Manic Magee Guide Final Version CCSS

Acknowledgements
The Board of Trustees and staff of The Max Warburg Courage Curriculum, Inc. would like to
express their sincere gratitude and appreciation to those individuals and organizations that, since
1991, have given so generously of their time, talent and energy to make these guides possible.
Guide Authors
Martha Gillis
Louisa Birch
Mary Alyward Stewart
Kelly Keyes Smith
Sarah Beck
Jennifer Jerome Underhill
Teri West
Sophie Degener
Mairead Nolan
Julie Wood
Dr. Marcia Harris
© 2013 The Max Warburg Courage Curriculum, Inc. Edited by Elizabeth Evans D’Ascensao and Liz Connolly
About The Max Warburg Courage
Curriculum, Inc.
The Max Warburg Courage Curriculum, Inc. is a year-long language arts program dedicated to
strengthening the character development and literacy skills of students. Since the organization’s
founding, the Courage Curriculum has positively impacted the academic performance of more
than 150,000 students in the Boston Public Schools and surrounding communities. Our
programs are taught locally in sixth and ninth grade classrooms, and our reach has expanded to
include a national essay contest and an international program taught in Thailand, Cambodia,
Mozambique, and beyond.
The Max Warburg Courage Curriculum was founded in 1991 to honor the life of Max Warburg,
a courageous young boy who maintained steadfast determination and heartfelt hope in the face of
his battle with leukemia. After his death, Max’s parents, Stephanie and Jonathan Warburg,
believed that Max’s story could be an example for other children. They worked with the Boston
Public Schools and experienced educators to develop The Max Warburg Courage Curriculum.
The program’s sixth grade curriculum, Courage in My Life, features carefully selected novels
whose main characters are courageous young people. As students become familiar with Max
and the literary characters featured in each novel, they come to understand their own capacity for
courage. Their personal stories are shared in the essays they write as the culmination of this
year-long curriculum. Each spring, The Max Warburg Courage Curriculum honors students
whose work, chosen from thousands of essays, is published in an anthology titled The Courage
of Boston’s Children.
www.maxcourage.org
About The Max Warburg Courage
Curriculum’s Guides for Educators
The Max Warburg Courage Curriculum’s Guides for Teachers provide suggestions for teachers
on how to help students understand and appreciate literature, while engaging in meaningful
classroom discussions and activities. Immersion in literature becomes a bridge for the
development of students’ listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. Using these guides,
teachers can help students acquire and refine the skills they need to be effective communicators
and excellent readers and writers.
The Boston Public Schools English Language Arts (ELA) Curriculum Frameworks and Common
Core State Standards (CCSS) have also been integrated into these Guides for Educators by
incorporating the ELA educational principles of the frameworks, by embedding student products
from the Student Requirements, and by helping students to explore the key concepts and
questions in the Content Objectives. In addition the Guides for Educators employ a variety of
pedagogical approaches for developing literacy and social skills.
ELA Educational Principles

The following education principles from the ELA Curriculum Frameworks and Common Core
State Standards (CCSS) have guided the development of The Max Warburg Courage
Curriculum’s Guides for Educators.
Reading
Reading is an active, constructive and creative process that involves distinctive cognitive
strategies before, during and after reading. Good readers access prior knowledge, establish
purpose, preview the text, generate questions, make predictions, confirm and revise predictions,
locate and clarify concepts that cause confusion, take mental or written notes, organize
information into categories, and use text features such as illustrations and headings to acquire
meaning from print.
Writing
Writing is a process involving planning (pre-writing), context (drafting), reading aloud and
reflecting on the product, collaborating with others (peer editing), revising (rewriting) and
sharing the final product with others (publishing). Good writing reflects and stimulates thinking
and allows students to find their own voices and to express themselves in an articulate, coherent
manner.
Social skills and values
While students develop their reading and writing skills, they can simultaneously develop their
social skills and values. One important way for students to express themselves and become
aware of other people’s points of view is by developing strong perspective-taking skills. The
development of students’ perspective-taking sills contributes to the development of their conflict
resolution skills. These social skills-- together with learning to value trust, respect, love, peace,
self-esteem, courage, perseverance and freedom - help students to develop healthy relationships
while, at the same time, support the development of students’ literacy skills.
ELA Student Requirements

Students are expected to complete specific products for each grade level by the end of the school
year. The Max Warburg Courage Curriculum’s Guides for Educators may include one or more
of the following student products: reading review, autobiography, letter, essay, perspective-
taking exercise, and conflict resolution exercise. The completions of these products may be used
to satisfy the BPS ELA Student Writing Product Requirements.
ELA Content Objectives

Key questions are challenging, thought-provoking, age-appropriate, and generally open-ended.
They are designed to engage students’ interest before, during, and after reading. Key questions
direct students’ exploration of the most important topics, themes, characters, events, values,
perspectives, and literary conventions. The Max Warburg Courage Curriculum’s Guides for
Educators explore key concepts and questions through whole class, small group, partner, and
individual discussions and activities.
Dear Teachers,
This guide has been written according to current research and best practices in literacy
instruction. There are many ideas and activities that will help you to explore the themes of the
novel, deepening students’ comprehension, motivation and enjoyment. There are also activities
designed to deal with specific instructional goals, such as writing skills and vocabulary
development.
As part of The Max Warburg Courage Curriculum, this guide focuses significantly with the
theme of courage. Students are encouraged to think about examples of courage in their own
lives, and make connections between Max’s story and Maniac Magee. This guide has been
written to reflect the Boston Public Schools’ English Language Arts Standards and Requirement
for sixth graders. Many of the questions, activities and projects are designed to help you meet
these requirements. Throughout the guide, you will find activities which relate to the standard
requirements in one of four ways:
● Activities that fulfill the sixth grade Language Arts Student Requirements (these can be
found in the post-reading section);
● Writing assignments throughout the book which can become part of students’ writing
portfolios;
● Research activities that require students to read other text genres, such as newspapers,
which help to satisfy the requirement to read ten other genre pieces; and
● Activities and questions throughout the guide that directly relate to the focus themes and
questions. The goal is to help prepare students on an ongoing basis for their final key
questions essay(s).
In addition, you will find in this guide important updates pertaining to the Common Core State
Standards for English Language Arts, reflecting current shifts in text complexity, evidence-based
analysis, and more. This guide has been revised to align with these Common Core State
Standards (CCSS) shifts. The mini-lessons, long-term projects and extension activity labels
highlight the CCSS anchor standards.
Best wishes for a wonderful school year!
Sincerely,
Dr. Marcia Harris

Dear Teachers,
You are about to begin an adventure that you and your students will likely remember for a long,
long time. Maniac Magee is that rare book that immediately draws readers in because of its fun,
fast-paced and adventurous spirit, and simultaneously delves deeply into the very serious themes
of courage, prejudice, homelessness, running away and family. While delighting readers with
witty dialogue, vivid imagery, athletic competition and an amazingly accurate portrayal of
children and teenagers, the book also forces readers to look inward, to examine important issues,
and to think deeply about what is right and wrong and what we ourselves can do about it.
Just as Max Warburg faced a very difficult situation with courage, strength and hope, so, too, do
Maniac and the various characters you will encounter in this novel. Though Maniac Magee is
laced with fear, hopelessness, ignorance and sadness, it is ultimately a very optimistic book, with
characters who find the inner strength and courage to get through the hard times.
This guide has been written according to current research and best practices in literacy
instruction. There are many ideas and activities that will help you to explore the intense themes
of the novel, deepening students’ comprehension, motivation and enjoyment. There are also
activities designed to deal with specific instructional goals, such as writing skills and vocabulary
development.
There are more activities included in this guide than any teacher could possibly complete. This
allows you to choose those activities that best suit your needs as well as to give your students
choices. The guide is not meant to dictate your journey through Maniac Magee. Rather, use it
as a resource that, together with your own ideas and those of your students, can provide a useful
support as your work your way through the novel.
As I wrote this guide, I felt it very important to emphasize a deep understanding of the serious
themes contained in the novel. Through students will enjoy this novel even if they only read it as
the exciting adventures of an athletic, free-spirited kid, they will obviously get so much more out
of it if they are forced to explore the more profound aspects of it. As part of The Max Warburg
Courage Curriculum, this guide deals with the theme of courage a great deal. Students are
encouraged to think about examples of courage in their own lives, and make connections
between Max’s story and Maniac Magee. The guide is also designed to facilitate discussion
around themes of prejudice, homelessness, running away and family. My hope is that through
discussion, journal writing and in-depth projects, students will begin to understand and reflect
upon these issues in a deeply personal way.
This guide has been written to reflect the Boston Public Schools’ English Language Arts
Standards and Requirement for sixth graders. Many of the questions, activities and projects are
designed to help you meet these requirements. Throughout the guide, you will find activities
which relate to the standard requirements in one of four ways:
● Activities that fulfill the sixth grade Language Arts Student Requirements (these can be
found in the post-reading section);
● Writing assignments throughout the book which can become part of students’ writing
portfolios;
● Research activities that require students to read other text genres, such as newspapers,
which help to satisfy the requirement to read ten other genre pieces; and
● Activities and questions throughout the guide that directly relate to the focus themes and
questions. The goal is to help prepare students on an ongoing basis for their final key
questions essay(s).
Good luck as you begin reading Maniac Magee with your class. I hope you enjoy your journey
through this guide as much as I have enjoyed writing it.
Sincerely,
Sophie Degener
Author, Curriculum Guide
Dear Teachers,
In these mini lessons, I have attempted to pull out the teaching points in the many activities that
have been so thoughtfully planned in the original curriculum. The mini lessons are based on
author’s craft, story structure and good reading habits. It is my hope that by pulling out the
teaching point for these mini-lessons, teachers will be better able to use the curriculum within a
workshop model.
I based these mini-lessons on the idea that teachers may teach the books in any order.
Occasionally some of the mini-lessons are repeated in multiple books. This repetition is
deliberate in order to provide more practice with the skill. I envisioned the curriculum being used
in a classroom which allows opportunities for students to do a majority of the thinking involved
in reading a text. Many curriculums provide guiding or discussion questions for students.
However, when students read for enjoyment they may not have a list of discussion questions to
help them discuss the book with a friend or lead them to understand the bigger concepts.
Explicitly teaching students to create these questions on their own, to make connections, notice
character traits, recognize authors craft, etc. will make reading a more enjoyable and efficient
process for them. Allowing conversations within small groups around their own questions and
ideas about the books will prove to be satisfying for all. As they share opinions, debate character
motivations, discuss connections and ask questions of their peers they will become more and
more authentically engaged with the text.
This type of independence and group work does not come naturally to all children. In order for
this type of learning to work well there needs to be a lot of up front teaching around the
expectations, routines and group dynamics before students are to be set free. I have found the
Literature Circle model described by Harvey Daniels to be very helpful in establishing book
clubs in the classroom.
As you already know, providing a variety of reading opportunities the classroom is essential to
effective reading instruction. At times you may read these or other books aloud to the class,
have students read in pairs, or independently if the book is on their reading level or you may also
provide some students with a listening center, where they can listen to the book on tape. I found
that many of the books in this curriculum are available on tape or CD at local libraries.
As you use these mini lessons and the initial curriculum to provide explicit reading instruction
and establish a classroom of enthusiastic, critical, independent readers, I wish you many
animated conversations focused around great literature and the compelling topic of courage.
Enjoy,
Kelly K. Smith
Author, Mini Lessons
Guide Preview
Pre-Reading
This section includes background information and a summary of the book, as well as
biographical information about the author, Jerry Spinelli. It also gives suggestions for discussion
and activities to do before beginning to read Maniac Magee, in order to get students interested
and involved in the story. You will find that there are many writing activities included in this
section. This is because current research has shown that using writing as a pre-reading activity
significantly improves students’ comprehension (Noyce and Christie, 1989). When students are
able to access what they already know about a given subject, their subsequent reading about that
subject are facilitated. There are a variety of writing activities that allow students to activate
their prior knowledge about a subject, including K-W-L, semantic mapping and brainstorming.
You will see these activities throughout this guide.
Reading Maniac Magee

The book has been divided up into sections of one or more chapters each. For each section, there
is a summary of the reading, suggested vocabulary words, discussion questions, journal writing
suggestions and activities. Also, for many sections there will be a discussion of the Writer’s
Craft, which focuses on the different literary and language devices that Jerry Spinelli uses
throughout the novel. Additionally, there will be suggestions for a unit long project, which will
build cumulatively throughout the courage of the unit.
Post-Reading
This section includes activities to be used once you have finished reading Maniac Magee. It will
also include a section devoted to each of the themes of the book, with key questions relating to
each of these themes.
Instructional Elements
The following instructional elements are present throughout the unit.
Questions to Promote Discussion and Stimulate Journal Writing

For each chapter, there will be a set of suggestion questions designed to develop comprehension
of the story and stimulate discussion of the themes and the way in which the story relates to your
students’ lives, particularly with respect to courage.
In addition, some of the questions and activities will also provide ideas for linking Maniac
Magee to the Boston Public Schools’ Key Questions and Close Reads with corresponding
concepts from the Boston Public Schools Standards and Curriculum Frameworks and Common
Core Standards (CCSS). There will also be Key Questions in the “Post-Reading” section. As
with all activities and questions, it is not necessary to answer or complete all questions. When
you preview the guide, it may be helpful to make a preliminary list of those questions which you
feel will most benefit your students. If you decide to use some of the Key Questions and Close
Reads to stimulate group discussion, you may want to jot down some ideas or comments made
by students on large chart paper. Students can refer to these at a later date if they are
independently working on a Key Question, particularly one from the Post-Reading questions.
You may wish to vary the placement of questions using some before and others after reading.
Although questions during a story can be an important means of assessing comprehension, you
may find that you do not want to interrupt the flow of this dramatic book. Before reading you
can ask the entire class to reflect upon what you read aloud or you may give different questions
to pairs of students. After reading, give your students time to discuss the questions with their
partners and then ask them to share their responses with the class. If two pairs of students reach
dissimilar conclusions, elicit further information from on why they feel the way they do.
A Special Note about Journal Writing: Dialogue Journals

