Hargett_Language_Arts

Name: Katie Hargett Book Title: Maniac Magee Author: Jerry Spinelli


 * TEXT OVERVIEW**

Maniac Magee is the story of a young, orphaned boy who affects many lives within the town of Two Mills, while in the mean time discovering himself and trying to find a home. He is the kid that everyone wants to be. He can hit the “un-hittable” pitch of John McNab, outrun mean Mars Bar Thompson, and can catch a ball better than James “Hands” Down. Maniac also does the unthinkable and crosses Hector Street, the barrier between the East End and West End, the blacks and the whites. However, everyone Maniac meets has something he does not; a home. He thought he found a home with the Beales, a black family in the East End. However, Maniac was not accepted by everyone on that side of town and he felt as though he would only bring the Beales’ trouble and therefore ran away to live in the buffalo pen at the zoo. There he encountered Grayson who he lived with for a while in the baseball band shell until Grayson passed away, once again orphaning Maniac and leaving him without a home address. After doing more “crazy” things like bringing a black boy to the McNab household, Maniac slowly begins to understand how racism shapes the way many people think but still chooses not to accept it. He slowly begins to break down the barrier of Hector Street and in the process finds his permanent place within the Beale home.
 * Summary:**


 * Genre:** Realistic Fiction

Winner of the Newbery Medal Award Winner, Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award and Boston Globe–Horn Book Award.
 * Quality Literature:**

This piece of realistic fiction allows young readers of both genders to relate to the heroic main character and his relationships with the people he meets in Two Mills. __Maniac Magee__ provides the reader with insight into difficult issues within the world such as racial tension, homelessness, and literacy. By learning about these issues through a heroic tale, young readers gain understanding about the issues without feeling overwhelmed. Readers watch and grow along side Maniac as he deals with challenging situations and comes out successful in the end, leaving the reader feeling hopeful and optimistic.

Average syllables per 100 words: 128.33 Average number of sentences per 100 words: 8.67 Fry Readability: 5th Grade
 * Readability:**

This book allows student to explore difficult issues such racism and homelessness through a unique and creative story with a main character whose feats are similar to those in tall tales and legends. Students will enjoy the reading about the journey of Maniac Magee while probing into why racism and homelessness exist.
 * Rationale:**


 * Context:**

This lesson would fall during the second half of the year once students have already had practice with different types of fiction and non-fiction literature, different forms of writing, and plenty of experiences using the internet as a technology tool within the classroom. The class is comprised of 22 students; 14 females and 8 males. There are 4 students exceeding the 5th grade expectations in reading and writing, 12 students are just about on target, and there are 6 struggling readers and/or writers. This is the beginning lesson for a unit on Maniac Magee. As mentioned, in an actual lesson I would most likely not model and teach a comprehension strategy using the first 2 chapters because I was students to get into the book first. That is why the rest of the lesson takes place from chapters 9-19. The modeling of the comprehension strategy and the during reading portion of the lesson would occur during the morning hours of the class and the letter to the editor response activity and research would take place during the afternoon.


 * OBJECTIVES / OUTCOMES**


 * 1) __Comprehension:__


 * While they are reading, students will compose at least 4 double-entry journal entries in which they make appropriate connections between the text and themselves, the world, another text, or another author to more deeply understand racial issues and conflict in chapters 12-19.**
 * 1) R–5–16.1 Generates a personal response to what is read through a variety of means by comparing stories or other texts to related personal experience, prior knowledge.


