Maniac Magee

CONCEPTS OF COMPREHENSION: MANIAC MAGEE 5TH GRADE UNIT
Student Packet
Directions: Use your book to fill out the information on the lines below. Then
write your name on this packet.
Title: Maniac Magee

Author: ________________________________
Genre: ________________________________
Concepts: Character, Plot, Cause and Effect, Predicting, Theme
Name: _________________________________________________
© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved

Student Packet
Genre Lesson Independent Practice: Realistic Elements

Name: _______________________________ Date: ______________________
Directions: As you read your book, record the realistic elements you come across that
relate to characters, settings, or events. In the right-hand column, make a personal
connection to each element.
Realistic Elements in the Text My Personal Connection

Student Packet
Genre Lesson Independent Practice: Realistic Elements

(continued)
Realistic Elements in the Text My Personal Connection

Student Packet
Name: _____________________________________ Date: ___________
Vocabulary Activity: One of These Words is Not Like the Others

Chapter 1 — Chapter 5
Directions: Read each group of words. Cross out the word that does not belong in the
group. Then explain why the remaining words belong together.
1. blunder mistake confuse correct
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2. hoist lift lower raise
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3. suffice enough adequate dissatisfy
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4. commotion peace disturbance noisiness
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5. infamous shameful honorable offensive
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Student Packet
Name: _________________________________ Date: ___________

Comprehension Questions
Directions: Read the questions and answer them in complete sentences or choose the
correct answer. Use the book to help you, if needed. Use details from the text to support
your answer. Record the Concept of Comprehension© on the line next to each question.
_____ 1. Why do you think Jeffrey Magee never went back to school?
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_____ 2. It took Jeffrey a year to reach Two Mills. Why is this time called “The Lost
Year”?
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_____ 3. Which of the following best describes the meaning of the simile below?
“He and Amanda and the suitcases were like a rock in a stream.” (Chapter 3, p. 11)
a. The suitcases floated down a stream and were lost.
b. Amanda and Jeffery could not move the suitcases because they were
heavy like a rock is heavy.
c. Amanda, Jeffrey, and the suitcases stood still in the middle of the street
while the people quickly passed by them.
d. Amanda and Jeffery were stuck in the middle of the street.
_____ 4. How did Amanda know that Jeffrey was not from the East End? Explain.
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_____ 5. What can you tell about Jeffrey when he rescued Arnold Jones?
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Comprehension Questions (continued)

_____ 6. Why was Maniac frustrated with his Aunt and Uncle?
a. They did not like that Maniac enjoyed running.
b. They forced him to participate in the spring musicale.
c. They would not allow him to move back to Bridgeport.
d. They hated each other, but would not get a divorce because they are
Catholic. There was two of everything and they never did anything together.
_____ 7. Why were the townspeople of Two Mills stunned by Maniac jogging through
their town?
a. He was very young and without an adult.
b. He is white and ran through the part of town where black people live.
c. Strangers never came to the town.
d. No one ever jogged through the town.
_____ 8. What kind of first impression do you think Maniac made on the high school
students? Explain.
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Student Packet
Name: _____________________________ Date: _________________

Vocabulary Activity: Four Square
Directions: For each word below, write the definition, examples of the word, and non-examples of the
word. You may use a dictionary if you are unsure of the meaning of the words.
1. Word Examples
cringed
Definition Non-examples
2. Word Examples
solitude
3. Word Examples
blemish
4. Word Examples
converged

Student Packet
Name: ______________________________ Date: ___________

_____ 1. Why do you think Maniac answered Mrs. Pickwell’s dinner whistle?
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_____ 2. Describe McNab’s physical characteristics.
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_____ 3. What can you tell about McNab by the way other kids act around him?
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_____ 4. Why wouldn’t kids just stroll along on the opposite end of town?
a. They were not allowed to go to the opposite end of town.
b. White and black people did not visit the opposite end of the town because
they would be teased. Kids would run through the opposite end to avoid the
confrontations.
c. They enjoyed running through the opposite end and racing each other.
d. They did not like the adults who lived in the opposite end of town.
_____ 5. What can you tell about Mrs. Beale by the way she treats Maniac?
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_____ 6. Why don’t the Pickwells notice Maniac at their dinner table?
a. They are eating at a Ping-Pong table.
b. He ran too quickly for them to see.
c. There are so many people at the table and they all assumed someone else
knew Maniac.
d. Maniac hid under the table.
_____ 7. Which of the following best compares and contrasts how John McNab felt at
the beginning and end of Chapter 7?
a. He felt mad at the beginning that Maniac was confronting him and pleased
with himself that he struck Maniac out.
b. He felt nervous at the beginning that he would not be able to strike Maniac
out and pleased with himself that he struck Maniac out.
c. He felt nervous at the beginning that he would not be able to strike Maniac
out and mad at himself at the end that he could not strike Maniac out.
d. He felt confident at the beginning that he would strike Maniac out and mad
at himself at the end that he could not strike Maniac out.
_____ 8. How do you think Maniac feels about not having a home?
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Student Packet
Lesson 1 Independent Practice: Relationship Roster