In addition to providing students with the opportunity to reflect and share their feelings with their
classmates, you may also want to ask students to keep a daily journal of their reactions to the
day’s reading. Allow students to choose between the optional writing prompts provided in this
guide and writing their own unsolicited feelings or responses. In addition, encourage students to
write about examples of courage found in the story and in their own lives. One means of
focusing students on a particular chapter and assessing their comprehension of the plot is to ask
them to create a title for each chapter as they begin their journal entry. Encourage students to
reflect on their own comprehension. If they realize that they are unable to summarize the chapter
or recognize its main points, they may wish to reread it on their own or ask you or a classmate
for assistance.
Before beginning journal writing, assure students that their entries will not be graded and that
unless they choose to share what they have written, their writing is private. One effective
technique in journal writing is a dialogue journal in which students write and their teacher
responds in the journal to the content (not to grammar or spelling) of the entry. In this way,
dialogue journals can foster conversations between student and teacher. One strategy for making
this project more manageable for a large class is to ask three students a day who would like a
written response to volunteer to share their writing with you. Questions which may be
particularly appropriate for a dialogue journal will be marked with {Dialogue Journal}.
You may also wish to provide time for students to share their writing with another student or
with a small group of students. If you choose to pair students as “journal partners,” have
students write only on the right hand pages of their journal, reserving the left hand pages for their
journal partner’s response.
Sharing your own writing about the story with your class could be a way of enabling students to
become more comfortable with this activity. Before asking students to share with one another,
you may wish to discuss appropriate ways of listening and responding to others’ work. Remind
students to begin their response by first offering a positive comment such as: I like the way you
___________. The responder can then state how he or she feels about something specific in the
reader’s entry. Allow the reader to respond to the comment if he or she chooses to do so. Other
students may also want to join in the conversation or read aloud parts of their journal that relate
to the discussion.
After several sessions of modeling appropriate, positive responses to students’ sharing and
providing opportunities for students to practice as a whole group, students will be able to share
with a partner or small group. Sharing written responses to literature will not only encourage
your students to continue writing, it will also enrich and deepen their understanding of this
moving story.
Vocabulary
The vocabulary in Maniac Magee (Lexile 820, Readability Average) is relatively sophisticated,
though not especially difficult. At the beginning of each section, there will be a short list of tier
2 and 3 vocabulary words that you may wish to review with your students before beginning to
read. Using the chalkboard or overhead projector, write the words and ask students to predict
how they may be central to that day’s reading. Students should record these words in a mini-
dictionary (perhaps in a section of their Literature Journal) so that they can keep a record of
vocabulary words learned throughout the unit. Also, while you read, and while they reread,
students should jot down other words that they do not know, or that they find especially
significant to the story. Time should be made regularly for students to share the words that they
have recorded, and to discuss the words’ meanings and significance to the novel.
Mini Lesson
At the end of each chapter, you will find a mini lesson based on author’s craft, story structure
and good reading habits, supporting teachers using the Courage Curriculum within a workshop
model. We envision the curriculum being used in a classroom which allows opportunities for
students to do a majority of the thinking involved in reading a text. Many curriculums provide
guiding or discussion questions for students. However, when students read for enjoyment they
may not have a list of discussion questions to help them discuss the book with a friend or lead
them to understand the bigger concepts.
Explicitly teaching students to create these questions on their own, to make connections, notice
character traits, and recognize authors craft will make reading a more enjoyable and efficient
process for them. Allowing conversations within small groups around their own questions and
ideas about the books will prove to be satisfying for all. As they share opinions, debate character
motivations, discuss connections and ask questions of their peers they will become more and
more authentically engaged with the text.
Author’s Craft
Jerry Spinelli’s narrative style and his use of language are unique. He uses many literary
devices, including simile, analogy, foreshadowing, invented words and unusual sentence
structures. These devices make his descriptions incredibly vivid, but also add to the difficulty of
the novel. In order to help students understand and appreciate his writing style, the different
literary devices will be highlighted, when appropriate, throughout this guide.
Activities
After reading and discussing each section of the reading, there is a list of activities to choose
from that are connected to that day’s reading. They are designed to further promote
understanding of the story’s themes, characters, plot, settings, etc. Many activities are listed, but
it is not expected that teachers do them all. Choose those activities that best suit your needs.
The Max Connection
To help students make connection between Max Warburg’s story and Maniac Magee, this guide
will regularly demonstrate the parallels between the two stories, through discussion questions,
journal writing and activities.
Long-Term Projects
These are projects that will last throughout the Maniac Magee unit. In following either the
theme of overcoming prejudice or homelessness for a long period of time, students will be given
the opportunity to truly understand and become involved in these important issues. By taking a
stand and working to address the problems that are associated with these two issues, students will
have the chance to get to know the courageous people who have worked to improve our society,
as well as act courageously themselves.
Homelessness
In running away from his aunt and uncle, Jeffrey becomes homeless. He spends the entire novel
searching for a home and family, spending many nights at the zoo or in a variety of other
settings. Students will read books about homelessness, especially homeless children, exploring
the reasons for homelessness, understanding the problems and costs of homelessness in this
country. They will contact different agencies that deal with homelessness to get statistics and
other information. They will contact local shelters to inquire about the problem. They may visit
a shelter, or invite a shelter worker to come into the classroom. They will find out things that
they can do to help, perhaps working in a soup kitchen, donating clothing, getting to know
homeless children, etc. They will write up their research in a report to be presented to the class.
Ultimately, they will decide on a way to raise money either for a shelter or for organizations
designed to combat homelessness.
Overcoming Prejudice and Discrimination

When Jeffrey arrives in Two Mills, he is surprised to find out that the town is divided in two
halves- one white, one black. He is the object of discrimination on both halves. It is made clear
throughout the novel that a lot of prejudice is based on ignorance, and Jeffrey takes small steps to
erase the ignorance. Students will talk about their own encounters with prejudice, read books
about how prejudice has manifested itself in our country historically, and monitor newspapers to
find evidence of prejudice and discrimination that still occur today. They will contact different
organizations that are designed to combat prejudice and discrimination, perhaps requesting a
classroom speaker to further explain the problem. They will discuss how fighting discrimination
takes courage, and will learn about the various courageous acts of civil rights heroes. They will
share what they have learned with the class by presenting a report, painting, poem or song.
Ultimately, they will decide on a way that the whole class can contribute to address the problem
of prejudice.
Guide to Flagged Activities
Key Questions
Key Questions from the Boston Public Schools’ Curriculum Framework and Citywide Learning
Standards
Close Reading
Build critical thinking via re-reading, and analysis of a passage. {Resource}
Author’s Craft
Discussion of a literary technique used by the author
Dialogue Journal
Signals a question or activity that lends itself to the dialogue journal method described in the
Guide Preview
Resources
Refers you to our website [www.maxcourage.org], where you will find a list of suggested
resources, by topic. These resources may be helpful in completing questions or activities, or in
connecting your students with this novel and its themes.
Oral Reading, Silent Reading

Identifies questions or activities which ask students to read passages aloud our silently, either
independently or with a partner
About the Author
Jerry Spinelli was born in Norristown, Pennsylvania in 1941. As he tells it, he had a typical
childhood, living in a brick row house and doing the usual kid stuff. His first experience with
writing was at the age of 16, when he wrote a poem about his high school football team winning
a big game. When the poem was published in the local newspaper, he decided that he wanted to
become a writer.
He first tried writing novels for adults, but was none too successful. Then he married children’s
writer Eileen Spinelli, who had six children. After one of the children (he still doesn’t know
which one) ate all of the fried chicken Spinelli was saving for lunch, and left only the bones in
the refrigerator, he wrote about it. The anecdote about the chicken bones became the beginning
of Spinelli’s first published novel, Space Station Seventh Grade.
With so many children, and so many childhood memories, Spinelli realized he had a wealth of
material about which he could write. He wrote once, “I saw that each of us, in our kid hoods,
was a Huckleberry Finn, drifting on a current that seemed tortuously slow at times, poling for the
shore to check out every slightest glimmer in the trees.” When asked by a child where he gets
his ideas, Spinelli replied, “From you. You’re the funny ones. You’re the fascinating ones.
You’re the elusive and inspiring and promising and heroic and maddening ones.”
Spinelli’s novels are quite popular with children, as they reflect so well on the ups and downs of
childhood and adolescence. Though many of his novels deal with difficult themes, Spinelli’s use
of humor and his accurate portrayals of children make his novels incredibly appealing, through-
provoking and enjoyable.
Manic Magee tells the story of Jeffrey Lionel Magee, who runs away from a difficult home-life,
into the fictional town of Two Mills, Pennsylvania (set very close to Spinelli’s own home town
of Norristown). There his amazing athletic feats, coupled with his courageous efforts to unite the
blacks and whites of the town, make him a legend in his own time. The story is not only highly
entertaining, but also deeply moving, as Jeffrey searches for acceptance, love and a family and
home to call his own.
Spinelli won many awards for writing Maniac Magee, including the 1990 Boston Globe/Horn
Book award for fiction and the 1991 Newbery Medal. The American Library Association wrote
about the novel, “Spinelli imparts lessons about poverty, homelessness and prejudice in a
powerful contemporary novel that also shines with the qualities of old-fashioned tall tales.”
Background Information:
Maniac Magee
The novel takes place in Two Mills, Pennsylvania, which is a fictional town, but many locations
in the novel are real. Bridgeport and Hollidaysburg are real places, as is the Schuylkill River. In
Chapter 33, reference is made to a variety of other real towns in Pennsylvania. Also, Jeffrey
spends the night at Valley Forge, which is where George Washington and his army spent one
winter during the Revolutionary War. Keeping a map of the different places Maniac goes, and
explaining the significance of Valley Forge, will help the students to better understand the
setting.
The main themes of the novel are courage, overcoming prejudice and discrimination,
homelessness, running away, family and friendship. See the supplementary reading list for
books and poetry that deal with these themes. To help students better understand the more
difficult themes, particularly that of overcoming prejudice, you may want to spend some time
discussing the history of segregation and discrimination in this country, the Civil Rights
Movement, and how courageous people in this country continue to work to overcome prejudice.
Synopsis: Maniac Magee
When Jeffrey Lionel Magee is just three years old, his parents die in a trolley crash in
Bridgeport. He is sent to live with his aunt and uncle 200 miles away. His aunt and uncle are
not happily married, and refuse to speak to each other. After eight unhappy years with them,
Jeffrey finally snaps at a school concert and then runs away. He ends up back near Bridgeport,
in the fictional town of Two Mills. Jeffrey astounds the townspeople with his daring and athletic
feats, becoming a legend in the town as well as earning the nickname, “Maniac.”
Unfortunately, in spite of Jeffrey’s amazing abilities, he is unable to solve two major problems:
First of all, he is unable to unite the East End, where the black townspeople live, with the West
End, where the white townspeople live. He is forced to confront prejudice and racism for the
first time in his life, and realizes that solving racial problems is not as easy as hitting a fastball or
untying a knot. Second, he is unable to find a permanent home for himself and become the son
he so desperately wants to be.
Facing these two problems, Jeffrey meets many complex characters, including Amanda Beale, of
the East End, who carries her entire book collection with her in a suitcase and whose family
provides a loving, yet at first only temporary home for Jeffrey; Mars Bar, a tough East Ender
who introduces Jeffrey to the concept of prejudice; Grayson, an old man who works in the park
and who becomes a father figure to Jeffrey; and McNab, a teenager from the West End who is
filled with hate for and fear of black people. How Jeffrey touches the lives of all he meets and
ultimately takes a major first step forward in uniting the two ends of town makes for poignant,
often funny, sometimes horrifying, and always immensely satisfying reading. The novel ends
when Jeffrey finally finds a home to call his own, with Amanda and her family.
Pre-Reading Activities
Tell students that they are going to read a novel about a boy who acts courageously in dealing
with homelessness and prejudice. Show them a copy of Maniac Magee. Point out that the cover
of the book shows the legs and feet of someone who is running. Ask them to write predictions
about what the story will be about. You may want to have them respond orally, or in their
literature journals, about the following questions:
● Do you know anyone who you would consider to be a maniac?
● Why do you think the main character is called Maniac?
● What kind of courageous acts do you think a “maniac” would do?
● Why do you think Maniac is running? Is he running away? Is he running towards
something?
Throughout the course of the novel, the students will read about many instances of courage from
Jeffrey as well as the other main characters. As they read, they should keep track of the
courageous acts of the different characters. You may want to have them keep a list of the
different main characters and their acts of courage.
As you read the novel to the class, consider starting an artifact collection of objects mentioned in
the book. Sometimes objects can seem strange out of context. Having the objects available in
class may help students to better visualize them, and make the book come to life. You may want
to start the collection, and then have students add to it as you read. Some possible objects to
include in the collection are: a Mars Bar, a sneaker, an “A” volume of the encyclopedia, a
baseball glove, raisins, a copy of The Little Engine That Could, etc.
Be aware that there is some coarse language in this novel. Spinelli writes the way he believes
people really talk, and at times his characters say words that students may not be used to reading
class. This language does not take away from the novel at all, in fact it is quite appropriate in
context, but it is something to keep in mind as you read aloud.
Mini Lesson: Point of View
What you might say: As you begin reading this book you will notice that many of the
characters come from different places. When I say this I do not mean different towns, or areas
exactly, I mean that they have different backgrounds and therefore they look at situations
differently. We may say they have a different point of view.
Next steps:
Set up a unique shaped object in a box with small holes. (Put a hole in the top of the box so light
can get in) Allow different students to peak in only one hole at a time and describe the object to
the class, possibly even guessing what it is. You may create the object in the box so you can be
sure that each side has different colors, shapes, etc. Have only one student look at the entire
object. The rest of the students should share what they saw and the one student with the whole
view will let them know if they are correct or not.
Lead a discussion around how each student saw this object from a different point of view. Does
that mean they were wrong when they described the object, even if what they said made no sense
to you? Relate this activity to the historical events or local disputes you may be discussing.
(Sides of North vs. South in Civil War, colonists vs. loyalists in Revolutionary War, developers
vs. naturalists in a town meeting, etc.) Have students share their experiences or examples of
point of view.
Before the Story
Summary
Pages 1-2*: In this section of the novel, the legend of Maniac Magee is introduced. The author
lets the reader know that it is hard to know what is true about Maniac, and what is myth. He
alludes to the different courageous feats that Maniac undertakes throughout the novel, and
foreshadows important incidents that will occur.
*Please note that the page numbers in this guide refer to the Little, Brown paperback edition,
1999.