 * 1) R–5–13 Uses comprehension strategies (flexibly and as needed) before, during, and after reading literary and informational text. (Local) EXAMPLES of reading comprehension strategies might include: using prior knowledge; sampling a page for readability; summarizing; predicting and making text-based inferences; determining importance; generating literal, clarifying, and inferential questions; constructing sensory images (e.g., making pictures in one’s mind); making connections (text to self, text to text, and text to world); taking notes; locating, using, and analyzing text features (e.g. transition words, subheadings, bold/italicized print, parts of the book); or using text structure clues (e.g. chronological, cause/effect, compare/contrast, proposition and support, description classification, and logical/ sequential)
 * 2) W-5-2.3 In response to literary or informational text, students show understanding of plot/ideas/concepts by connecting what has been read to prior knowledge or other texts, by referring to relevant ideas.
 * 3) RIBTS 3.3 Teachers create instructional opportunities that reflect understand of how children learn and develop by creating lessons and activities that meet the variety of developmental levels of students within a class.
 * 4) RIBTS 4.2 Teachers create instructional opportunities that reflect a respect for the diversity of learners and an understanding of how students differ in their approaches to learn by using their understanding of students (e.g. individual interests, prior learning, and cultural experiences) to create connections between the subject matter and student experiences.


 * 1) __Response:__


 * A. Students will practice researching non-fiction information to understand racism by creating a two-column chart with information from a variety of texts provided in one column and relevant information about racism from the novel Maniac Magee in the other column.**
 * 1) R–5–7.3 Demonstrate initial understanding of informational texts (expository and practical texts) by organizing information to show understanding (e.g., representing main/central ideas or details within text through charting, mapping, paraphrasing, summarizing, or comparing/contrasting)


 * 1) W-5-2.1 In response to literary or informational text, students show understanding of plot/ideas/concepts by selecting appropriate information to set context/background.
 * 2) RIBTS 2.4 Teachers create learning experiences that reflect an understanding of the central concepts, structures, and tools of inquiry of the disciplines they teach by incorporating appropriate technological resources to support student exploration of the disciplines.
 * 3) RIBTS 5.1 Teachers create instructional opportunities to encourage student’ development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills by designing lessons that extend beyond factual recall and challenge students to develop higher level cognitive skills.

a. R-5-16.1 Generates a personal response to what is read through a variety of means by comparing stories or other texts to related personal experience, prior knowledge, or to other books.
 * B. Students will use their research chart to compose a Letter to the Editor of the Two Mills newspaper that explains the racial tension present in their community from the perspective of a main character or another member of the community**.

b. W-5-4.1 In written narratives, students organize and relate a story line/plot/series of events by creating a clear and coherent(logically consistent) story line.

c. W-5-4.2 In written narratives, students organize and relate a story line/plot/series of events by establishing context (setting or background information), problem/conflict/challenge and resolution.

d. RIBTS 5.2 Teachers create instructional opportunities to encourage student’ development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills by posing questions that encourage students to view, analyze, and interpret ideas from multiple perspectives.

e. RIBTS 6.6 Teachers create a learning environment that encourages appropriate standards of behavior, positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation by creating learning groups in which students lean to work collaboratively and independently.


 * MATERIALS**

Maniac Magee novel Large copy of letter format The Sneetches Large white paper (to generate class list) Sticky notes with discussion questions marked in book Markers Computer Newspaper template
 * __Teacher:__**

Maniac Magee Novel Double-entry journal worksheet Making Connections tally sheet (if desired) Computer Variety of non-fiction texts on racism News articles on racism Bookmarked website on racism Two-column research worksheet Peer Editing Worksheet Letter-to-the Editor Template (if desired) Pencil or pen Copy of Rubrics
 * __Student:__**

