Maniac Magee Lesson Ideas
Here are ideas and activities to include in a "Maniac Magee" novel study.
By Dawn Dodson
The 1991 Newbery Award winner "Maniac Magee" by Jerry Spinelli never fails to capture my sixth grade students’ attention. The characters and events tend to engage even my most reluctant readers. This novel also lends itself to numerous opportunities for reading and writing instruction. The following are language arts activities and lesson ideas to supplement a "Maniac Magee" novel study.
To kick off a unit on the novel, I use an anticipation guide. The purpose of the guide is to encourage students to think about the themes and issues that will become the focus of classroom discussions, literature responses, and assignments. I ask students to read a list of statements and honestly respond with “I agree”, “I disagree”, and “on the fence”. After students have read and responded to each statement, we conduct a whole class discussion. I read each statement, and if students responded with “I agree,” they stand up. If they responded with “I disagree,” they stay seated. If they responded with “on the fence,” they sit beside their desk. After students have had a chance to see how their classmates' responded, I ask volunteers to explain their responses. In addition to providing a catalyst for impressive class discussion, this activity helps students construct predictions for pre-reading literature responses.
After students have completed this activity, we dive into reading. As we progress through the novel, students write literature responses, answer questions, and complete projects and online activities. One online resource I use for the activities is Debbie Bowling’s Book Unit website. Bowling’s unit includes printable and online questions, as well as a related Internet activity.
In addition to using web resources, I also use hands-on activities, such as a story cube. A story cube is a template that students can cut out and fold into a cube. What they put on the cube can vary. I tailor the assignment based on what concepts students need to practice. I’ve assigned summary cubes, inference cubes, “five w” cubes, and theme cubes. Each side of the cube normally has a specific requirement that guides students through the concept we’re practicing. The cube is an excellent instructional tool, and it helps students to use various learning modalities.
At the conclusion of the book, I assign a nonfiction writing project. As a class, we review the major themes presented in "Maniac Magee", such as segregation, illiteracy, and homelessness. Students choose one theme and conduct research in order to write a five paragraph informational essay. I assign other writing assignments during the novel unit, including an essay on the history of baseball, poetry writing, and a persuasive essay. I often have students write friendly letters to Maniac giving him advice on the conflicts he faces during the novel. In short, "Maniac Magee" is a quality reading experience, and presents many opportunities for both reading and writing activities. What follows are more "Maniac Magee" lesson ideas and activities.
"Maniac Magee" Lesson Plans:
This lesson is a great practice in word choice and characterization. Students compose epitaphs about the characters in the novel that reveal personally traits.
In this lesson students discuss how they would solve problems faced by Maniac Magee. This lesson has students discuss how they can solve problems they are facing.
Students learn about diversity through reading the novel and comparing and contrasting the similarities and differences between characters. The lesson ends with a game that requires students to locate classmates with similarities and differences.