● What are some of the strange things people say Maniac Magee did?
● What is the difference between fact and myth?
● What does the narrator mean when he says, “The history of a kid is one part fact, two parts
legend, and three parts snowball”?
● What is meant by the following: “Be very, very careful not to let the facts get mixed up with
the truth”? How are facts and the truth different?
● What predictions do you have about what this story will be about based upon the first two
pages?
Vocabulary
Have students look at the vocabulary words before you begin reading. Ask them to record the
words in a special section of their literature journal, define words and then have them make
predictions about the story based on the words. For example, students might look at today’s
words and predict that the book will be about a mythical character. Based on what they know
about myths, they might predict that the story will contain magical elements, or have characters
with obstacles to overcome. Though many students will not recognize all of the words, it is
likely that some of the students will know what each word means. Having students look at and
discuss the vocabulary words before you begin reading allows them to activate prior knowledge
about those words and make predictions about how the words will figure in the story. Also,
when students encounter these words in the reading, they will be more likely to remember them.
Myth (p. 1) a popular belief or tradition that has grown up around something or someone
Legend (p. 2) a story coming down from the past
Legacy (p. 2) something received from the past
* Definitions from Merrian-Webster Online: Dictionary and Thesaurus

Teacher Suggestions
Make sure your students understand what a legend is. They should understand that a legend is a
story that has been told throughout the years, that is usually based on truth but that tends to
change and become exaggerated over time. Discuss well known legends or tall tales such as
Paul Bunyan or Davy Crockett. Ask students what it means to be a legend. What kinds of
characteristics do different legendary heroes or heroines have in common? Do they know
anybody that they feel shares these characteristics? Consider having students keep a running
record in their literature journals of the legendary feats of Maniac Magee. {Resources}
Point of view is a very important concept in the novel. Maniac’s point of view is often very
different from the points of view of other characters. The chapter entitled, “Before the Story”
makes clear that different people believed different things about Maniac Magee. Students should
understand that sometimes, the way a story is told depends upon the point of view of the teller.
What is seen as fact and what is seen as myth may well depend on who’s telling the story.
Activities to Extend Comprehension and Relate Learning to Life

Literature Extension
Gather together a number of legends or tall tales for your students to read. In small groups, have
your students read different legends. As they read, they should make note of the legendary hero
or heroine’s defining characteristics, the setting, the conflict and resolution, etc. Then, have
groups participate in round table discussions about their legends, in which they compare and
contrast the different stories they have read. In particular, students should be sure to draw
parallels between the different legendary characters they have read about. As they begin to learn
about Maniac’s legendary feats, they will be able to make comparisons between the novel and
the different legends and tall tales they have read. {Resources}
Chapters 1-2
Summary
Pages 5-9: In these first two chapters we find out that Jeffrey Magee’s parents were killed in a
trolley crash in Bridgeport when he was only three years old. Jeffrey is sent to live in
Hollidaysburg with his aunt and uncle who are unhappily married. The couple does not talk to
each other at all, and ultimately stop sharing, to the point where they have two of everything they
need, except Jeffrey. Jeffrey lives with them for eight years, until one day he is in a chorus
concert at school. The aunt and uncle go, but sit on opposite sides of the auditorium. While the
chorus is singing, Jeffrey begins screaming at his aunt and uncle to talk. He then runs out of the
auditorium and away from Hollidaysburg for good. After a year of running, about which we are
told nothing, Jeffrey ends up in Two Mills, a town just across the Schuylkill River from
Bridgeport where he had lived with his parents. He jogs through town saying “hi” to the
townspeople he encounters.
Teacher Suggestions
● Make sure students understand exactly how Jeffrey’s parents died and where it happened.
The trolley crash and the trestle over the river figure prominently in the conclusion of the
story and are referred back to many times.
● Jeffrey becomes an orphan. You may want to spend some class time discussing exactly what
it means to be an orphan, and how Jeffrey must have felt losing both parents at once.

● Why does Jeffrey run way from Hollidaysburg? Was this a courageous act? {Key Question}
Is there another way Jeffrey could have dealt with the problems between his aunt and uncle?
● When Jeffrey is screaming in the auditorium, the scream is described as, “the birth scream of
a legend.” What does this mean? {Close Read}
● Why do you think Jeffrey ran to a place so close to Bridgeport?
● People were surprised when Jeffrey said “hi” to me because, “people just didn’t say that to
strangers, out of the blue.” Why did he speak to them? What does this tell you about the
kind of person he is?
● If this were a true story, what do you think would have happened when Jeffrey ran away?
Would his aunt and uncle have gone to look for him? What do you think would have
happened when they found him? {Key Question}
● Two Mills is a fictional town. Why do you think the author included some real towns in
Pennsylvania, but then decided to make the main setting of the novel a made-up town?
● When Jeffrey starts screaming at the concert, and then runs away, he is expressing his very
strong feelings about his aunt and uncle’s problems, and then acting on those feelings. Ask
students to think about a time when they acted impulsively because of very strong feelings
they had about something. This could include fights with friends or family, storming out of a
room, slamming a door, or even running away from home. {Dialogue Journal}
Vocabulary: (CCSS: L4A, RL4)
Trestle (p. 5) frame serving as a support
Bellowing (p. 7) shouting in a deep voice
Scraggly (p. 9) unkempt, rough
CCSS: RL1, SL1C, W3
Mini Lesson: Clarify/Summarize

What you might say: Today I am teaching you that effective readers are constantly determining
and pulling out the important information in a story. They then condense it in their mind so they
can remember it. In the past we have called this summarizing. At the beginning of a story
authors often give very important information, all the information you need to get started reading
and to understand the story. Today, as we read we are going to pull out what we think may be
important pieces of the story. When we are done reading these two chapters we will go back and
decide which pieces of information were truly important and clarify anything we may be unsure
of. As you grow as readers this process will become more and more automatic.
Next steps:
● Begin reading, model pulling out important information. As you continue, allow students to
help you pull out important information by raising their hand.
● Pass out sticky notes so that students can mark important information as you continue to read
the story. (As always have students read the way you see best, independently, in pairs,
listening, etc.)
● When you have completed reading go back and share the important events, discussing each
one and either keeping it or crossing it out if it is not important.
● Together clarify any misunderstandings by going back to the text.
Journals/ Literature Circles:

Have students write a short summary of these two chapters in their journals after discussing it as
a class. They may need to go back to this at the end of the book.
Activities to Extend Comprehension and Relate Literature to Life

Where in the World?
Have students find Bridgeport, Hollidaysburg and the Schuykill River on a map of Pennsylvania.
Ask them to determine where the fictional town of Two Mills must be, based on the details given
in the book. You might also want to point out that Jerry Spinelli was born in Norristown which
is not far from Bridgeport, and has also live in Phoenixville. Have the students find those towns
also. If classroom space permits, post the map of Pennsylvania in the room, using pins to
highlight the towns from the novel.
Students can use the scale of the map to determine the distance between Hollidaysburg and
Bridgeport in order to determine how far Jeffrey had to travel.
Director’s Cut: The Lost Year

The narrator of the novel refers to the year that it took Jeffrey to get from Hollidaysburg to
Bridgeport as “The Lost Year” and says that nobody knows what Jeffrey did during that year.
Ask your students to write a story detailing the things that Jeffrey did during that year, based on
what they already know about him. Students could write this story with a partner or small group.
Details about how Jeffrey felt as he ran out of the auditorium, where he went first, where he
spent his nights, how he got food, how he kept warm, etc., should be included in the stories.
Long-Term Project
Jeffrey runs away to escape what he believes is an intolerable situation. Unfortunately, he has no
other family to escape to. Basically, by leaving a bad situation, he becomes homeless. This is a
good time to introduce the concept of children and adolescents who are homeless. Ask students
to think about what kinds of things might cause a young person to become homeless. Sometimes
young people are homeless because they have run away from home, while other times it is
because the whole family is homeless. {Resources}
Chapters 3-8
Summary
Pages 10-29: The first person Jeffrey meets in Two Mills is Amanda Beale. He stops her
because he sees she has a suitcase and assumes that she, like him, is a runaway. However, he
soon finds out that her suitcase is filled with all her books, which she brings with her
everywhere, so they will not get ruined. She is suspicious of him at first, since he is white and
she is black, and in Two Mills, black kids and white kids do not talk to each other. Ultimately,
Jeffrey convinces Amanda to loan him a book, which he promises to return.
The rest of the reading details Jeffrey’s various appearances around town, from the football field,
where he catches a pass and kicks a perfect punt, all while still holding onto Amanda’s book, to
Finsterwald’s house, where he rescues a child from the scariest house in town, to the baseball
diamond, where he hits home run after home run off of the best pitcher in town. These chapters
serve to illustrate to the reader how Jeffrey came to be a legend in Two Mills, and how he got the
nickname Maniac.

● Why does Amanda carry her books around with her in a suitcase?
● Why is Amanda suspicious of Jeffrey?
● Why do you think Amanda ultimately gives Jeffrey a book? What does that reveal about her
character?
● What are some of the amazing things Jeffrey does to become a legend in Two Mills? Why
does he do them?
● Which of Jeffrey’s feats do you think are the most courageous? Is his courage the same kind
of courage as Max Warburg’s? {Key Question}{Dialogue Journal}
● Which of Jeffrey’s feats do you think might be more myth than fact? Why?
● Who do you suppose Finsterwald is? Why are the kids so scared of him? Why isn’t Jeffrey?
Is there anyone in your neighborhood whom kids are afraid of? Why?
● Do you think Maniac is a good nickname from Jeffrey? Why or why not?
● Jeffrey is always running. Why? What does this tell you about him? What is he looking
for? What does he want? {Key Question}
● The last part of Chapter 8 (p. 29) says, “When he wasn’t reading, he was wandering. When
most people wander, they walk. Maniac Magee ran. […] This is what he was doing when
his life, as it often seemed to do, took an unexpected turn.” The narrator is foreshadowing
what will happen next. What do you predict the unexpected turn will be? {Close Read}
Vocabulary (CCSS: L4A)
The vocabulary words from these chapters are especially challenging. Be sure to spend time
before you begin reading to discuss the words, and to allow students to make predictions about
the story based on the words.
Hallucination (p. 18) mistaken impression
Emanations (p. 18) coming from a source
Samaritan (p. 19) a person who is generous in helping those in distress
Blood lust (p. 23) desire for bloodshed
Pandemonium (p. 25) wild uproar
Author’s Craft (CCSS: RL4, L5A, L5C)