The lesson begins as a whole group so that everyone can witness the modeling of the comprehension strategy. I also begin the lesson as a whole group because we are just starting to read the book, so it eases students into a new book by having the first few chapters read to them. This way they are not overwhelmed with the thought of starting a whole new book and a whole new lesson. I also keep the class together as a group during guided practice because I want to be there to assist and support students as they begin to make their own connections to the text. Also, students who are struggling with the strategy will be able to listen and generate ideas about making connections as their peers make their own connections. Struggling readers will gather in smaller groups with me during independent practice to practice reading and making connections in a smaller, more intimate group where they will not feel intimidated to attempt making connections. Students will work independently while they work on their double-entry journals because I want them to make meaningful, personal connections and that is something that is hard to do with a partner or a group because everyone has experienced different things in their lives. This type of strategy can be personal and I want to give students the chance to share personal experiences if they so choose. During the researching part of the activity, students will be keeping their own two-column charts but will be encouraged to read through the non-fiction sources of information together and to share interesting facts they may come across during the research process. Students will work in groups of four to do a peer-editing workshop to practice the peer-evaluation process. This process is used throughout one’s life so it is important to have children experience it young. They must learn how to both praise and constructively criticize a peer’s work. They will also enjoy being able to read each other’s letter’s and compare the many different angles they each took in writing their letters. Finally, each student will write their own letter-to-the-Editor so they can independently practice their letter writing skills along with generating a fictional letter that integrates non-fiction and fictional information.
 * GROUPING**


 * PRE-READING**


 * __Activating Prior Knowledge__:**


 * 1) Remember a week ago when we were studying the Civil Rights Movement in our history unit. What can anyone tell me about the racism that occurred during that era? (Background Knowledge)


 * Student**: We learned that African American and White people were legally separated throughout the country.


 * T:** Good, now what do you mean by legally separated?


 * Student:** Well they had separate schools, separate bathrooms, different everything. African Americans also had to sit at the back of the bus. That’s what happened with Rosa Parks, because she refused to give her seat up to a White person and she was arrested for it.

2. Why do you think this occurred? (Inferential)


 * Student:** Because people are afraid of other people who are different. Because African American people have a different color skin, they were afraid of them.


 * Student2**: We also had slavery for so many years in this country so a lot of White people had the mind set that White people are better than black people. So even though we didn’t have slavery anymore, black people were still treated as if they were less than human.


 * 1) Good answer, now do you think racism still exists today?


 * Student:** I do think it still exists, but not in the way it did during the Civil Rights Movement because during that time it was okay to be racist and even the laws were racist. Now it’s more discrete.


 * Student:** I think it still exists. A friend of mine’s dad is Black and he gets pulled over going over the New London Bridge at least once a week for nothing and she says the cops are always very rude to him.


 * Teacher:** That is a very sad thing to hear, but your right, racism does still exist. The feelings of racism are often passed down from parents and it continues through the generations unfortunately. Now let’s try an activity to try and understand what it must feel like to be a victim of racism.

We will generate a class list of many different ways people are different. (Hair color, skin color, eye color, body type, favorite types of music etc.) We will then think about and discuss how it would feel if someone did not like us because of the type of music we listened to or because of eye color. I will then read a passage from the children’s book “The Sneetches” by Doctor Seuss, which discusses how the star-bellied Sneetches did not like Sneetches without stars on their belly. Then when the ones without stars put stars on their belly, the original star-bellied Sneetches take their stars off and not dislike the Sneetches with star bellies.
 * __Engaging students in theme__:**

After reading the Dr. Seuss book, we will discuss the following questions:


 * 1) How does this relate to the idea of racism? (Inferential)


 * Student**: Well the star-bellied Sneetches did not like the Sneetches without stars. And when they did finally conform to what they wanted, the star-belled Sneetches removed their stars just so they could still dislike the other Sneetches for being different.


 * Student:** It just proves that some people will always find a reason to dislike someone who is different, even if they have to create the difference themselves.


 * 1) Why do you think people dislike other people who are different?(Inferential)


 * Student:** Because people think that people who are different, think differently and feel differently as well, and this scares people.


 * Student2**: Some people also just have a lot of hate in them and want to put blame and focus the hate, and people who are different become the victims.

I will then explain to students that we are going to read a story about a boy without a home who encounters many different types of people and is accepting of them all. However, he encounters people who do not like him because he is different and some people with strong feelings of racism. I will then explain that we will now read the novel __Maniac Magee__ to discover how our main character, Maniac Magee develops in this new world that is full of racial tension.
 * __Setting Purposes__:**


 * COMPREHENSION STRATEGY**


 * __Description__:** Making connections during reading is how a reader makes sense of the information received from a text. When a reader makes connections, they take the words from the page and make it come to life within their minds. Students gain a better understanding of the text through making connections. Finally, students should make connections to relate to characters or plot, visualize what is going on in the story, to avoid boredom and pay attention while reading, to remember what they read, and to help generate questions, another important comprehension strategy.