Name: ____________________________________ Date: _______________________
Directions: Think about the relationships between the following people: Maniac and
Brian Denehy; Maniac and the Pickwells; Maniac and Mars Bar; Maniac and Mrs. Beale.
Pick one of these relationships and analyze it. Then answer the questions below about
the relationship you have chosen.
Who is this relationship between? How are these characters alike and different?
How are these characters alike and different?
How do the characters feel about each other?
Why do the characters need each other?
Describe the relationship. Is it positive or negative? Both? Explain.
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Student Packet
Name: _____________________________ Date: ___________

Vocabulary Activity: Have You Ever?
Directions: Think about the meaning of the following words from Maniac Magee
leered, contorted, foresight, eons, unbeknownst, coot
Answer the following questions about the vocabulary words.
1. Have you ever leered at something? If not, what would is something you may leer at?
Explain.
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2. Give an example of something that is contorted.
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3. Have you ever had a foresight when you were making a decision? If not do you wish
you did? Explain.
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4. Have you ever waited eons to do something? Explain.
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5. Give an example of something that happened unbeknownst to you.
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6. Would you want to be known as a coot? Why or why not?
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Name: _______________________________ Date: ___________

_____ 1. What does this phrase mean: “Maniac just sat at the front window, being on the
inside”? (Chapter 15, p. 56)
a. Maniac enjoyed just observing everyone around him live their life.
b. Maniac was too afraid to go out because he feared being teased.
c. Maniac enjoyed the Beales’ home more than outside their home.
d. Maniac was hiding from his Aunt and Uncle.
_____ 2. Why couldn’t Maniac see “this color business?”
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_____ 3. Describe the man that told Maniac to “go back to your own kind.”
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_____ 4. Why did Amanda encourage Maniac to untie Cobble’s Knot?

a. She wanted her family to win free food for a year from Cobble’s Grocery.
b. She thought if he could do it, the entire community would love him and the
people who did not want him there would allow him to stay.
c. She was interested in sharing the pizza prize with him.
d. She wanted to get her picture in the paper with Maniac.
_____ 5. Why did Maniac walk—not run—out of town?
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_____ 6. How has living in the East End changed Maniac?

a. It has not changed him.
b. He learns what it is like to be cared about and also about discrimination.
c. He becomes a better and faster runner.
d. He becomes meaner and tougher.
_____ 7. Why was Amanda so upset when everyone was celebrating?

a. Mars Bar made fun of her for living with Maniac.
b. She was upset that Maniac left town.
c. She was upset that Maniac untied the knot and she was unable to.
d. Her “A” encyclopedia was all ripped up.
_____ 8. Why does Mars Bars hate Maniac Magee?
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Student Packet
Name: Date: _____

Segregation: Past or Present?
Textual Analysis Passage
Think about your school: Do most students belong to one racial group? Do certain
groups of kids hang out together? Do some kids go in one direction while others walk
the opposite way? Do most kids stick to their own groups, not inviting other students to
join? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, your school or community may
have qualities of segregation.
Segregation means the separation of people or groups of people depending on their

race or social class. Segregation doesn’t allow equal opportunities for all people. When
schools or communities are segregated, people within those communities suffer on
many levels.
A little more than five decades ago, most schools and public spaces were segregated in
the United States. There were separate schools, separate parks, separate stores—
separate everything—for blacks and whites. The two races were expected and
encouraged to stick with “their own kind.” However, in 1954, something happened that
should have changed the course of American history.
A group of parents in Topeka, Kansas challenged their city’s Board of Education in