Jerry Spinelli’s writing is very descriptive. In these chapters, and throughout the rest of the
book, Spinelli plays with language in order to describe things in unusual and vivid ways. Some
of the things he does include are analogies, similes, made-up words and foreshadowing.
Analogies
An analogy compares something unfamiliar to something familiar, so that the reader can better
understand the unfamiliar situation. For example, on page 16, Spinelli writes, “Kids stayed
away from Finsterwald’s the way old people stay away from Saturday afternoon matinees at a
two-dollar movie.” The reader does not know anything about Finsterwald, but we can certainly
understand why old people would not want to be at the movie theater on Saturdays, when all the
noisy kids are there. In writing analogies, Spinelli makes his point (that kids really did not want
to be around Finsterwald’s at all) clearly, yet creatively. As you read the rest of the book, ask
students to watch out for other analogies that are used. You may also want to have them write
their own. Consider posting a chart in the room on which students can write down the analogies
they find as they read.
Similes
A simile is a figure of speech comparing one thing to another, using the words “as” or “like”.
For example, on page 11, Spinelli writes, “[Jeffrey] and Amanda and the suitcase were like a
rock in a stream; the school-goers just flowed to the left and right around them.” In using this
simile, the reader gets a very clear image of Jeffrey and Amanda, planted in the middle of the
sidewalk, unmoving, while the streams of students moved around them. Spinelli’s writing is
replete with similes. As you read, students should try to note the use of simile. Perhaps you
could even keep a running list of similes that are used throughout the book.
Made-Up Words
Spinelli often creates words to serve his own purposes. Students should understand that
sometimes authors take liberties with the language in order to make their points more clearly, or
just for humor. For example, on page 16, Spinelli writes, “Later on that first day, there was a
commotion in the West End. At 803 Oriole Street, to be exact. At the backyard of 803 Oriole, to
be exacter.” Exacter is not a real word, but in the context, exacter sounds better and more
emphatic than more exact. On page 18, Spinelli creates the word finsterwallies, and even gives a
pseudo-dictionary definition of the word. On page 27, after Jeffrey bunts the frog, Spinelli
writes that it was “unbefroggable.” These made-up words add precision and humor to Spinelli’s
writing.
Foreshadowing
Foreshadowing is a literary device whereby a writer provides clues as to what will happen next
in the story. It is usually used when something exciting or unusual is about to happen. Spinelli
often uses foreshadowing at the end of chapters. For example, at the end of Chapter 8, Spinelli
writes, “This is what he was doing [wandering around town] when his life, as it often seemed to
do, took an unexpected turn.” Tell students that being aware of Spinelli’s foreshadowing will
help them to make predictions about the events of the book. As they read, ask students to keep
track of the different occasions in which foreshadowing is used.
CCSS: RL5, SL1D,
Mini Lesson: Foreshadowing

What you might say: Today I want to teach you about a technique called foreshadowing which
some authors use to guide you through a book. Let’s look at the word foreshadowing and see if
we can decipher what it means. (Focus on shadow: “You see a shadow coming around the
corner” What do you know? Is there something around the corner? Focus on Fore: What word
might sound similar (before), etc.) Foreshadowing is when an author gives us hints or clues as to
what is going to happen before it actually happens. You will find that these clues help you to
predict what will happen next. When you predict you think ahead and check your thinking as
you read, thus keeping you more engaged in a story. Of course an author wants you to be
engaged in their story! I find that when authors use foreshadowing it makes me want to read
more. I could be tired and ready to put a book down, but then the author slips in a sentence
hinting towards all the exciting stuff that is about to come, and of course I stay up another hour
and continue reading. Television shows are great about doing this right before a commercial as
well. As we read today we will be looking for hints or foreshadowing in the text.
(Model as you begin reading, and then allow students to raise their hand when they find what
they think may be examples. Try to discuss their ideas before continuing to read so students
have a chance to explain why they thought it was foreshadowing before finding out what really
happens)

● In Maniac’s voice, write a diary entry describing how he feels when he arrives in Two Mills,
what he is looking for and why he decides to stay.
● McNab was very angry that Jeffrey was able to hit his fastball. Rewrite Chapter 7 from the
point of view of McNab. How might his story be different from the one we read?
● We know from the author’s foreshadowing the Jeffrey’s life is about to take an unexpected
turn. Write what you think is going to happen in Chapter 9, as the unexpected turn reveals
itself.
● Have students write a newspaper article describing one of Maniac’s appearances in Two
Mills. Be sure to tell them to include information about who Maniac is, when the incident
happened, what it was and why it was done.
● Have students practice writing analogies and similes. They should try writing a story
(perhaps about Maniac and his legendary feats) that includes a number of analogies and
similes.
● Maniac is very busy running from place to place when he first gets to Two Mills. Have
students create a map of Two Mills that shows all the different places he does to. Have them
draw the path that Maniac follow to get from place to place, and write down what he does at
each place.
● Chapter 7 has a lot of action and excitement. It would lend itself well to drama. Using the
books as a guide, have students work in groups to act out the scene between Maniac and
McNab. Students could also write scripts for their scenes and videotape them.
Long-Term Projects
Prejudice and Discrimination
In this section of the book, we are first introduced to the idea that Two Mills is a racially divided
community, when Amanda wonders what a white kid is doing in the East Ends, where all the
other kids are black. This would be a good time to start talking to your students about the history
of racism and discrimination in the United States. Do a K-W-L chart with your students to find
out what they already Know about prejudice and discrimination and what they Want to learn
about it. (At the end of the unit, be sure to complete the chart by having them tell you what they
Learned about prejudice and discrimination.)
Ask students if they know of any place like Two Mills, where black and white people stay
mostly to themselves. Talk about the Civil Rights Movement and the history of segregation in
this country, including segregated schools, restaurants, buses, etc. Additionally, this chapter
could serve as an excellent starting point for a discussion on contemporary issues of prejudice
and discrimination, as well as the current state of race relations in our country. {Resources}
Homelessness
In Chapter 8, Maniac sleeps in the deer shed at the zoo because he doesn’t have an address. Ask
your students to consider where other homeless people spend their nights. Using book, internet
and other resources, as well as their own experiences, students should begin doing research to
find out about shelters and other places homeless people live. What do shelters look like? Do
they all accept homeless children? When do homeless people sleep when they cannot find a
shelter with beds? Students should take notes on this information to be used as part of a report
on homelessness. {Resources}
Chapters 9-11
Summary
Pages 30-40: In these chapters, Maniac discovers that Two Mills is not the friendly town it first
appeared to be. McNab, very upset by his run-in with Maniac on the baseball diamond, gathers
his gang members, the Cobras, and together they go looking for Maniac, intent on beating him
up. They find him and chase him, until he crosses Hector Street, the boundary between the West
End and the East End. Though Maniac doesn’t know why, they stop chasing him at this point
because white people, especially white kids, do not go into the East End. While in the East End,
Maniac runs into Mars Bar, a tough black teenager. After teasing Maniac for a while, Mars Bar
spots Amanda’s book, which Maniac is still carrying around with him. Mars Bar takes the book,
but Maniac snatches it back, all except one page, which Mars Bar holds onto and refuses to
return. Fortunately, a neighborhood woman comes out to intervene. Mars Bar returns the page,
now crumpled, and temporarily disappears. Soon thereafter, Mars Bar returns and continues to
harass Maniac about the book. This time Amanda shows up and yells at Mars Bar until he slinks
away. Amanda invites Maniac back to her house.

● Why is McNab so angry with Maniac? What do you think would have happened if McNab
had caught Maniac?
● Why does Two Mills have a boundary between the East End and West End? What does this
tell you about the town? Are there similar boundaries in your city or neighborhood? Why do
they exist? {Key Question}
● Mars Bar gets confused because Maniac is not afraid of him. When he offers Maniac a bite
of his candy bar, Maniac not only take some, but bites exactly where Mars Bar has bitten.
How does Mars Bar respond to this?
● Racial differences do not seem to matter to Maniac. Normally, a white kid on the East End
who ran into Mars Bar would be afraid. Why isn’t Maniac afraid? Do you think his
fearlessness is genuine? {Dialogue Journal}
● Amanda knew immediately that it was Mars Bar, not Maniac, who had ripped her book.
How did she know this? Why isn’t she afraid of Mars Bar?
● Compare and contrast Maniac and Mars Bar. What do they have in common? How are they
different? {Close Read}
● So far, how do all conflicts seem to be resolved in this novel? Do you think this is the best
way? Can you think of another way that the characters could resolve their problems? {Key
Question} {Close Read}
● Why does Mars Bar refer to Maniac as fishbelly? What does the word fishbelly mean? Have
you heard the word before?
● Why do you think Amanda invites Maniac back to her house? What do you predict will
happen when he gets there?
● In this section of the reading, do you think anyone acted courageously? Who showed
courage and how did they do so? {Key Question} {Dialogue Journal}
● How does Amanda feel about Maniac? Write a letter from Amanda to a friend, describing
this knew person in her life. Tell as much about him as you can. {Key Question}
● Maniac seems to have trouble getting along with some people. Why do you think this is so?
Do you know anybody like Maniac who seems to have trouble with other kids, in spite of
being a good person?
Vocabulary (L4A, RL4)

Boundary (p. 32) something that indicates a limit or extent (Students should understand that
boundaries are not always something we can see, and are often more mental than physical.)
Befuddled (p. 35) confused, perplexed
Fishbelly (p. 36) a pejorative word for a white person
Author’s Craft (CCSS: RL4)

Metaphors
A metaphor is a figure of speech comparing one thing to another, without using the words “as”
or “like.” On page 34, Spinelli compares Mars Bar to a stone: “Stone was softer than the kid’s
glare” and “Mars Bar heard the calls and the stone got harder.” On page 40, Spinelli uses
metaphor to describe the torn page of Amanda’s book: “Amanda took the torn page from
Maniac. To her, it was the broken wing of a bird, a pet out in the rain.” Have students keep
track of different metaphors the Spinelli uses throughout the book. It might be helpful to have
two charts posted in class, one for similes and one for metaphors, so that students can see the
difference between the two figures of speech.
CCSS: RL5, SL1A, W2
Mini Lesson: Story Map

What you might say: As we read this fictional story it is important to understand that authors
have a system to the way they write. They have a plot or structure to their story. When we
understand this structure we have a much better chance of understanding the story. We can be
looking for specific elements in the story. The elements of a plot are as follows:
Exposition: The start of the story, the setting, before the action starts
Rising Action: Series of events and conflicts that set the stage for the climax
Climax: The turning point, the most intense moment
Falling Action: All of the events that follow the climax
Resolution: Conclusion, ending, tying together all of the pieces
Right now where do we think we are in the plot? (Rising Action) What can you anticipate about
the book? (Turn and talk) Here you may be looking for students to understand that the author is
only preparing them for the really good stuff, the best of the book is yet to come. Students may
predict what the climax will be.
Journals/ Literature Circles: Have students create a plot diagram in their journals. Have
students label each section with the chapters that match them as they read. For examples
chapters 1-3 may go in the exposition, while chapter 4 will be added to the rising action. You
may have student do this quickly as a group each time they meet in Literature Circles. Once you
get close to the climax there can be great discussion and debate about what exactly fits into that
category.
See Appendix, Chapters 9-11 Mini Lesson for handout

● This would be a good place in the story to begin talking about story elements. Go over the
following with your class: setting, characters, plot, and theme. In order to keep track of these
elements, have students keep track of them on a story map.
● There are many good descriptions of Maniac throughout these chapters. In pairs, have your
students reread in order to find these descriptions, and then create a drawing or picture of
Maniac. They should think carefully about how they want to present him. What is he doing?
Who is he with? What is the setting? When they finish their pictures, ask students to create
a caption to explain exactly what they have drawn.
● The description on page 31 of Maniac running away from the Cobras would lend itself to
begin read aloud, because of the tension involved and the opportunity for oral expression.
Have students practice reading this passage aloud with a partner, using expression to reveal
the excitement of the scene.
Long-Term Projects (CCSS: W4, W6, RI1, RI2)

Homelessness
Ask students to start compiling statistics about the homeless. How many homeless children are
there in the U.S.? How do the rates of homelessness in their city compare to other major U.S.
cities? How many shelters are there that take in homeless children? Use books, the internet and
other resources to accumulate this information. {Resources}

Ask students to start reading the newspaper and watching the news on television. What local and
national problems exist today, that appear to be the result of prejudice? Encourage students to
cut out articles to post in the classroom or present to classmates. Allow time for students to
discuss the stories that they find.
Chapters 12-15
Summary
Pages 41-56: In this section, there is a change in the mood of the story, as Maniac begins to have
reason to feel good about his life. The Beale family immediately accepts him into their home
and into their lives. Amanda’s younger brother and sister, Hester and Lester, love Maniac as
soon as they meet him. Maniac plays with them all day long, and then reads to them before they
go to bed. When Mr. Beale offers to drive Maniac home at the end of the day, the truth comes
out that Maniac doesn’t really have a home, so the Beales invite him to live with them. Maniac
has a wonderful time at the Beales’, and he really first into the household. He plays with Hester
and Lester, does the dishes, takes out the garbage and cleans up after himself. He even gets
Hester and Lester to take baths by agreeing to take baths with them. This section details the
many different things that Maniac does while living with the Beales: going to church, attending a
Fourth of July block party, eating meals, playing stickball, etc. Maniac is happy, but the section
ends on a foreboding note: “Maniac loved almost everything about his new life. But everything
did not love him back.”