Okay class, we have been discussing and practicing making connections with different books we have been reading. Today we are going to begin a new book named Maniac Magee, where everyone will be able to make some type of connection. Let’s review some of the different types of connections that can be made. We can make text-to-self connections where you connect what you are reading to something that has happened or something you have experienced in your personal life. Another type of connection that can be made is a text-to-text connection. This is when you connect what you are reading to something else you have previously read. You can compare characters, settings, themes, or events; all of these things we have discussed before. Text-to-world connection is another connection you can make during your reading. This is when you make a connection to something that you may not have experienced personally but something you have learned about, something in the news or current events, or any type of general knowledge you have. The final type of connection you can make is the text-to-author where you make connections between two works done by the same author. The author may have similar characters or writing techniques. In this case, we are reading Maniac Magee, which was written by Jerry Spinelli. We have not read a work by him in this class, but some of you may have in another class or on your own time. If so, feel free to make a text-to-author connection. Now let’s discuss why we make connections during reading. Making connections allows us to better understand what we are reading by helping us to predict what might happen or to visualize what is going on in the story. We can also make connections in a story to connect us to the character or the plot, through our own emotions and the emotions related to the story. Finally, we can make connections to how we know a text is structured. For example, when I read the first line “Once upon a time” from a story I will make a connection to previous books that I have read with the same introduction, and I can now predict that it is going to be a fairy tale. Now I am going to read the first chapter aloud to you and model how to make connections while you read. Please pay attention because I am going to ask you to notice what I am doing while I think out loud.
 * __Defining/Explaining__ :**


 * DURING READING**


 * __Modeling – Notice/Apply__ [Think-Aloud]:**

“They say Maniac Magee was born in a dump. They say his stomach was a cereal box and his heart a soft spring. They say he kept an eight-inch cockroach on a leash and that rats stood guard over him while he slept. They say if you knew he was coming and you sprinkled salt on the ground and he ran over it, within two or three blocks he would be as slow as everybody else. They say.(p.1)”


 * T: I am going stop here for a second. This beginning reminds me of the beginning of a tall tale, like Paul Bunyan. The way that author uses the saying “They say” to describe these unrealistic facts about Maniac Magee are similar to how tall tales are written. For example, it was said that Paul Bunyan was so big that his footprints are what created the lakes in Minnesota. Based on this connection, I am going to predict that Maniac Magee is some kind of legend. Now can anyone tell me what I just did there?**
 * S: You made a text-to-text connection because you compared Maniac Magee to the tall tale Paul Bunyan.**


 * T: Good, and what did I notice while I read to help make the connections?**


 * S2: You noticed that both Paul Bunyan and Maniac Magee couldn’t really do the things that people had heard they did. For example, no one can make a lake out of a foot print because no one is that big and no one’s stomach can be a cereal box. So you made a prediction from your connection because you already know that Paul Bunyan is a legend from a tall tale so you predicted that Maniac Magee is going to be some kind of legend.**


 * T: Great observations. Now let’s keep reading to see if we can make anymore connections.**

“Aunt Dot and Uncle Dan hated each other, but because they were strict Catholics, they wouldn’t get a divorce. Around the time Jeffrey arrived, they stopped talking to each other. Then they stopped sharing. Pretty soon there were two of everything in the house. Two bathrooms. Two TV’s. Two refrigerators. Two toasters. If it were possible, they would have had two Jeffreys. As it was, they split him up as best they could. For instance, he would eat dinner with Aunt Dot on Monday, with Uncle Dan on Tuesday, and so on.(p.6)”


