope rhyme. Maniac magee project choice board 5th grade ela, 5th. Maniac magee is a novel written by american author jerry spinelli and published in 1990. My students typically complete their book jacket in.
First, maniac bribes russell and piper to attend school. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Ask students to brainstorm what that would look like, and what are some potential problems that might come from that. He came into this world named jeffrey lionel magee, but when his parents died and his life changed, so did his name. Maniac becomes a legend in two mills, a town with an east end for blacks and a west end for whites. Love the ideas and worksheets in this book and that it is reproduceable. Maniac magee maniac magee, teaching themes, middle school. One in particular takes particular notice of maniac. Knot the whole truth the writer will analyze and discuss the tall tale format after reading jerry spinelli s tale of cobble s knot, told in chapter 20 of maniac magee. Free maniac magee study unit worksheets for teachers to print. Maniac magee novel study unit activities book report distance learning. Reading detective a1 if you find this work sheet of value, see more free printable worksheets from the critical thinking co. My students are age 10, filled with curiosity and wonder. The main character, jeffrey or manic, as he is called by everyone, helps african americans live peaceable with caucasians in a small town.
Maniac magee will allow the students the ability to get inside the head of the main characters and think about how the characters actions affect various situations. Students must include the following on their book jacket template. Book jacket project description page grading rubric halfpage design to save paper example photos of a completed book jacket different novel as example this maniac magee activity is an equal mix of writing and creativity that students love. This time is a little different thoughits a saturday, and there are kids everywhere. At the age of three, jeffrey magee loses both of his parents in a tragic accident. Students in fifth grade often have trouble solving conflicts.
This project will allow students to connect to the characters in the book as well as other classmates that may be dealing with the same issues. My sixth grade students read the book maniac magee before watching the nickelodeon version. Maniac magee in elementary school curricula essay 582 words. The novel goes on to relate the history of one jeffrey lionel magee, particularly his life in the town of two mills where he gained the nickname maniac. Fun classroom activities include group projects, games, critical thinking activities, brainstorming sessions, writing poems, drawing or sketching, and countless other creative exercises. Maniac magee enrichment project menu with nine noprep creative and fun novel. This product provides you the opportunity to have all students involved in class discussions. Maniac magee lesson plans include student activities for figurative language, plot analysis, vocabulary, theme, and. It would probably be a good choice for upper elementarylower middle, but may not hold the interest of older students. This board focuses on jerry spinellis themes, writing styles, subject matter, genre, as well as other literary analysis found in his books maniac magee and stargirl. A guide for using maniac magee in the classroom, grades 58 9781557345370.
Maniac magee was an orphan so his aunt and uncle adoped him. A collection of crosscurricular lessons to accompany the novel by jerry spinelli offers sample lesson plans, vocabulary lists, quizzes, cooperative learning activities, and book report ideas. Maniac magee novel study unit activities book report. Click on the pictures or videos to go to the links. It is a great movie to show how a book can be so much more rewarding than television. Maniac magee maniac magee, teaching themes, middle. See more ideas about activities, maniac magee and novels. Teachers home lessons and ideas books and authors top teaching blog teachers tool kit student activities the teacher store book clubs book fairs scholastic education. Maniac magee project choice board maniac magee projects. The students in elementary school also read it as a part of the curricula. Answer questions with evidence in this excerpt from maniac magee by jerry spinelli.
Maniac magee begins by briefly introducing jefferys parents, before he abruptly becomes an orphan. 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. The perents of maniac magee died in a trolley crash. Jeffrey magee, later nicknamed maniac, goes to live with aunt dot and uncle dan after enjoy book unit samples from maniac magee. An instructional guide for literature novel study guide for 4th 8th. See more ideas about maniac magee, 5th grade reading and teaching. A guide for using maniac magee in the classroom, grades 58. Published in the 1990s, spinelli decided to focus on an issue that was not widely discussed within the school systems and chose to inform fifth graders about segregation and the effect this can have on a persons moral character. 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. This story of a boys quest for family without a color line has amazing heart. Middle school literature, literature circles, maniac magee, learn something new everyday. Maniac magee literature guide for grades 58 teachervision. After reading of maniacs wildly independent exploits and his encounter with the ugly face of racial segregation, middle school students will be ready to delve deeper into.
A guide for using maniac magee in the classroom, grades 5. The terrific ten great creative book report ideas minds in bloom inside mobile book report template digital photography below, ways to present a book report. They have been developed to help students make real, authentic connections with words that. Maniac magee is a book that stuck with me long after i read it in fifth grade for the first time. Access thousands of highquality, free k12 articles, and create online assignments with them for your students. It also includes ideas of how to use the book in a middlegrades or high school classroom. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Classroom and any other secured platform that is accepted by your school.