● When Mr. Beale offers to take Maniac home, why doesn’t Maniac tell the Beales the truth
right away about not having a home? {Close Read}
● Why does Maniac go outside to look at the numbers on the Beale’s door before he does to
bed that first night?
● Maniac never sleeps in the bed in Amanda’s room. “Maniac just couldn’t stand being too
comfortable. Lying on a mattress gave him a weird feeling of slowly rising on a scoop of
mashed potatoes.” What does that mean? Why do you think Maniac didn’t want to feel too
comfortable? {Dialogue Journal} {Close Read}
● Does it surprise you that, at age 11, Maniac has never had pizza before? Why or why not?
● What are some of the things that Maniac loves about his new life with the Beales?
● Maniac is afraid of losing his real name, Jeffrey, because it is, “the only thing he had left
from his mother and father.” What does the narrator mean when he writes, “Inside his house,
a kid gets one name, but on the other side of the door, it’s whatever the rest of the world
wants to call him”? {Key Question}{Close Read}
● Maniac loves trash talk. When Mrs. Beale hears him talking trash, she slaps his mouth. How
does Maniac respond to that slap? Does his response surprise you? Why do you think he
responds that way?
● At the end of Chapter 15 when it says, “Maniac loved everything about his new life. But
everything did not love him back.” What do you think this means? Can you predict what
will happen next in the novel based on these two sentences?
● Is the Beale household a place where you would like to go? Why or why not? How are the
Beales like your own family? How are they different? {Key Question} {Dialogue Journal}
● Think about the different forms of courage that have been shown in the novel so far. Who
has shown courage? Which act of courage impresses you most? Why? {Key Question}
● Imagine you are a fly on the wall in the living room, listening to Mr. and Mrs. Beale talking
after all the children are in bed. What are they saying about Maniac? Write down the
conversation word for word, as you might hear it.
● Write Chapter 16 of this novel, based on what you think will happen next.
Vocabulary (CCSS: LA4, RL4)

Hemisphere (p. 45) half of a spherical body
Solitude (p. 50) the state of being alone
Converged (p. 51) came together; united in a common interest or focus
CCSS: RL1, RL2, W2
Mini Lesson: Knowing the Characters

What you might say: As we have been reading I have really gotten to know the characters in
this story, especially Maniac. I imagine you have, too. Let’s quickly name some characteristics
of Maniac (do this for a minute). After the class has generated a list, go down through each
adjective and ask the class, “How do you know?” Quickly discuss whether we know because
Maniac did something, said something, or thought something.
Today I want to point out to you that authors use many different ways to help readers get to
know their characters. They use action (what the character does), dialogue (what the character
says) and internal thought (what the character thinks inside their heads). Which do you think is
the most telling?
Photo copy a page or two from the book. Have students highlight action, internal thought and
dialogue in different colors. What does the author use most of, least of?
Journals/ Literature Circles:

How do people get to know you? Do you think people you first meet, friends, family, teachers,
etc. know you best because you tell them all about your feelings and hopes, etc. or do they know
you through your actions? Explain. Do you think these people get a really good understanding
of you this way?

● Ask students to draw a picture of the Beale family as they think they might look. They
should write a one or two sentence description of each member of the family.
● The Two Sides of Maniac: Have students create a chart describing Maniac when he’s away
from the Beales’ home and when he’s with the Beales. They should use descriptive
adjectives to describe him in both situations.
● On page 54, there is a description of Maniac that reads almost like a poem:
The new white kid.
Who lived with the Beales at 728 Sycamore.
Who ran the streets before the father went out.
Who could poleax a stickball like a twelfth-grader
And catch a football likes Hands Down.
Who was allergic to pizza.
Who jumped up in Bethany Church and shouted
“Hallelujah! A-men!”
Have students write a poem about themselves that follows the same structure:
Name
Description of self
Who _______________
Who _______________
Who _______________
Who _______________
Who _______________
Name
See Appendix, Chapter 15 Activity for handout.
Long-Term Projects
Homelessness
Create a list of homeless shelters in your area. Have students use the information they have
collected about homelessness to create interview questions for a shelter employee. You may
want to invite a shelter employee or volunteer to your classroom to give a presentation on
homelessness and shelters, and field students’ questions.
Chapters 16-21
Summary
Pages 57-76: In this section, Maniac becomes the victim of discrimination because of his skin
color. Though the Beales accept him wholeheartedly, there are others in the East End that cannot
see beyond his skin color. On a hot day, when the whole neighborhood has turned out to go
splashing through the fire hydrant water, a man Maniac doesn’t know calls him “Whitey” and
tells him to go back to his own people. When vandals write “FISHBELLY” on the Beales’
house, Maniac begins to realize that his staying with them is causing them trouble.
Maniac wants to leave because he doesn’t want to cause the Beales pain or suffering, but
Amanda thinks of a plan that she believes will make Maniac a hero, even in the East End. Manic
is very good at untangling knots, so Amanda has him attempt to untie the knot at Cobble’s
Corner, a feat that has never been done. Maniac gives it a try, and many people turn out to watch
him. After many hours of work, he unties the knot, and there is a joyous celebration. However,
when Maniac realizes that the confetti that is being thrown is actually torn-up pages from
Amanda’s beloved “A” encyclopedia, he feels that he has caused the Beale family too much
pain, and he walks out of town, straight down Hector street, with the Cobras taunting him from
one side, and Mars Bar and his friends taunting him from the other.

● What does the author mean when he says on page 57, “Maniac Magee was blind.” What is it
that Maniac cannot see? {Close Read}
● What kinds of things does Mars Bar do to show Maniac he doesn’t like him?
● When Maniac looks at different skin colors, including his own, he discovers that there really
isn’t skin that is white or skin that is black. Do you agree with him? Why do you think there
is such a focus on skin color both in this novel, and in our society? {Key Question}
● In describing the voice of the man who calls Maniac “Whitey,” the narrator writes on page
60, “It was a strange voice, deep and thick and sort of clotted, as though it had to fight its
way through a can of worms before coming out.” What do you think this description means?
{Close Read}
● The same man says to Maniac, on page 61, “It’s never enough is it, Whitey? Just want more
and more. Won’t even leave us our little water in the street. Come on down to see
Bojangles. Come on to the zoo. The monkey house.” What is the man referring to? Why
does he say these things to Maniac?
● If the Beales want Maniac to stay with them, in spite of the trouble it is causing them, why
does Maniac feel that he must leave?
● What is Amanda’s plan to make it okay for Maniac to stay on the East End? Do you think
it’s a good plan? Can you think of another idea?
● What makes Maniac leave, despite the fact that he successfully untied the knot at Cobble’s
Corner? Do you think it took courage to leave? {Key Question} {Dialogue Journal}
● Where do you think Maniac will go next? Do you think he’ll ever return to the East End?
● Maniac begins to realize that some people on the East End do not like him because he is
white. Write about a time that you or someone you know was treated badly for no good
reason. What happened? Why were you mistreated? How did you feel? {Dialogue
Journal}
● In his voice, explain why Maniac felt he had to leave the Beales’ home and run out of town.
● Are there other ways you believe Maniac could have dealt with his problem, other than
leaving the East End?
Vocabulary (CCSS: L4A, RL4)

Franticly (p. 62) emotionally out of control
Gawked (p. 62) gaped at or stared stupidly
Contortions (p. 69) twisted in a violent manner
Testimony (p. 70) oral declaration
Foresight (p. 73) looking forward
CCSS: RL4, RL1, W1
Mini Lesson: Imagery

What you might say: Jerry Spinelli uses imagery that helps us to create mental pictures of the
scenes in the novel. For example, rather than just telling us that it was a hot day, on page 59
Spinelli uses language that shows us how hot it is. “It was so hot, if you stood still too long in
the vacant lot, the sun bouncing off a chunk of broken glass or metal could fry a patch on your
hide. So hot, if you were packing candy, you had soup in your pocket by two o’clock. So hot,
the dogs were tripping on their own tongues. And so hot, the fire hydrant at Green and Chestnut
was gushing like Niagara Falls.” This strategy allows the author to give a hypothetical situation,
sometimes exaggerated, to show just how hot it is.
Journals/ Literature Circles: Have students discuss the examples from page 59. Try to change
one of them into a simile, metaphor (assuming you have already taught these strategies). Which
style of writing do they like best? Why, what images do they form in their minds? Which do
they think is the easiest to write? Have students use imagery to create a paragraph that shows,
not tells. They could write their own “It was so hot” images, or they could describe a cold day,
rainy day, etc.

● On page 59, the author describes a neighborhood gathering, and then describes it again using
one word sentences. Have students write a regular sentence or two describing someplace or
someone, and then continue their descriptions using one word sentences. Instruct them to
choose their words carefully so that each one adds something new to the description.
● Literature Extension. Obtain the following two poems: “Final Curve” by Langston Hughes
and “Running Away” by Karla Kuskin. Have students read the two poems. What do these
two poems have to say about running away? What message do the two poems have for
Maniac? Have students write their own poems about running away. Ask them to write their
poems as if Maniac himself were going to read them. What message do they have for him?
Allow time in class to share the students’ poems. {Resources}
● Pretend you are Amanda. Write Maniac a letter explaining how you felt after he left, and
trying to convince him to come back to your house.
Long Term Projects

Ask students to find out how prejudice and discrimination may have affected their parents,
grandparents, relatives and friends. What stories do they have to tell? Where they ever the
victims of discrimination? Were they involved in the Civil Rights Movement? Have students
write down questions to ask. They can tape record these stories, then transcribe the stories to
share with their classmates. Consider making a class book of the different stories.
Chapters 22-24
Summary
Pages 79-96: After spending many nights at the buffalo pen at the zoo, Maniac is spotted by
Grayson, an old man who works for the park. Maniac is very dirty and scratched up and hungry,
so Grayson cleans him up, gets him new clothes, and feeds him. Grayson finds out that Maniac
had been living on the East End, and reveals that he doesn’t know any black people. He asks
Maniac questions that revel his ignorance, like “Them black people, they eat mashed potatoes,
too?” Grayson hints that it would be okay if Maniac wanted to stay with him in his room at the
YMCA, but Maniac gently declines, afraid to get too attached to someone again.

● When Grayson found Maniac, he brought him to the baseball equipment room, rather than
taking him to the hospital or the doctor. Why do you think he did that? Do you think it was
the right thing to do? Why or why not? {Dialogue Journal}
● Why do you think Grayson is so willing to take care of Maniac- to feed him, and buy him
clothes- even though he has never met him before?
● How does Grayson respond when Maniac tells him he had been living in the East End? Why
do you think he responds this way?
● Grayson asks Jeffrey about school: “You gotta go. You’re a kid. Ain’t ya?” But Maniac
thinks to himself, “School. Home. No, he was not going to have one without the other.”
Why does Jeffrey think that you need to have a home in order to go to school? Do you think
Grayson should make Jeffrey go to school? Why or why not? {Key Question}{Close Read}
● At dinner, Grayson asks Jeffrey questions about black people, such as whether or not they eat
mashed potatoes and meatloaf, and if they brush their teeth. When Maniac tells him that
black people are just regular people, “like us,” how does Grayson respond? Why do you
think he responds that way? What does this tell us about Grayson and the life he has led?
● We can see that Grayson is thinking of asking Maniac to stay with him in his room at the Y.
Why does Maniac decide to stay in the equipment room instead? Why does he want to “stick
to himself?”
● Maniac wants Grayson to tell him a story, “About yourself. You know about you.
Everybody has a story.” What do you think Grayson’s story will be? What do you think he
was like in the past? What did he do? Did he always live at the Y and work for the park?
Write his story, as you think it might be.

Scrawny (p. 81) exceptionally thin
Dumbfounded (p. 87) briefly astonished, to make speechless with amazement
Grizzled (p. 89) sprinkled or streaked with gray
CCSS: RL1, RL6, SL1D
Mini Lesson: Point of View

What you might say: Authors can write from different points of view, from different
perspectives. This means that they can pretend that they are inside the heads of different
characters and tell the story the way the other character sees it. This is something it is quite
difficult to do in real life. For example, I would have a hard time explaining how you might be
thinking about your cafeteria experience, but I could walk in and describe it from a teacher’s
point of view. An author gets to be all the characters and know what is happening in each of
their heads. On page 79, you will find that Spinelli writes from the point of view of a baby
buffalo in the buffalo pen where Maniac is sleeping. What an imagination he must have to be
able to do that.
Journals/ Literature Circles: Discuss why Spinelli might write from the buffalo’s perspective
rather than Maniac’s. In their journals students might write about an event/experience from their
own perspective. You then may have them attempt to write about the same event from the
perspective of an object involved in that event (pencil, fork, sneaker, etc.)

(CCSS: W2, RL6, RI7)
● In Chapter 22, we read about what it was like for Maniac to live in the buffalo pen, from the
buffalo’s point of view. Write what it was like from Maniac’s point of view.
● Grayson has some serious misconceptions about black people because he has never known
any. Ignorance is often a major reason that people are prejudiced. As a class, talk about
different prejudices people have, and why they have them. {Resources}
● Maniac spends a lot of time in the buffalo pen. In the story, the buffaloes treat him very well.
Would the same thing have happened in real life? Have students read about buffaloes in
order to find out how they might have responded to Maniac.
Long-Term Projects
Homelessness
Maniac doesn’t want to go to school unless he has a home. Ask your students to search for
answers to the following questions:
● What do other homeless children do about school? Do they have to go?
● How many students in your school district are homeless?
Suggest that students contact shelters and talk to your principal or school social worker about
how homeless children deal with their schooling. {Resources}
Grayson has prejudices about black people because of his ignorance. What are some of the best
ways to overcome ignorance and prejudice? Contact organizations that deal with racism and
discrimination. What do they believe are the best ways to overcome prejudice? Develop a list of
questions to ask these organizations, and make sure to keep a written record of their answers.
{Resources}
Chapters 25-28
Summary
Pages 91-105: In this section, Maniac asks Grayson to tell him stories about his life. He finds
out that Grayson used to be a pitcher in the minor leagues. Grayson tells him many stories about
his pitching career- stories about being on the road, of striking out Willie Mays, some funny
stories, some happy stories. The last baseball story Grayson tells is about when scouts from the
major league came to watch him pitch, and he pitched a horrible game. From that point on,
Grayson’s life took a definite turn for the worse.
While Grayson is telling stories, he is also playing baseball with Maniac. The two have a great
time together. When Grayson tells Maniac that he ought to be in school, Maniac shows him all
the used books he has been buying, and says he is already in school. At that point, Grayson
reveals to Maniac that he cannot read, and asks Maniac to teach him. After a lot of hard work,
Grayson learns how to read, and reads The Little Engine That Could aloud to Maniac. Maniac
gives Grayson a big hug, and asks him to move into the baseball equipment room.