 * T: I am going to stop here for a second. I know that divorce can be extremely difficult, especially for children, but it can be even worse to live separated within one house. When the people you are living with won’t even talk or eat together, that can cause a lot of stress. I bet Jeffrey must be driven crazy his Aunt and Uncle’s separate lives. Now, can anyone tell me what I just did?**


 * S: You made a connection to the world because there is a lot of divorce and separation in families now and you used your knowledge of it to imagine how Maniac is feeling. You know that it is a stressful situation so you imagined that Jeffrey must be driven crazy by it.**


 * T: Good, now as we read the next few chapters aloud, I am going to see if you can make some of your own connections to the story.**


 * __Guided Practice__:**


 * Description**: We will read through Chapters 9-11 aloud and students will take turns reading. I will stop them periodically to ask open-ended questions that will foster their abilities to make connections. Students will have read chapters 2-8 independently. (I realize I would not normally model the beginning of the book then have students read independently before doing guided practice)

1. p.32- **T:** What is going on here? (Literal)
 * S:** The Cobras won’t cross Hector Street.
 * T:** And why won’t they cross Hector Street?(Literal)
 * S2:** They won’t cross Hector Street because it is the border that leads to the side where the black people live.
 * T:** How would you feel if you accidentally crossed over the imaginary border of blacks and whites? (Inferential)
 * S:** I wouldn’t care because I know that African American people are humans just like me and there would be nothing for me to fear by crossing the line. I just wonder how the black people would feel because they probably are not used to white people crossing Hector Street.
 * T:** That’s a good question; can anyone tell me how they think the West Enders might feel when they see Maniac on their side? (Inferential)
 * S:** They might be angry because I remember I saw a movie once about segregation and the black people were mad because they felt like the white people were being greedy and trying to take over their territory too.
 * T:** Good connection, now how do think Maniac is going to feel once he realizes he is on “the black side” of town? (Inferential)
 * S3:** I don’t think he will care.
 * T:** Why do you think he won’t care? (Inferential)
 * S4:** I don’t think he will care because he has already ran onto that side of town before when he got the book for Amanda and he never even noticed the color of the skin.
 * T:** Ok good. So if it doesn’t matter to Maniac, why do you think the Cobras care? (Inferential)
 * S:** Well it seems as though, since there is a border made by Hector Street, and the white people live on one side and the black people on another, that everyone seems to follow this rule. But Maniac wasn’t raised there so he isn’t going to follow the rule.


 * 1) **p. 34- T**: What is going on with Mars Bar and Maniac Magee? (Literal)
 * S**: Mars Bar seems to be the tough guy in the neighborhood and it seemed like he was going to fight Maniac Magee but then he offered him a bite of his candy bar, which Maniac accepted, and everyone is shocked.
 * T**: If Mars Bar was going to fight Maniac, why do you think he would offered him a bite of his candy bar? (Inferential)
 * S**: He was probably trying to test Maniac because he figured that Maniac wouldn’t do it because he was white and the book says that no white person puts their mouth where a black person does.
 * T**: Has anyone been in a situation where they were being tested or tested someone? (Inferential)
 * S**: Yeah, one time this kid who didn’t even like me tried to dare me to do something bad to another kid in our class and told me I was a wuss if I didn’t do it. But I knew he was just trying to get me in trouble.
 * T**: Can someone tell me how that connects to what Mars is doing in the book? (Inferential)
 * S2**: Well Mars Bar is trying to make Maniac do something that he expects him to do, only so he will have a reason to fight him just like that kid tried to get (Student name) to do something mean to another student to get him in trouble.
 * T**: Good connection, now let’s keep reading to see what happens, when Maniac does the unexpected.


