Maniac Magee
by Jerry Spinelli
Digital Salon by Kennedy Blahnik
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After being orphaned and running away from home, Maniac Magee arrives in Two Mills where he doesn’t know anyone and soon everyone knows him. He performs unimaginable tasks and feats, some to help out, some for his own and other’s amusement and soon he becomes a household name. Somewhere between running into town and finally finding a home, Maniac somehow becomes a legend of his own making and manages to bring this racially divided town just a small step closer.
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Written Response
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Purpose: The purpose of this assignment is to allow students the opportunity to create their own creative narrative in the realms of a text. Using what they already know about the characters, settings, and author's voice, students will produce a piece of writing that would fit seamlessly into the book.
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Common Core Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.3 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.4 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.1 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.2 |
Maniac Magee Writing Prompt
Jeffery Magee became a the subject of many legends in Two Mills overnight. Some may be fact, and some may be myth. In this written response, you will be adding to the story of Maniac Magee by writing your own legend. Write about an unimaginable feat, task, or action that Maniac completes to awe the residents of Two Mills. You are encouraged to use any of the settings and characters found throughout the book, or make up your own! Be creative and help Maniac Magee live on! (2-3 pages, double spaced)
Jeffery Magee became a the subject of many legends in Two Mills overnight. Some may be fact, and some may be myth. In this written response, you will be adding to the story of Maniac Magee by writing your own legend. Write about an unimaginable feat, task, or action that Maniac completes to awe the residents of Two Mills. You are encouraged to use any of the settings and characters found throughout the book, or make up your own! Be creative and help Maniac Magee live on! (2-3 pages, double spaced)
Podcasting
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Prompt: Create a podcast that includes the perspective of a secondary character. Have them recount the main events of the book as they saw them happen. Feel free to use multiple voices and background music to help add to the message you are trying to portray.
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Purpose: The purpose of this assignment is to allow students to think from the perspective of the secondary characters. They must use context clues from the text and character traits to understand how a specific character would respond to the situation.
Common Core Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.2 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.4 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.5 |
Digital Storytelling
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Purpose: The purpose of this project is to allow students a creative way to summarize the book they have just read. Trailers usually have only the most important ideas from the text. Students may also play around with the idea of suspense when deciding how much to give away about the book in their trailer.
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Common Core Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.2 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.2 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.5 |
Digital Story Prompt
Create a trailer for the book Maniac Magee that sparks the viewers interest to read the book. You may give away as much or as little as you see necessary to entice the viewer.
Create a trailer for the book Maniac Magee that sparks the viewers interest to read the book. You may give away as much or as little as you see necessary to entice the viewer.
Maniac Magee Trailer from Kennedy Blahnik on Vimeo.
Infographic
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Purpose: In the book Maniac Magee, many of the themes addressed are themes that matter to the outside world. By looking into the effects of these themes on our society today, students will have a deeper understanding of their importance on the text.
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Common Core Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.4 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.5 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.7 |
Infographic Prompt
Create an infographic that touches on one of the many social justice themes found in Maniac Magee. Some include: Race, Segregation, Homelessness, etc. Make sure to include important statistics that are meaningful to the message you are trying to get across to viewers. Remember, infographics are a quick read that should include fast facts and short sentences.
Create an infographic that touches on one of the many social justice themes found in Maniac Magee. Some include: Race, Segregation, Homelessness, etc. Make sure to include important statistics that are meaningful to the message you are trying to get across to viewers. Remember, infographics are a quick read that should include fast facts and short sentences.