● When Grayson tells Maniac that he was a pitcher in the minors, he seems to change. “I am
not what you see. I am not a line-laying, pick-up driving, live-at-the-Y, bean-brained park
hand. I am not a rickety, whiskered worm chow. I am a pitcher.” What is revealed about
Grayson as he begins to talk to Maniac about his baseball days? In what ways does he seem
to change?
● How do you think failing to make it to the Majors impacted Grayson?
● Maniac tells Grayson that he is going to school. What does he mean by this? Who is his
teacher? Do you think this is the same as going to school?
● Do you think it was hard for Grayson to admit he couldn’t read? How was this a courageous
act? Who reasons does he give for not ever learning to read? {Key Question}
● When Grayson finishes reading his first book, Maniac says, “A-men,” and then gives
Grayson a huge hug. How does this huge make Grayson feel?
● Why do you think Maniac decides it will be okay to live with Grayson?
● What does the author do in this section of the reading to let us know that Maniac is still
thinking about and missing the Beales? Note these examples in your journal. {Close Read}
● Grayson and Maniac teach each other and help each other. Do you know someone who helps
you and who you help in return? What is this relationship like? Describe how each person
helps and how each benefits. {Dialogue Journal}

Robust (p. 92) having or showing strength
Repertoire (p. 97) a supply of skills
Groused (p. 105) complained, grumbled
Preposterous (p. 105) absurd, utterly foolish
CCSS: RL4, L1, L4A, SL1
Mini Lesson: Unknown Vocabulary

What you might say: As we read this book I have run into words that I find unfamiliar. I think I
understand the story, so I don’t worry about the word I don’t know and keep on reading. This is
a struggle readers have all the time. You want to know the meaning of a word so you can
understand the story, but you don’t always want to take the time to look the word up, and you
shouldn’t! In order to develop your reading skills I want to teach you how to use context clues
and syntax to help you figure out the meaning of a word. You have worked with context clues
before I am sure. This means that you look at the sentences before and after the unknown word
and you figure out what word might make sense in the sentence you are struggling with. If you
think of a word that fits, boom, you are done. Another strategy you can use is to look at the
words immediately surrounding the unknown word. Are they verbs, adjectives, nouns, etc.?
Does the word end in “-ly”? By knowing what to look for you may be able to determine the part
of speech of the unknown word, allowing you to at least know what type of detail you are
missing even if you never decipher meaning of the word.
Examples:
The cat ran quickly through the woods. (You know the unknown word comes before the
noun, this must be a word that describes the cat)
Maniac sprints -ly through the streets, he definitely does not want to get caught. (The verb
is sprints; we know Maniac is doing the sprinting. The unknown word follows the verb (could
come right before the verb) and ends in “-ly.” We know any word ending in “-ly” is an adverb.
The unknown word must be describing the verb, sprints.
Journals/ Literature Circles: Choose an unknown word as students read. Write down the
sentence in their journals, digraph the sentence, labeling each of the parts, have students discuss
the possible meanings of the unknown word in their Literature Circles.
You may need to teach students how to look words up in dictionaries so they can check their
understanding. Focus on showing them how to determine the part of speech by using a
dictionary.

(CCSS: RL1, SL1)
● Grayson’s second story is not about baseball, it is about alcoholic parents and not learning in
school. People are not always as exactly as they seem. Do you have a second story, too?
Write your second story, explain how you are different from the you that other people see.
● Obtain a copy of The Little Engine That Could. Read it aloud to your class. Have students
reflect on why it was a good choice for Grayson’s first book.
● After Maniac pestered Grayson, he found out that Grayson had some really good stories to
tell. Have students ask a family member (mother, father, grandparent, etc.) to tell them a
story of his or her life that they have not heard before. Students can either tape record it, or
write it down, and bring it in to share with the class.
● Ask students to create a character map for Grayson to show what you have learned about
him. What more would you like to find out about him?
Long-Term Projects
Because this chapter deals with baseball stories, this would be an ideal time to discuss the Negro
Leagues of baseball, and how baseball finally became integrated. You may choose to read the
book Teammates by Peter Golenbock to your class, which tells the story of Jackie Robinson and
his teammate Pee Wee Reese, who publically supported Robinson’s efforts to integrate baseball.
Discuss how both men were courageous, and the importance of working together to affect
change. Ask students to do further research about the Negro Leagues and how they because
integrated. Students could also research other sports and the impact that racism had on them.
Have students type up their research as a report. {Resources}
Chapter 29-31
Summary
Pages 106-114: After Grayson moves into the baseball equipment room, he and Maniac become
a family. They celebrate Thanksgiving together, stuffing themselves and then dancing the polka.
That same night, Maniac goes outside and paints the number 101 over the door of the equipment
room. For Christmas, they decorate every inch of their room and even get a tree. They have so
much Christmas spirit, that they also go outside, to decorate another tree.
On Christmas day, they get up and go outside to visit their tree as well as to wish the buffaloes a
Merry Christmas. They go back to eat breakfast and open their gifts. Maniac gives Grayson a
book he has written called, The Man Who Struck Out Willie Mays, and Grayson gives Maniac his
old pitching glove. It was a perfect Christmas, but the chapter ends abruptly: “Five days later the
old man was dead.”

● Why do you suppose the Thanksgiving with Grayson was Maniac’s happiest Thanksgiving
ever? What does he have to be thankful for? What does Grayson have to be thankful for?
● Maniac gives thanks for his family, meaning Grayson. Is this really a family? What are
other types of family constellations? What do you think it takes to be a family? {Key
Question}
● Why does Maniac paint the number 101 outside the equipment room? What does this
symbolize for him? {Close Read}
● Why are the holidays so important to Maniac? Why is he so happy?
● Why did Grayson and Maniac visit the buffalo pen on Christmas morning? Why was this
important for Maniac?
● How do you think Maniac felt when Grayson gave him his old pitching glove? Why was this
a really special present?
● Why do you think the author ended this section in such a shocking way? How do you feel
about the ending? What do you think will happen next? {Close Read}
● What is a family? Who belongs to it? How do the members feel about each other? How do
they treat each other? {Key Question} {Dialogue Journal}

Languished (p. 111) to have become feeble or weak
Reluctant (p. 112) unwilling, feeling or showing hesitation
Shrine (p.114) a place or object in/to which devotion is paid
CCSS: RL4, RL5, W2
Mini Lesson: Sentence Variety

What you might say: We have discussed the use of similes, metaphors, and other types of show
not tell sentences. In your own writing you have probably been told to add more detail and to
extend your sentences. Great authors are really good at elaborating and adding details, but they
also vary their sentences. Not every sentence is long and full of details to help you visualize a
story. Some or short and blunt and simply tell you what you need to know. Authors do this on
purpose. Sometimes simply because the detail they want to add isn’t important enough to add a
great deal of description to, or sometimes they write short sentences for effect. At the end of this
chapter I believe Jerry Spinelli gives us an example of this when he uses the following short
choppy sentence for effect. (“Five days later the old man was dead.”)
Journals/ Literature Circles: What feelings did you have when you read this sentence? Would
you have preferred to be warned via foreshadowing or details leading up to the shocking news?
Are you curious about how he died?

● Write your description of an ideal family. Compare your own family to your ideal family.
How is your family ideal? How is it different from the ideal family you described?
{Dialogue Journal}
● Ask students to draw or paint a picture of their families sharing their favorite holiday.
Students should write a short description of the holiday, the customs their family follows, and
why it is special to them.
● The author gives a very detailed description of Maniac and Grayson’s Christmas, particularly
the decorating they do. Using the description to guide them, have students draw a scene from
Maniac and Grayson’s Christmas. Students should try to get all of the details that they can
into the picture.
● Ask students to make a time line that shows how the relationship between Grayson and
Maniac evolves over time. The time line should begin in August, when Grayson first finds
Maniac, and end in December.
Long-Term Projects
Homelessness
What do homeless families do for the holidays? Contact a homeless shelter to find out ways
your class can help make the holidays happier for homeless families. You may want to start a
food drive at school, or ask students to bring in old clothes and /or gifts to share with homeless
children. Students could also design holiday greeting cards for a local shelter to give to
homeless children.
Chapter 32
Summary
Pages 115-118: This chapter shows what happens when Maniac discovers Grayson’s dead body.
Rather than go to someone for help, Maniac instead spends the morning talking to Grayson about
everything, including the places the two of them might have gone. He reads aloud all the books
that Grayson had learned to read, and only after that does he cry. Maniac is the only one who
attends Grayson’s funeral. Trash-collectors serve as pallbearers, and the minister is late. As the
pallbearers grow increasingly impatient to get the coffin into the ground, Maniac runs away, not
wanting to see what they might do if the minister does not show up.

● How did Maniac know that Grayson was dead? How does he respond when he realized
Grayson has died? Did his reaction surprise you? What would you have done?
● Why do you think Maniac reads all of Grayson’s books aloud to him?
● What different emotions do you think Maniac must have felt at Grayson’s funeral? Why did
he feel that way?
● Why does Maniac run away before the funeral is over? Where do you think he will run next?
● Have you ever lost someone you were close to? Can you understand how Maniac feels?
Write about a time when someone you love died. {Dialogue Journal}
● What do you predict will happen to Maniac now that Grayson is gone? Where will he go?
What will he do?

Stoic (p. 115) not showing passion or feeling
Pallbearers (p. 116) people who carry the coffin at a funeral
CCSS:RL1, RL2, RL4, SL1
Mini Lesson: Inference

What you might say: Maniac must be feeling a lot of emotions at this point in the story;
however the author does not come right out and tell us what they are. This is the “Show Not
Tell” technique. As a reader it is your job together the clues the author gives you, plus use your
own experiences and ideas to really get an understanding of how Maniac must feel. When you
do this you are inferring. Often times you will be asked to make inferences and support your
reasoning on tests. Test makers and teachers ask you to do this because it is one of the most
difficult and important skills they expect of you as a reader. Today we are going to work
together to make an inference and support it with details.
Journals/ Literature Circles: Together choose a word to describe how Maniac is feeling. Have
partners or small groups go and find evidence that supports your idea, share out and discuss how
each of the details from the story support or do not support the chosen attribute. You may have
students write an essay on this topic as a follow up.

● Pretend you are Maniac. Write a diary entry or a letter that explains your feeling over the
death of Grayson and his funeral.
● The Little Engine That Could and Mike Mulligan’s Steam Shovel are the two books that the
author refers to when he writes about Grayson learning to read. Ask students to read the two
books, then compare and contrast them. They should also respond to the following
questions: Why do you think the author selected these two books? Are they good choices?
Can you think of other books that would also have been appropriate?
Long-Term Project
As a class, contact a local or national homelessness and/or civil rights organization. Invite a
speaker to come into the classroom to provide information and answer questions that students
may have about the issues they have been learning about. As a class, create a list of questions to
ask the speaker. Students can write up a report of the visit, perhaps to be included in a school,
classroom or local newspaper. {Resources}
Chapters 33-37
Summary
Pages 121-142: After Grayson died, Maniac runs all over the place. He sleeps in a variety of
places, and gets food at the soup kitchens or by doing odd jobs for people. One day he finds
himself at Valley Forge, and discovers a tiny cabin- a replica of the Continental Army’s shelters.
He throws away the food he has left, wraps himself in a blanket, lies down in the cabin and waits
to die. However, when he hears two children talking, he leaves the cabin to see what is going on.
The two kids turn to be from Two Mills who have run away, and Maniac gets them to go back by
promising them a pizza at Cobble’s Corner. It turns out that the two kids are McNab’s brothers.
After Maniac convinces McNab that he hadn’t kidnapped his brothers, and after he tells the
brothers that McNab really was able to strike him out, using the “stopball,” McNab invites
Maniac to stay at his house.
The McNab house is absolutely horrifying- messy, with garbage all over the place, and what first
looks like raisins, but which turn out to be roaches. The only food in the fridge is beer and
mustard. Maniac does not want to stay in the house, but does anyway, because he believes
McNab’s brothers, Russell and Piper, need him there. Maniac’s mission is to make sure that the
brothers go to school. To get them to go, he makes all kinds of promise, and uses numerous
bribes. Eventually he starts to do his legendary feats again, in order to get them to go to school.