 * 1) **p.39- T:** What is going on here? (Literal)
 * S:** Mars Bar ripped a page of Amanda’s book that Maniac borrowed and when Amanda saw it, he tried to blame it on Maniac but she didn’t believe him.
 * S2:** Mars Bar probably lies a lot which Amanda knows, because she has known him for a while. It is like that story, __The Little Boy Who Cried Wolf,__ when you keep lying, you become known for it and then no one will ever believe you, even when you are telling the truth.
 * T:** Great connection to another story, now has anyone ever been blamed for something they didn’t do? (Inferential)
 * S:** Yeah, when my little brother drew on the walls once he tried to blame it on me but my parents knew he was lying because they knew that I had better hand writing then him. He got in a lot of trouble for lying.
 * T:** How did you feel when that happened?? (Inferential)
 * S:** I was really nervous that my parents were going to believe him over me. I was also really angry at him for lying.
 * T:** So can someone tell me how they think maybe Maniac was feeling when Mars Bar accused him of ripping the page? (Inferential)
 * S:** Maniac is probably very scared because he just met Amanda and she trusted him with something very important to her. He probably doesn’t want her to think he was careless with her book, but he knows that she doesn’t know him well enough and she could very well believe Mars Bar. I bet he is very grateful when she knows that Mars Bar was actually the one who ripped the page in her book.
 * T:** That is a great description of how Maniac must be feeling. I know that is probably how I would feel if I were him. Now, you guys are going to keep reading, only independently now and while you read I am going to have you do an activity to help you make more connections to the story.

Students will read chapters 12-19 independently and will work on a double-entry journal where they write a passage and the page number in the left column and write a connection they made to the passage. I will explain to students that it can be a text to text, text to self, text to world, or text to author connection, and they must label what type of connection they are making. Students will be required to write at least four journal entries that make connections and I will urge students to make at least two different kinds of connections. Students will write their journal entries on the worksheet provided which will later go into their reader’s response journals. (see attached) Students who are struggling with making connections will be provided a tally sheet to use for when they make a connection while they read and whether they are making connections to the characters, plot, setting, visualizing, predicting, or to feel emotions. This will help student generate ideas for what connections to make and they can go back after they read and write about their most meaningful connections in their journals.
 * __Independent Practice__:**


 * AFTER READING RESPONDING**

__After Reading Discussion:__

1. So what do you think this book is trying to tell us about racism so far? (Inferential)
 * S:** I think that this story is trying to tell us that racism still exists in the world. Although there probably aren’t real borders like there is in Two Mills, there are neighborhoods that are mostly white and mostly black and people are probably afraid to go into neighborhoods where they are the minority.
 * S2:** I also think that the book is trying to tell us that racism doesn’t exist everywhere because Amanda and her family have welcomed Maniac into their home and do not take into account that he is white. When Maniac entered the house, Mrs. Beale barely lifted her head.

2. Good, I am glad you noticed that positive aspect as well. So can anyone predict what might happen as we continue to read?
 * S:** Well Maniac is already feeling guilty for causing trouble for the Beale’s and he is starting to realize that people don’t want him in the West End because he is white. I think that something might happen to make Maniac really leave the Beale’s for good because he does tend to run away a lot.

3. So you noticed that he is feeling the pressure of the racial tension. Can anyone make a connection to something we have previously learned about racism? S: Well, we discussed Rosa Parks and how she was pressured to move her seat on the bus but she was very brave and stood up for her human rights.

4. So how would you deal with this type of racial pressure if you were Maniac? S: Well, I wouldn’t want to hurt or bother the Beale family because they took me in, but I think it is important that Maniac stands up for himself and proves that he has just as much a right to be on the West End as anyone else.

