Activity Overview
In this activity, students will identify a theme of the novel, and support their choice with details from the text. Several themes are present in the novel, and students could also display how these are present by giving an example of each theme.
Maniac Magee Theme Examples
Abandonment
Jeffrey Magee is repeatedly abandoned:
- His parents die in a trolley accident
- Grayson dies in his sleep
- The East End community does not accept him
Family
Jeffrey desperately wants to be a part of a family who cares about him.
Race
Two Mills consists of the East End, for blacks, and the West End, for whites. Jeffrey does not see these color differences and embraces the individuals who are open to racial differences.
Grade Level 4-5
Difficulty Level 3 (Developing to Mastery)
Type of Assignment Individual
Type of Activity: Themes, Symbols & Motifs
Common Core Standards- [ELA-Literacy/RL/5/1] Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
- [ELA-Literacy/RL/5/2] Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text.
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Use This Assignment With My Students", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that identifies recurring themes in Maniac Magee. Illustrate instances of each theme and write a short description below each cell.
- Click "Start Assignment".
- Identify the theme(s) from Maniac Magee you wish to include and replace the "Theme 1" text.
- Create an image for an example that represents this theme.
- Write a description of each of the examples.
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient | Emerging | Beginning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identify Theme(s) | All themes are correctly identified and described. | Some themes are correctly identified. | No themes are correctly identified. |
| Examples of Theme(s) | All examples support the identified theme(s). | Most examples fit the identified theme(s). | Most examples do not fit the theme(s). |
| Illustrate Theme | Images clearly show connection with the theme(s). | Some images help to show the theme. | Images do not help in understanding the theme. |
More Storyboard That Activities for
Maniac Magee
Education Pricing
This pricing structure is only available to academic institutions. Storyboard That accepts purchase orders.
© 2020 - Clever Prototypes, LLC - All rights reserved.
Over 15 Million Storyboards Created