● What does Maniac take with him when he leaves the equipment room behind? Why does he
take these things?
● Why do you think Maniac brushes over the 101 before he leaves?
● Why does Maniac want to die? Why doesn’t he do back to the Beales? What does it mean
when the narrator writes, “No one else would orphan him”?
● When maniac encounters Russell and Piper, he is brought back to reality. How do the two
boys help Maniac? Why is it so important for him to help them?
● The author is very thorough in describing the McNab house. What does his description of
the house tell us about the McNab family? What kind of people are they? What is being
built in the house? Who do they fear and why? What do you think they plan to do?
{Close Read}
● Why does Maniac begin performing his heroic feats again? Who is he helping by doing
them?
● Maniac insists that Piper and Russell go to school, but he will not go himself? Why is this?
Do you agree with his reasoning? Why? {Dialogue Journal}
● In what ways is Jeffrey courageous in these chapters? Do you feel like his courage has
changed? How? {Key Question}
● Chapter 38 ends with Piper and Russell daring Maniac to go into the East End. What do you
predict will happen next? Will he go? Who will he encounter?
Note that the vocabulary in these chapters is particularly challenging. Before beginning to read,
write the vocabulary words on the board or overhead projector. Ask students to think about what
mood these words evoke. Given what Maniac has just been through, what emotion would the
vocabulary most likely convey? Have students consider what urchins may have to do with the
story.
Solitary (p. 121) being living or going alone
Desolation (p. 122) loneliness, barren
Gaunt (p. 123) excessively thin
Beseeching (p. 123) begging for urgently or anxiously
Urchins (p. 128) mischievous, raggedly clothed youngsters
Lambasting (p. 129) assaulting violently or attacking verbally
Nonchalantly (p. 133) acting with an air of ease or indifference
Mini Lesson: Reading Non-Fiction (CCSS: RI1, RL1, RI3, W2)

What you might say: Today in your reading you are going to come across references to Valley
Forge. In order to get the most out of the story and understand why Jerry Spinelli chose to have
Maniac end up here we need to know more about Valley Forge. I have found an article for you
to read in order to get a better understanding of the location. As you read the article, which we
know requires very different skills than reading fiction; I want you to remember to continually
check yourself for understanding. What is the article trying to tell you? To help you do this I
have come up with a graphic organizer that will help guide your reading. Help students create a
graphic organizer that includes the columns: “Facts I Have Learned”; “Thoughts/Questions
Related to These Facts”; “Connections to Maniac Magee.”
Depending on how much you have already taught non-fiction reading you may need more or less
guided practice and instruction around this. The Valley Forge Historical Association provides a
variety of online resources that may be helpful in choosing an appropriate article for your
students.
Journals/ Literature Circles: Discuss whether knowing more about Valley Forge helped
students to understand and enjoy the book more. How so? What plans could you make for
finding out background information when reading a book on your own?
Author’s Craft (SSC: RL4, RL5, SL1C)

Spinelli is able to tell us a lot about life in the McNab household in a relatively short space, by
writing short scenes from maniac’s experiences there. Rather than give us a long description, he
basically gives us quick, written snapshots. One page 133, Spinelli writes, “The rest of the night
was scenes from a loony movie. Scene: McNab the father swaggers bare-ar,med out the front
door, bellowing back, ‘Do yer homework!’ Scene: Maniac retrieves the wet newspaper from the
living room. He finds a trash can in the backyard, next to a pile of cinder blocks. He dumps the
soggy papers in the can, which is empty. […] Scene: A faint rustling noise behind the stove.
Oh, no, rats! Maniac dares to look. It’s a turtle, box turtle, munching on old Whopper lettuce.
Whew!” Ask students to reread this section. Ask them what they learn about the McNab family,
and about Maniac’s feelings from these brief scenes.

● Reread the description of the McNab’s house. Copy those descriptions that you think are
most effective in creating a picture in your head. Try drawing a picture of what you think the
house looks like.
● Have students make a chart that compares the different settings of the novel. In addition to
describing what each setting looks like, they should include the emotional response that each
setting causes them and the characters to feel. See Appendix, Chapter 33-37 Activity for
handout
Setting Appearance Emotional Response: Emotional Response:

Character Reader
Beale’s House
Equipment Room at
the Y
Valley Forge
McNab’s House
● Having Maniac in their lives makes a big difference to Russell and Piper. Try to arrange for
your class to become mentors or pen pals to a group of primary grade students. Your
students can write letters to them, read books to them, have a party with them, etc.
● Maniac returns to Finsterwald’s and this time has a conversation with him. Ask students to
describe this mysterious Finsterwald, and write down the conversation that they think may
have occurred between him and Maniac. Share these descriptions and conversations in class.
Long-Term Project (CCSS: W8, SL1C)

Ask students to think about ways that they could start a school-wide movement to stop
discrimination and prejudice. What kind of discrimination is occurring in your school,
neighborhood or city? What would it take to stop the discrimination? How can you get the
whole school to support your ideas? Using the resources you have gathered this far, along with
supplement information from relevant internet and book sources, create a plan to address
discrimination in your school, neighborhood or city.
Chapters 38-39
Summary
Pages 143-152: Because of Piper and Russell’s dare, Maniac goes into the East End. He
encounters Mars Bar, who shows off his new sneakers and challenges Maniac to a race. While
racing, Maniac cannot decide if it would be better to win the race or lose. He ultimately decides
to win the race, and runs the last part of the race backwards, humiliating Mars Bar. Maniac
realizes that running the race backwards was a rotten thing to do, and he tries to disappear from
the crowd. In doing so, he ends up on Sycamore Street and back at the Beales’ house. Through
he is thrilled to be there, he sneaks away at dawn to return to the West End. Piper and Russell
are very excited to see Maniac, showing him that they had really missed him. When Maniac gets
to the McNab house, Mr. McNab, his son and the Cobras are working on building a “pillbox”
that they believe will protect them when the East Enders revolt.
Teacher Suggestion
The idea of a family building a “pillbox” to protect themselves against supposed attack may be
quite unfamiliar to students. Before reading this section of the novel, take time to discuss who
would want to build a pillbox, and why. You may want to discuss gangs, rival gang activity and
the violence that comes from gang fighting. Note that the McNabs and the Cobras have no
apparent reason to be protecting themselves from attack. It is their ignorance and paranoia, as
well as their prejudice against black people that has caused them to build the pillbox and arm
themselves.

● Maniac knows he should be feeling afraid of the East Enders, but he isn’t. Instead, “it was
himself he was afraid of, afraid of any trouble he might cause just by being there.” What does
this mean? What kind of trouble might he cause? {Close Read}
● Why does Mars Bar challenge Maniac to a race? What is he trying to prove? How does
Maniac feel about the race?
● Why does Maniac beat Mars Bar going backwards? What thought were going through his
head as he ran the race? How does Mars Bar feel after the race?
● Do you think Maniac should have let Mars Bar win the race? Explain why you feel that way.
● The Beales are very excited and happy to see Maniac, and he is overjoyed to see them. Why,
then, does he sneak off at dawn to return to the West End and the McNabs?
{Dialogue Journal}
● Piper and Russell were seriously worried about Maniac when he was in the East End. What
were they afraid of? Why?
● What are George and John McNab building in their house? What is it for? How does
Maniac feel about it?
● Do you think the McNabs’ feelings are shared by all white people? What do you think
causes the McNabs to feel the way they do? How would most people react to the McNabs
and their attitudes? {Key Question}
Forlorn (p. 143) sad, lonely
Sanctuary (p. 148) a place of refuge and protection
Reprisal (p. 148) payback
Ludicrous (p. 150) amusing or laughable
Pillbox (p. 151) a low-roofed concrete emplacement for machine guns
Marauding (p. 152) to roam about raiding, pillaging
Mini Lesson: Conflict (CCSS: RL1, RL5, W1, W4, SL1D)

What you might say: The story is becoming rather complex with a variety of conflicts being
described. In previous books we have talked about conflicts and how they really make a story
interesting. You may recall that a conflict is a dramatic struggle between two forces in a story.
This is more than simply a problem (ex: The boy could not get his backpack unstuck from the
bus door.) Conflicts can occur between different elements of the story. For example a conflict
can be:
Character vs. Character – One character having a struggle with another character (human or not)
in the book. (Ex. Two characters who really don’t like each other for moral reasons)
Character vs. Nature – In this the character seems to be struggling with the elements of nature.
(Weather, trees/plants, mountains, etc.)
Character vs. Society - The main character is in conflict with a larger group such as a culture,
society or community. (The character could be fighting against war, stereotypes, prejudice, etc.)
Character vs. Himself – Character is having some kind of inner conflict. (They may be trying to
change themselves, they may have new realizations as they grow up, etc.)
As we read this chapter I want you to start thinking about what types of conflicts Spinelli has
included in this story. As you read or immediately following the reading, have students jot down
the different conflicts they have noticed.
Journals/ Literature Circles: If Spinelli chose to leave one of these conflicts out of the story
which should it be? How would it affect the story? On the other hand which is the most
important conflict? Which conflict can you relate to the most?

● Mars Bar has never met anyone like Maniac. In Mars Bar’s voice, write a description of
Maniac.
● How do you suppose Amanda and the Beales felt when Jeffrey returned to their house for
● Ask students to imagine they were reports standing on the sidelines watching Maniac and
Mars Bar race. They should write an account of the race for the newspaper. Remind them to
use the five W’s: Who, What, When, Where any Why.
Chapters 40-42
Summary
Pages 153-166: After leaving the McNabs’ house because of the pillbox building, Maniac ends
up at the Pickwells’ house for dinner. There he realizes that the Pickwells are very much like the
Beales: kind, generous and accepting. He returns to the McNabs’ house, where he continues to
struggle to get Piper and Russell to go to school. He does whatever it takes, but realizes that he
has very little control over them, as they continually do things to get into trouble. He is tempted
to leave, but stays because he really believes they need him. At one point, when they are playing
with toy guns, Maniac takes the guns and smashes them to pieces. The boys are so mad that they
tell Maniac to leave, which he does. Maniac sleeps in the park until he sees the boys again.
Russell and Piper are happy to see Maniac, and invite them to their party. He agrees to go, as
long as he can bring somebody.
Manic gets Mars Bar to agree to go to the party. First, Maniac takes him to the Pickwells’, to
show him how warm and loving a white family can be. Then, they go to the birthday party
together. Neither George McNab nor the Cobras respond well when Mars Bar enters the house.
George refers to him as “it” and one of the Cobras jumps on top of Mars Bar. Maniac has to
hold Mars Bar back to keep him from going after the Cobra. It is an altogether uncomfortable
time, and Mars Bar leaves the party very angry at Maniac. The chapter ends though, with
Maniac feeling a whole new respect for Mars Bar.

● Drawing on his experiences with the Pickwells and the Beales, Maniac reflects, “Whoever
had made Hector Street a barrier, it was surely not these people.” Who do you think did
make Hector Street a barrier? How do you suppose it happened? Do you think there was
always a barrier dividing the two ends of town? {Dialogue Journal}
● As disgusted as Maniac is with the McNabs and their pillbox, he nevertheless returns to their
house. He feels that, “to abandon the McNab boys would be to abandon something in
himself.” What does he mean by this? {Close Read}
● The author write that Russell and Piper, “were spoiling, rotting from the outside in, like a
pair of peaches in the sun. Soon, unless he, unless somebody did something, the rot would
reach the pit.” What does this simile mean? What is it going to take to keep the boys from
rotting?
● Why is Maniac so furious when he sees Piper and Russell playing with Grayson’s mitt?
What does he do? How do the boys respond?
● Why does Maniac bring Mars Bar to Piper and Russell’s party? What does he hope to
accomplish by doing this? Do things turn out the way he wants them to?
● How does Maniac and Mars Bar relationship change as a result of this experience?
● Do any characters show courage in this section of the reading? Who? How? {Key
Question}
● In a strange way, Chapter 42 ends on a positive note. How is this so?
● Compare and contrast the Pickwells and the McNabs. Do these two families have anything
in common? What about the Pickwells and the Beales? {Close Read}
● Have you ever been mean to someone or hurt them simply because he or she was different
from you? Why did you do it? How did you feel afterwards? If you could be in the same
situation, how would you behave differently? {Dialogue Journal}

Note that these vocabulary words are especially difficult. Make sure to spend plenty of time
going over them before you begin to read. Once students understand what they mean, have them
make predictions about what will happen next in the story.
Extort (p. 154) to obtain from someone by force

Goaded (p. 154) to have made a person do something
Knee-jerk reaction (p. 159) reflex reaction
Sauntered (p. 165) strolled
Gauntlet (p. 165) attack from all sides
Mini Lesson: Protagonists and Antagonists (CCSS:RL1, RL3, SL1D)

What you might say: We have talked about how authors include conflict(s) within their story.
Within the conflict authors typically have a protagonist and an antagonist, or a “good guy” and a
“bad guy”. As the literature you read becomes more sophisticated so does this concept. You
may find some authors have the protagonists and antagonists change throughout the story. You
may also find that one of the characters is not actually a person, but a force or an idea, which we
looked at when talking about conflict. Authors do this to engage the reader, to make the story
interesting and often times to help them make a statement or teach a lesson. Today I want to
work with you to determine the protagonist and the antagonist in Maniac Magee.
Journals/ Literature Circles: What characters have acted as protagonists? Antagonists? Have
they changed throughout the story? (Note the prefixes pro- and anti- in the two words, use these
to help students remember the meanings and/or to teach the meanings of the prefixes)

● Jeffrey very much wanted to help Russell and Piper, yet he did not seem able to reach them.
Can you think of anything else he might have done? Write a letter to him with your ideas.
● Write a diary entry for Mars Bar describing his visit to the West End.
● Have students draw a picture of a scene from today’s reading. Allow time for students to
share their pictures with classmates and to explain why they chose to draw that scene.
● In small groups, have students choose a scene from the reading to read aloud or dramatize.
They should pick a scene that they think best epitomizes the tension in these chapters.
Chapters 43-46
Summary
Pages 167-184: Maniac does not return to the McNabs’. Instead, he goes back to his wandering
ways- sleeping at the zoo, running around town, reading in the library and eating at the
Pickwells’. During his early morning runs, Maniac realizes that there is someone else running,
too. It turns out to be Mars Bar. As first, they avoid each other and pretend not to know the
other is there. Eventually, they begin to run side-by-side, though they still do not speak. One
day, while they are running, they meet Piper McNab, who is crying and screaming for help. It
turns out that Russell has gotten stuck on the trestle over the Schuylkill River, and can’t get back.
Because it is the same trestle where Maniac’s parents had died, he is paralyzed and unable to
help. Maniac walks away from Mars Bar and the screaming boys, without helping Russell.
Later, Maniac is awakened at the buffalo pen by Mars Bar. He has come to ask Maniac why he
walked away from Russell. Maniac explains the story about his parents, and then Mars Bar tells
Maniac what happened on the trestle. Mars Bar rescued Russell, and then he brought both boys
to his home, where Mars Bar’s mother took care of them. Piper and Russell did not want to go
home at the end of the day.
After telling the story, Mars Bar invites Maniac to come stay at his house. Maniac declines the
invitation, and Mars Bar’s feelings are hurt. That night, Maniac is again awakened in the buffalo
pen, but this time by Amanda, who is with Mars Bar. She had come to yell at Maniac for turning
down Mars Bar’s invitation. Then she tells Maniac that he has no choice- he will go home with
Amanda, and he will live at the Beales’ every day from now on, and he will not run away again.
Maniac goes with Amanda without saying a word, knowing that he now has a home.
Teacher Suggestion
Before beginning today’s reading, discuss with your students all the different conflicts that have
occurred throughout the novel. Which conflicts do students feel have already been resolved?
Which conflicts do they believe still need to be resolved in order for the novel to end
satisfactorily? Have students predict what they think might happen in order to resolve the
conflicts.