Students will be asked to write a Letter to the Editor as a resident of Two Mills discussing the racial issue within the town. They can choose to write as one of the characters from the book or just a resident of the town. Students must incorporate an outside source referring to racism in the past or as it occurs today. These sources can include our history textbook, an internet website (there will be a list of appropriate websites for 5th graders to visit to learn more about racism provided), books from the library, news articles, etc. Students will have time to research and will be given a two-column chart to write down the information they want to incorporate from their outside source and information from Maniac Magee. Students will then be given 30 minutes to write their rough draft of their letter. A copy of letter format will be provided to the students to remind them of what a letter should look like. Once they have completed their rough draft, students will gather in groups of four to do a peer writing workshop. They will each take turns reading each other’s letter, and create a comment sheet for their partner, writing down any mechanical errors they noticed, and writing down any recommendations they might have. Once they have finished the comment sheet, they will discuss their findings with each other and tell their group member one thing they liked about their editorial and one thing they wondered about. (I will emphasize the importance of constructive criticism) Once they have gathered three comment sheets from their peers their homework will be to go home and read over what their peers have had to say and revise their letter to hand in to the Editor-in-Chief (Me). I will explain to students that they don’t need to change everything that their peers have suggested, however some changes should be made to the original and they will need to decide which suggestions will make their paper better. After being looked over by the Editor-in-Chief, I will hand them back in for final revisions and create our own classroom Editorial Page (formatted like a newspaper) that can be handed out to the class. Students who finish early will help the Editor-in-Chief by entering everyone’s articles into the computer’s newsletter template.
 * __Response Activities__ :**


 * APPLYING THE COMPREHENSION STRATEGY**


 * __Description:__** The next book we will read is __The Story of Ruby Bridges__ by Robert Coles. This is a piece of historical fiction that will relate to the realistic fiction we read in Maniac Magee and the information we learned about racism from our Civil Rights Unit in social studies along with the research students performed. Students will be asked to write a journal entry in their reader’s response making a text-to-text connection or a text-to-world connection based on either Maniac Magee of the social studies context.


 * ENGAGING ALL STUDENTS**


 * During instruction:** Students on all levels will benefit from the modeling of the comprehension strategy. By performing the guided reading, students get the chance to practice making their own connections with the help and support of the teacher, if they need it. Students who do not feel comfortable with speaking aloud with the whole group, yet still struggle with this comprehension strategy, will be able to use a Making Connections tally sheet (See attached) to help determine when and what type of connections they are making during independent practice. If students struggle with reading the text, I will pull them aside to read in a guided reading session while the rest of the class reads independently, where I will pose more questions to them in a more intimate setting to make sure they understand the story and help support their connection-making skills. By having students read independently and as a whole group, you are meeting the needs of both advanced and struggling readers.


 * During response activities:**

By giving the students the freedom to make any type of connection and use any outside source you are allowing students to work at their own level. If it is a more advanced student, I might point them in the direction of a more in-depth book or website about racism, while if the student is a struggling reader, I might point them in the direction of a photographic book or website on racism. For students struggling with the research process, I would provide a worksheet with prompts such as “One interesting fact I read about was…” “One interesting picture I saw was of…..” “One thing that made me feel angry when I read about it was..” One fact that reminded me of Maniac Magee was..” These prompts will guide students to look for particular information while they research that may help them in writing their letter.

Groups for the peer editing writing workshop will be assigned based on writing skill level. I will want to put a mixture of skills in a group, some good writers, some struggling writers, and some right in the middle. This will allow the better writers to practice editing rather than just skimming over their own papers assuming it is correct and it will allow struggling readers to see what a more advanced piece of writing will look like.

A model of how a letter should look will be posted on a large piece of paper in the front of the room. Struggling writers may be given the letter format as a worksheet where they fill in the date, what they are writing to the editor, and sign their names at the bottom. This way they can focus on what they are writing rather than making sure the format is correct.


