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In this activity students will identify the cause and effect of events in the text. At the beginning of the novel, Jeffrey is sent to live with his aunt and uncle who do not get along. He is so disturbed by this, that during a school play, he stands on the stage yelling, “TALK!” and then runs away.
Another cause and effect relationship begins when Mars Bar and his friends surround Maniac, ready to beat him up. Amanda Beale steps in, rescues him and takes him to her house. Shortly after his rescue, Maniac realizes the trouble he is causing the Beales when “FISHBELLY” is sprayed on their house. He doesn’t want to be a burden on the family, so he runs away to the West End.
The text structure of Maniac Magee is cause and effect; therefore an entire cause and effect chain can be created to show how the story progresses.
Grade Level 4-5
Difficulty Level 3 (Developing to Mastery)
Type of Assignment Individual
Type of Activity: Cause and Effect within Plot
Common Core Standards(This will start a 2-Week Free Trial - No Credit Card Needed)
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Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that shows cause and effect relationships in Maniac Magee. Each cause and effect pair will be shown in the same row.
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