court. The parents urged that segregated schools were unequal and unfair. The
landmark Supreme Court case, known as Brown vs. Board of Ed, ruled “Separate
educational facilities are inherently unequal.” The ruling meant schools had to become
integrated. Black students and white students were allowed to attend the same schools.
They were supposed to have equal educational opportunities. The U.S. was supposed
to be on its way towards an equal future for all.
Modern Segregation
Today, however, segregation is still alive and well. In cities across the U.S., a person’s
race often plays a big part in which community he will live or which school he will attend.
What’s the difference between present segregation and past segregation? Today, it’s
not just a black and white issue.
In the early 1990s, courts stopped enforcing integration—especially in the South. This
caused a new wave of segregation to sweep through the U.S. A recent study by The
Civil Rights Project showed that in 1991, 39% of black students in Southern states
attended schools with a white majority. In 2003, only 29% of black students attended
the majority white schools. But, the most alarming studies have shown that Latino and
Asian-American students are quickly falling victim to segregation.
The states of New York and California have been found to be the most segregated
states for Latino students. In California, 47% of Latino students attend schools that have
90% to 100% non-white students. In New York, the number of Latino students attending
racially segregated schools swells to 58%.
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Student Packet
Why has the idea of integration been lost for these students? Experts say it’s because
of housing and neighborhood communities. In neighborhoods where housing prices are
high, it’s rare to see black, Latino, or immigrant Asian families purchasing homes. In
those exclusive neighborhoods, schools tend to have more money—that means
students who attend these schools often get a better education. Families that can’t
afford to live in high-priced communities and attend these well-funded schools suffer.
Often, neighborhoods with low housing prices and low taxes also have less school
funding. That means schools in these neighborhoods don’t have the same amount of
money to spend on education as schools in higher-priced communities. Schools with a
majority of non-white students usually get fewer resources, a decreased number of
courses, and lower-paid teachers.
Luckily, families in some communities aren’t accepting this huge problem. In the 1990s,
Milo Sheff and 16 other black, Latino, and white students from Hartford, CT, challenged
Connecticut’s Governor and Board of Education. The case, known as Sheff vs. O’Neill,
showed the huge differences between Hartford’s racially mixed city schools and the
mostly white suburban schools. City schools were poor and did not provide the same
learning opportunities, facilities, or teachers as the rich suburban schools.
The families in the case demanded that the state provide equal educational
opportunities for all students, regardless of race or income. In 1996, the state’s
Supreme Court found that this segregation went against the state’s constitution. The
ruling opened the doors for city students to attend suburban schools and gain a better
education. Even now, however, many Hartford students still suffer. City schools still are
not equally funded. Students who choose to attend suburban schools often have to
travel 30 minutes or more by bus in order to get a better education. This is neither fair
nor equal.
Families, neighborhoods, and school systems should work harder to ensure that all
students are given an equal education. That means fighting for equal funding and
integration of students in all schools. It means continuing the ideas that began changing
our nation after Brown vs. Board of Ed.
What does school segregation mean for today’s kids? By now, segregation should have
been a thing of the past. But, as you can see, it’s definitely still very much a part of the
present. Students in segregated schools don’t get an equal education. It’s difficult for
these students to go onto college and work in high-paying careers. With poor schooling
and lower-paid jobs, the cycle of poverty will continue into the future—and so will
segregation.
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Student Packet
Name: Date: _____

“Segregation: Past or Present?” Textual Analysis Questions
___ 1. What is segregation?

a. A law that states all students should have equal education.
b. Integration of all people.
c. A separation of people based on race or social class.
d. A school that is divided by blacks and whites.
___ 2. What was Brown vs. Board of Ed?

a. A study that shows segregation still exists today.
b. A Supreme Court case that ruled separate schools are equal.
c. A Supreme Court case that ruled Hartford students can attend any school.
d. A Supreme Court case that ruled separate schools are unequal.
___ 3. According to the passage, what were blacks and whites expected to do five decades ago?
a. Share schools and public spaces.
b. Stick with their own kind.
c. Discriminate against each other at all times.
d. Buy houses in the same communities.
___ 4. Which states have been found to be the most segregated for Latino students?
a. New York and Connecticut
b. California and Connecticut
c. New York and Kansas
d. California and New York
___ 5. What does the author imply with this sentence?

“The U.S. was supposed to be on its way towards an equal future for all.”
a. The author thinks the U.S. now provides equal education for all students.
b. The author is happy that students in the U.S. do not get equal education.
c. The author doesn’t believe that the U.S. began offering an equal future.
d. The author thinks an equal future is a joke.
___ 6. Which of the following is a fact stated in the passage?
a. A group of parents in Topeka, Kansas, challenged their city’s Board of Education in court.
b. By now, segregation should have been a thing of the past.
c. Why has the idea of integration been lost for these students?
d. None of the above.
___ 7. Why did the author write this passage?

a. To give readers some history about segregation.
b. To voice her opinion about segregation.
c. To encourage school systems to end segregation.
d. All of the above.
___ 8. What would a better title for this passage be? Why?
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Student Packet
Name: ______________________________ Date: ___________