Write their ideas on the board, then have a volunteer look up the word in a dictionary. Maniac magee by jerry spinelli scholastic inc, 2002 a largerthanlife hero confronts racism while living on the street. Free maniac magee worksheets and literature unit for teachers. Maniac magee vocabulary activities and games set this is a collection of 11 different vocabulary activities and games for the story the jerry spinelli book, maniac magee. Fsu employee and student personal information on this website is for official business use only. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of maniac magee by jerry spinelli. Maniac magee by jerry spinelli maniac magee summary. It is popular in elementary school curricula, and has been used in social studies on the premises of. In this novel unit, youll find 18 differentiated activities for maniac magee by jerry. Maniac magee students can explore racism and the truth behind what happens when people spread rumors. Maniac magee, lived with his parents until he was 3 years old.
Have students predict what the character with this name might be like. Explain that the book they will read is titled maniac magee. Free maniac magee worksheets and literature unit for. The mcnab children steal, swear, cut school, smoke, and drink.
Jeffery is shipped off to his impractical aunt dot and uncle dan for the next eight years. This book report should be done after completing reading maniac magee. Small groups of students are involved in a discussion that centers around a quote from one of two chapters and then a connection to real life is made. The relationship of kids to racial identity in maniac magee has been used as a topic in a number of studies. With this guide in hand, you could become a teaching legendmaybe your students will start calling you maniac, too. Jerry spinelli, the author of this newbery medal winner, is also the author of other childrens classics like wringer, stargirl, and milkweed. Maniac magee is upperfourthgrade in terms of reading difficulty. Apr 17, 2014 maniac magee by jerry spinelli scholastic inc, 2002 a largerthanlife hero confronts racism while living on the street. One day maniac ran away because the hated in his aunt and uncle house. He becomes a local legend for feats of athleticism and helpfulness, and his ignorance of sharp racial boundaries in the town. A guide for using maniac magee in the classroom literature units see more. Maniac magee focuses on a young boys search for a loving family. Have your students design an election poster and campaign slogan for him.
The book organizes the novel study well, and the additional activities are creative and engaging. Spinelli books, what is theme, maniac magee, essay words, school plan. These projects help students work through its themes, characters, and events by creating a. Any unlawful, unauthorized, improper, or negligent use andor. A 5th grade literature guide unit is suitable for 4th 8th grade. In form, it offers both social realism and an adventure tale about the life and times of a contemporary legend. Language arts anchor charts great for upper elementary teachers i like to use sticky notes for students to complete the anchor chart. Maniac magee by jerry spinelli lesson plans and teaching resources free. Novel unit maniac magee ideas for teaching, resources. The 20 enjoyable, interactive classroom activities that are included will help students understand maniac magee in fun and entertaining ways. Introduction jeffrey maniac magee became an orphan at three years of age and has been living with his aunt dot and uncle dan, who hate each other but wont divorce. Ask students why they think amanda and maniac became friends. They have been developed to help students make real, authentic connections with words that go beyond basic recalling.
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. Maniac magee summary, discussion topics, and suggestions for learning activities. Maniac magee is not just any book or story it is a lesson of life. Tell students that maniac magee takes place in a town that is segregated. For example, if a social worker went to the mcnabs house in maniac mageeby jerry spinelli 1990, little, brown how would she describe the home and. Scholars can use them for free to gain inspiration and new creative. Then, assign them to write and deliver endorsement speeches in favor of maniac for mayor. 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. Oral history maniac magee learns about grayson from the tales the old man tells.
Maniac magee was born in a dump, his heart is a cereal box, he has an eightinch pet cockroach on a leash. Fifty alternatives to the book report teaching ideas ncte. You might try the following activities with the class before handing out the book. Maniac magee is a must read about for you students. Maniac magee is considered as an important literary work. In maniac magee, jerry spinelli writes a young adult novel in which the main character. This is a very useful tool for leading a study of maniac magee. They have been developed to help students make real, authentic connections with words that go beyond basic recalling the definitions. Maniac for mayor pretend that maniac is running for mayor of two mills.
Students love this creative board game book report and it is a great way to recyclereuse. It won the 1991 newbery medal and remains a vital, relevant classic. Maniac didt like their house because they cant share. This prompt will help students think about friendship in maniac magee by jerry spinelli as well as their own friendships.
Maniac magee deals with important issues while presenting an engaging protagonist and compelling story. 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. Better than book reports, these ideas will have your students think more. Marcus willoughby maniac magee book report write about. Maniac magee is a realistic fictionbook because maniac is invented but it could happen in real life. The book starts by relating the legends which built up about maniac magee and its fun to go back to those first two pages when youve finished reading to see how far from the truth the legend has grown. Theres no need to run around trying to plan a unit for the book maniac magee, the work has already been done for you. I have used this study guide with fifth grade and middle school, and highly recommend it. Maniac magee book project book projects, maniac magee.
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