● Why doesn’t Maniac return to the McNabs’ after the birthday party?
● What does Maniac do for food and shelter during this period of homelessness? Why do you
think he starts sleeping on people’s porches, and even in someone’s kitchen?
● Why do you think Maniac and Mars Bar begin running with each other, even though they
will not speak? {Close Read}
● Does it surprise you that Maniac does not help Russell when he is stuck on the trestle? Why
or why not? {Dialogue Journal}
● Why is it so important for Mars Bar to find Maniac after the incident on the bridge? What
does he need to ask? Why?
● How does Mars Bar’s experience with Russell and Piper affect him? How does he change?
● Write how you think Piper and Russell might change as a result of their visit to the East End
and their warm interaction with Mars Bar’s mother.
● Why won’t Maniac go to stay at Mar’s Bar’s house? How does Mars Bar feel when Maniac
turns down his invitation? Why do you think he feels that way?
● Why does Amanda want to change Mars Bar’s name to Snickers?
● Why does Maniac finally go with Amanda to live with her and her family? How do you feel
about this ending?
● Who shows courage in this section of the reading? How does he or she show courage? {Key
Question}
● Do you think the author did a good job of resolving all the story’s conflicts? Why or why
not? Is there anything that you would change about the ending? {Dialogue Journal}

Bison (p. 167) buffalo
Dovetailing (p. 171) to fit together into a whole
Diverged (p. 172) extended in different directions
Mini Lesson: Organization (CCSS: RL5, RL6, W1, SL1C)

What you might say: Authors can tell their stories using different organizational structures.
Some examples of organizational structures authors may make use of are chronological order,
flashbacks, or medias res (mid action). Jerry Spinelli chose to use chronological order when
telling the story of Maniac Magee. This means that he went in order of time, from beginning to
end. Once you can determine how the author has organized their writing, you will be better able
to comprehend the events, understand the characters and predict what will happen next in a story.
As we finish this story I want you to think about how the organization of the story helped you to
understand the plot. When you begin your next book, and every book, it will be important to
think about and determine the organization of the plot.
Journals/ Literature Circles: What movies or books have you experienced that use different
types of organization? What do you think would be the easiest to write?
Author’s Craft (RL5, RL6)

In the novel, there is a lot of conversation between characters. Spinelli uses dialogue in his
writing to bring his characters and scenes to life. Dialogue is another way writers show their
readers exactly what is happening rather than just telling them. For example, on pages 181-184,
there is an extended dialogue between Amanda and Maniac. Rather than just ending his novel
by telling the reader that Amanda found Maniac and made him go back to her house with her, we
see exactly how the conversation unfolds. When Amanda tells Maniac to come with her, and he
tells her he can’t, she responds, “Don’t tell me can’t. I didn’t come all the way out here in my
nightshirt and slippers and climb that fence and almost kill myself so I could hear you tell me
can’t!” Through the dialogue, we can imagine exactly how this scene played out. Have students
read this scene aloud so that they can fully appreciate the dialogue.

● Have students choose a scene with dialogue in it- consider pages 174-180, or pages 181-
184. With a partner, have them practice reading and acting out the dialogue. Have student
pairs present their dramatic readings to the class.
● The novel ends on a positive note, with Maniac finally getting the family he so deeply
wanted. This is a great time to celebrate the important of family. Consider finding a
picture book of families across the world. Discuss what it means to be a family, and
identify different types of family constellations. Is any kind of family “better” than
another? Have students create a description of their own family, including family photos,
family stories and their feelings about their families.
Long-Term Project (CCSS: W8, SL4)

During this unit, students will have gathered a significant amount of information on
homelessness and overcoming prejudice and discrimination. Have students create a final project
on one of these two themes for presentation to the class. You may want to consider providing a
variety of options, i.e. report, newspaper, scrapbook, oral report, photo essay, etc., so that each
student may present his or her finding in a way that matches his or her learning style.
Post-Reading Activities
● Write a letter to Jerry Spinelli, telling him your personal reactions to Maniac Magee. Let him
know what scenes and/or characters you especially liked, and which you did not like as
much. Would you like to change anything about the book? Do you have any questions
you’d like to ask Spinelli about his book? What would you like to know?
● Dress up as a character from the book and discuss your behavior and actions throughout the
book with the class. Have the class ask you questions, and answer them as if you were the
character.
● Create a board game that is based on the book. What will you call it? What is the point of
the game? How do you win? What will the board look like? Create playing pieces and
cards that will evoke the setting, characters, problems and resolutions of the novel.
● Were you unsatisfied by the ending, or do you think it could have ended differently? Write a
new ending that you think will be a more satisfactory conclusion.
● Change an event in the story, and write how the story would have been different. For
example, how would the story had changed if Grayson hadn’t died? What if Mars Bar had
refused to save Russell? What if Maniac had not won the race with Mars Bar?
● On page 2, there is a jump rope rhyme that kids in Two Mills chant about Maniac. Write
your own jump rope rhyme, or write a song, that tells about one of Maniac’s legendary feats.
● Are you curious about what happened to Russell and Piper? Write a new chapter, or
epilogue, that tells the story of the McNab household and what might have happened as a
result of Russell and Piper’s experiences with Maniac and Mars Bar.
● Discuss how Maniac’s story is similar to Max’s story. What do the two characters have in
common? How is their courage similar? How is it different?
Key Questions
Theme: Courage
Topics
Courage to leave a bad situation;
Courage to stand up for your beliefs;
Courage to face prejudice;
Courage to go against popular opinion;
Courage to be different
Questions
● What is courage?
● How does Maniac show courage?
● How do the other main characters show courage?
● What do you think is the most courageous act of the book? Why do you think so?
● Some of the things that Maniac does are brave, but not necessarily courageous. Give an
example of one of these things. What is the difference between courage and bravery?
● What is the most courageous thing you have ever done?
Theme: Overcoming Prejudice

Topics
Being different does not mean you are a bad person;
Liking people for who they are on the inside;
Accepting people when it might also make you the victim of prejudice;
Prejudice often stems from ignorance.
Questions
● What does it mean to be prejudiced?
● How did Maniac solve his problems with people who didn’t like him? Give examples and
tell what we can learn from his style. What else could he have done?
● What could you do to stop prejudice?
● Is there every a good reasons to be prejudiced?
● Why do you think people have prejudices?
● What is the best way to stop prejudice, in your opinion?
Theme: Homelessness
Topics
There are many reasons why people may be homeless;
Homeless people do not necessarily choose to be homeless;
Children can be homeless, too.
Questions
● What might happen to lead to someone becoming homeless?
● What events led to Maniac’s being homeless?
● How do you think Maniac felt about being homeless?
● Was there another character in the book that was homeless in spirit, if not in reality?
● How would you feel if you suddenly became homeless? What would you do?
Theme: Family
Topics
There are many possible forms a family can take;
Having parents or other relatives does not necessarily mean you have a family;
Families are supposed to provide love and acceptance;
Your family is not necessarily related by blood to you;
Some families do not provide the love and support that children need.
Questions
● Are Grayson and Maniac a family?
● Are the McNabs a family?
● What are the differences between these two families?
● Which of the families in the novel would you most want to live with? Why?
● What do you think makes a good family?
● How do you think it feels to lose an important family member?
Appendix: Maniac Magee
Maniac Magee Chapter 9-11 Mini Lesson
Name: _________________________________________
Directions: In the space provided, note the events and conflicts that make up each part of the
story plot of Maniac Magee.
Exposition
Rising Action
Climax
Falling Action
Resolution
Maniac Magee Chapter 15 Activity
Name: ______________________________________________
On page 54 of Maniac Magee, there is a description of Maniac that reads almost like a poem:
The new white kid.

Who lived with the Beales at 728 Sycamore.
Who ran the streets before the father went out.
Who could poleax a stickball like a twelfth-grader
And catch a football like Hands Down.
Who was allergive to pizza.
Who jumped up in Bethany Church and shout
“Hallelujah! A-men!”
Directions: Write a poem about yourself that follows the same structure:
Name ______________________________________________________
Description of self ______________________________________________________
Who ______________________________________________________
Who ______________________________________________________
Who ______________________________________________________
Who ______________________________________________________
Who ______________________________________________________
Name ______________________________________________________
Maniac Magee Chapter 33-37 Activity
Name: _________________________________________________
Setting Appearance Emotional Response: Emotional Response:

Character Reader
Beale’s House
Equipment
Room at
the Y
Valley Forge
McNab’s
House
Boston Public Schools ELA Key Questions
Topic
● What is this book or chapter about?
Theme
● What lessons is the author trying to teach?
● Do you agree or disagree with the author’s point of view?
Plot
● What are the most memorable or significant events? Why these?
● What role did they play in developing the theme?
● What’s going to happen next? Did it?
Characterization
● Who are the most important characters? What makes them so important?
● How do they help develop the theme?
● What are their key characteristics?
Conflict
● What challenges are the key characters wrestling with?
● How are they responding to them?
● How should they respond? How would you respond?
Setting
● How do location, time, and culture affect the characters and plot?
● What role do they play in developing the theme?
● Would the story be different in another location, time, or culture?
Language
● How does the author’s use of language enhance the story?
Connections
● What comparisons can you make between the characters and events in the book/chapter, yourself,
and contemporary characters/events you’re familiar with?
Significance
● Why is this book important?
● Is there anything unique about this book? Is there anything difficult or challenging?
● Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
General
● What are the most interesting things you learned?
● What surprised or amazed you?
● How would you change any part of this book/chapter? How would this affect the story?

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Acknowledgements

ELA Educational Principles

ELA Student Requirements

ELA Content Objectives

Best wishes for a wonderful school year!

Dr. Marcia Harris

Reading Maniac Magee

Questions to Promote Discussion and Stimulate Journal Writing

A Special Note about Journal Writing: Dialogue Journals

Overcoming Prejudice and Discrimination

Oral Reading, Silent Reading

Questions to Promote Discussion and Stimulate Journal Writing

* Definitions from Merrian-Webster Online: Dictionary and Thesaurus

Activities to Extend Comprehension and Relate Learning to Life

Questions to Promote Discussion and Stimulate Journal Writing

CCSS: RL1, SL1C, W3

Mini Lesson: Clarify/Summarize

Journals/ Literature Circles:

Activities to Extend Comprehension and Relate Literature to Life

Director’s Cut: The Lost Year

Questions to Promote Discussion and Stimulate Journal Writing

Author’s Craft (CCSS: RL4, L5A, L5C)

CCSS: RL5, SL1D,

Mini Lesson: Foreshadowing

Activities to Extend Comprehension and Relate Literature to Life

Questions to Promote Discussion and Stimulate Journal Writing

Vocabulary (L4A, RL4)

Author’s Craft (CCSS: RL4)

CCSS: RL5, SL1A, W2

Mini Lesson: Story Map

See Appendix, Chapters 9-11 Mini Lesson for handout

Activities to Extend Comprehension and Relate Literature to Life

Long-Term Projects (CCSS: W4, W6, RI1, RI2)

Overcoming Prejudice and Discrimination

Questions to Promote Discussion and Stimulate Journal Writing

Vocabulary (CCSS: LA4, RL4)

CCSS: RL1, RL2, W2

Mini Lesson: Knowing the Characters

Journals/ Literature Circles:

Activities to Extend Comprehension and Relate Literature to Life

See Appendix, Chapter 15 Activity for handout.

Questions to Promote Discussion and Stimulate Journal Writing

Vocabulary (CCSS: L4A, RL4)

CCSS: RL4, RL1, W1

Mini Lesson: Imagery

Activities to Extend Comprehension and Relate Literature to Life

Long Term Projects

Questions to Promote Discussion and Stimulate Journal Writing

Vocabulary (L4A, RL4)

Mini Lesson: Point of View

Activities to Extend Comprehension and Relate Literature to Life

Questions to Promote Discussion and Stimulate Journal Writing

Vocabulary (L4A, RL4)

Mini Lesson: Unknown Vocabulary

Activities to Extend Comprehension and Relate Literature to Life

Questions to Promote Discussion and Stimulate Journal Writing

Vocabulary (CCSS: L4A, RL4)

Mini Lesson: Sentence Variety

Activities to Extend Comprehension and Relate Literature to Life

Questions to Promote Discussion and Stimulate Journal Writing

Vocabulary (CCSS: L4A, RL4)

Mini Lesson: Inference

Activities to Extend Comprehension and Relate Literature to Life

Questions to Promote Discussion and Stimulate Journal Writing