 * EVALUATION**

Students will hand in their reader’s response journals which will be graded with the following rubric:
 * Objective #1:**

- Select a meaningful passage in Chapters 12-19 of Maniac Magee - Make a thoughtful connection to their self, the world, another text, or to an author and explain the connection being made - Label the type of connection they are making.
 * Students are expected to:**


 * Double Entry Journal **
 * Double Entry Journal **

Student Name: ________________________________________ || ||

CATEGORY || || Maturing Journal Writer || Developing Journal Writer || Emerging Journal Writer || Text Selection || || Student selects a meaningful passage from Chapters 12-19 of Maniac Magee to make a connection. || Students selects an appropriate passage from Chapters 12-19 of Maniac Magee to make a connection || Student selects an inappropriate passage from Chapter 12-19 of Maniac Magee to make a connection. || Type of Connection || || Student makes a meaningful connection to the passage and labels what type of connection is being made. || Student makes an appropriate connection to the passage but may have forgotten to label or inaccurately labels the type of connection being made. || Student does not make a meaningful connection to the story and does not label or inaccurately labels the type of connection being made. || Explanation || || Students provide a thoughtful and elaborate explanation of the connection they have made. || Students provide a thoughtful explanation of their connection however they need to provide more detail. || Student does not clearly explain or elaborate on the connection being made. ||


 * Objective #2:** Student’s research graphic organizers will just be checked over by the teacher and given a check plus, a check, or a check minus based on the following rubric:

- Gather at least 4 pieces of information from one non-fiction source - Utilize one of the internet websites (pieces of information do not need to be from the internet but I want students to practice navigating) - Provide at least 3 pieces of information from Maniac Magee
 * Students are expected to:**

Teacher Name: **Katherine Hargett** || ||
 * Research Organizer **
 * Research Organizer **

CATEGORY || || Check plus || Check || Check minus || Amount of Information || || Students have collected at least 4 facts from at least one research source || Students have collected 2-3 facts from at least one research source. || Students have collected at least one fact from at least one research source. || Internet Use || || Successfully uses suggested internet links to find information and navigates within these sites easily without assistance. || Occasionally able to use suggested internet links to find information and navigates within these sites easily without assistance. || Needs assistance or supervision to use suggested internet links and/or to navigate within these sites. || Quality of Information || Information clearly relates to the main topic. It includes several supporting details and/or examples. || Information clearly relates to the main topic of racism. || Information somewhat relates to the main topic. || Information has little or nothing to do with the main topic. || Maniac Magee || || Student has included at least 3 pieces of information from Maniac Magee in their double-column research chart || Student has included at least 2 pieces of information from Maniac Magee in their double-column research chart. || Student has included at least one piece of information from Maniac Magee in their double-column research chart. ||


 * Objective #3**: Students Letters-to-the Editor will be graded using the following rubric:

- write in letter format - write the letter as if they are a member of the Two Mills Community - Incorporate information from Maniac Magee along with an outside source from their research on racism - Write at least 5 sentences
 * Students are expected to:**

** Letter-Writing : Letter-to-the Editor **

Student Name: ________________________________________ || ||

CATEGORY || 4 || 3 || 2 || 1 || Salutation and Closing || Salutation, closing and date have no errors in capitalization and punctuation. || Salutation, closing and date have 1-2 errors in capitalization and punctuation. || Salutation, closing and date have 3 or more errors in capitalization and punctuation. || Salutation, closing and/or date are missing. || Content Accuracy || The letter contains relevant information from your research along with information from Maniac Magee about racism || The letter contains inaccurate information from your research or Maniac Magee about racism. || The letter contains information from only Maniac Magee or only from your research about racism. || The letter contains no information from either your research about racism or Maniac Magee. || Length || Student wrote at least 5 sentences || Student wrote 3-4 sentences. || Student wrote 2 sentences || Student wrote 1 sentence or less. || Character || You wrote a believable letter as if you were a member of the Two Mills Community. || You wrote as if you were from of Two Mills, but got out of character at times. || You made a mention that you were from Two Mills, but did not write as if you were that person. || You did not write as if you lived in Two Mills. ||


 * WORKSHEETS/RESPONSE PROMPTS** –Worksheets attached


 * Letter prompt:**

Pretend that you are one of the main characters from Maniac Magee or just a resident from Two Mills and you are fed up with the racial tension within your town. Write a Letter to the Editor discussing your frustrations while using factual support from your research along with information from Maniac Magee to support your argument. Look at the board for how to format your final copy of the letter.