Theme: Challenging Prejudices
Grades: Grades 7-7
Maniac Magee, the title character of this novel, gains instant celebrity
in the town of Two Mills, Pennsylvania. Jeffrey Lionel Magee is a 12-year-old
homeless wanderer who can move like no one else the town has ever seen.
He earns the name "Maniac" with such feats as intercepting a football
on a field of players twice his size, hitting an inside-the-park home
run without a baseball, and winning a race by running backwards. As
the legend of Maniac spreads, Jeffrey reluctantly takes on two challenges
he can't outrun: the strong racial divisions in Two Mills and his need
for a loving family. His unconventional actions weaken the town's barriers
and he eventually finds the home he'd always needed.
- Challenging Assumptions.
Ask students to remember a time when they heard about a person before
actually meeting him or her. Perhaps students heard about a teacher,
a new student, or a faraway relative. Suggest that students make a
two-column chart in their notebooks. In the first column, have them
brainstorm a list of things that they had heard were true about the
person. In the second column, have them write their impressions of
the person after they actually met. In small groups, students should
share their charts and discuss whether what they had heard about a
person affected their ability to get to know the person on his or
her own terms.
- Linking to Today: Racial Prejudice.
Explain to students that racism is a dominant theme in Maniac Magee.
Ask students if they have ever been discriminated against in any wayon
the basis of age, race, religion, or social class, for example. Then
ask what they believe was at the root of the discrimination they experienced.
Lead them to conclude that fear was probably the cause. If your class
is not ready to discuss these difficult issues aloud, have them write
about their experiences in their notebooks. Students may wish to share
their experiences after they've had a chance to read the novel and
discuss Maniac's experiences with prejudice.
Telling the Tale.
Divide the class into four groups and have each group discuss one
of the novel's four sections. In preparation for an oral retelling
of the story, ask students to think about the most important information
the narrator shares and the conflicts that occur between the characters.
Each group should choose a method for retelling its section of the
novel. One group might present a skit, retelling the story through
the invented dialogue of the characters; another group might share
the events in a round-robin format.
- Talk! Talk! Talk!
Stage a radio or TV talk show, with one student playing the role of
Maniac Magee as the principal guest and another student playing the
host. Other characters from the novel may make appearances on the
show as well; the rest of the class may act as the studio audience
or phone-in listeners. To prepare for the show, have students brainstorm
a list of possible discussion topics based on the novel's dominant
themes, such as how to get along with others, how to resolve conflicts
nonviolently, or how to understand the pros and cons of different
Have students conduct research on the problem of illiteracy in your
city or town. Have them try to discover how common the problem is
and what's being done in your community to solve it. If possible,
instruct them to conduct an interview with a literacy teacher or with
an adult who is learning to read and write. Have them summarize their
findings in a report.
- Living on the Streets: No Life at All.
In this project, students will consider the problem of homelessness
from different angles. They will learn about homeless populations
in other countries and cultures and study homelessness during the
Depression in this country. Students will compare what they learn
with the information presented in Maniac Magee. Students will
study available resources and conduct a fundraising campaign for a
local homeless shelter.
- Divide students into small groups and have them conduct research
on the problem of homelessness in other parts of the world, such
as India, South America, or Central America. Have at least one
group research the history of homelessness in the United States,
focusing perhaps on the Great Depression. Groups should present
their findings to the class in oral reports. Discuss the fact
that homelessness is not a new problem, nor is it confined to
individual neighborhoods, cities, or countries. Have students
do research on the homeless in their communities. Have them try
to uncover who is homeless, why, and what their lives are like.
Ask students to consider why it's so difficult to accurately count
how many homeless people there are.
- Have students organize a fundraising campaign for the homeless
in their community. Students can use the money they raise to support
the efforts of a local homeless shelter or a related service organization.
Have students work in small groups to brainstorm ways to raise
money. Students can focus on a single event or plan a series of
them over a period of time. Then have students form teams to do
the necessary research and to make posters and flyers. At a fundraising
event, students can take turns managing a general information
table, sharing what they know about the area's homeless population.
The shelter or service that students choose to support might co-sponsor
an event by supplying their own information and mailing materials.