Vocabulary Activity: Opposite Meanings
Directions: Read each sentence from the book. The definition of each bold word has
been provided for you. Write two to four antonyms of the word on the line provided.
1. “With trembling, dusty fingers, he touched the kid’s limp, scrawny hand.” (Chapter
22, p. 81)
scrawny: thin, bony, lean
antonyms: _________________________________________________________________
2. “A tiny idea was beginning to worm its way into Grayson’s head; he could barely feel it as it
brushed by all the claptrap in his brain.” (Chapter 23, p. 85)
claptrap: nonsense, rubbish, empty talk
antonyms: _________________________________________________________________
3. “The old man just looked at him for a while with a mixture of puzzlement and
recognition, as though the fish he had landed might be the same one he had thrown
away long before.” (Chapter 23, p. 86)
recognition: acceptance, awareness, acknowledgement
antonyms: _________________________________________________________________
4. “Dumbfounded, the old man drove back out of the park to the nearest diner, where
he sat with a cup of coffee while the boy wolfed down meatloaf and gravy, mashed
potatoes, zucchini, salad, and coconut custard pie.” (Chapter 24, p. 87)
dumbfounded: confused, amazed, surprised
antonyms: _________________________________________________________________
5. “On the contrary, the old man would always announce it.” (Chapter 26, p. 97)
contrary: opposite, opposing
antonyms: _________________________________________________________________
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Student Packet
Name: _____________________________ Date: ___________

_____ 1. What did Grayson do when he found Maniac outside the buffalo pen?
a. He did not do anything.
b. He picked Maniac up, put him in his truck, and drove him to the baseball
equipment room. He covered him with a blanket, introduced himself, and gave
Maniac a cup of soup.
c. He called the manager of the park, who took Maniac away.
d. He picked Maniac up, put him in his truck, and drove him to the hospital.
_____ 2. Why did Grayson scrape a path of dirt from Maniac’s arm?
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_____ 3. Why was Grayson interested in learning about “them black people”?
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_____ 4. What can you predict about Grayson and Maniac’s relationship?
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_____ 5. What did Maniac do with the money Grayson gave him?
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_____ 6. How do Maniac and Grayson help each other?

a. Maniac decides to teach Grayson how to run fast and Grayson gives
Maniac a place to stay.
b. Maniac decides to teach Grayson how to run fast and Grayson helps
Maniac find the Beales.
c. Maniac decides to teach Grayson how to read and Grayson helps Maniac
find his Aunt and Uncle.
d. Maniac decides to teach Grayson how to read and Grayson gives Maniac
a place to stay.
_____ 7. From whose perspective is the beginning of Chapter 22 told? Why do you
think the author chose to tell this part of the story from this perspective?
a. Mars Bar’s perspective. To show how he felt having Maniac in town.
b. The buffalo’s perspective. To show what it was like to have Maniac in the pen.
c. Maniac’s perspective. To show what it was like to sleep with the buffalos.
d. Grayson’s perspective. To show what Grayson saw in the buffalo pen.
_____ 8. Describe Maniac’s internal conflict about “home” and school. Why doesn’t
Maniac doesn’t want to go to school?
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Student Packet
Lesson 2 Independent Practice: Predictions Chart Worksheet

Name: _______________________________ Date: _____________________
Directions: As you read Chapters 24-26, fill out the events and details about the
events that can help you make a prediction about what’s coming up in the text.
1. Identify a big 2. Ask specific 3. Think about 4. Make a

event or questions about your prior meaningful
cliffhanger. what could knowledge or prediction using
happen next. experience. text evidence.
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Lesson 2 Independent Practice: Predictions Chart Worksheet

(continued)
1. Identify a big 2. Ask specific 3. Think about 4. Make a

event or questions about your prior meaningful
cliffhanger. what could knowledge or prediction using
happen next. experience. text evidence.
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Student Packet
Lesson 2 Independent Practice: Coming up Next . . . TV Screen

Name: ___________________________________ Date: ________________
Directions: In the TV screen below, write your overall prediction for Maniac Magee.
Write your name on the line at the bottom of the screen.
The Maniac Magee Show
Coming up Next . . .
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Name: _____________________________________ Date: ___________

Vocabulary Activity: Questions, Reasons, Examples
Directions: Think about the meaning of the following words from Maniac Magee
languished, throng, preposterous, ornery, dispersed, stoic
1. Give an example of a time that you were languished.
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2. When might you see a throng of people?
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3. What is something that you find to be preposterous? Explain.
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4. Have you ever acted in an ornery manner or know someone who has acted in an
ornery manner? Explain.
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5. Give an example of something that is dispersed.
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6. When would someone act in a stoic manner?
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Name: ______________________________ Date: ___________

_____ 1. What do you know about the adults in Grayson’s life when he was younger?
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_____ 2. Which sentence best describes Maniac’s feelings for Grayson?

a. He loved him.
b. He protected him.
c. He tolerated him.
d. He challenged him.
_____ 3. Why did Maniac want to cook for Grayson?
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_____ 4. Why did Maniac paint numbers outside of the Band Shell?
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_____ 5. Maniac ran because he didn’t want to see, “what was going to happen at the
end of the next minute.” What do you think happened at the funeral after Maniac ran?
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_____ 6. Why were the gifts exchanged between Maniac and Grayson so meaningful?
a. They both had not received gifts in a long time.
b. They really needed the gifts to survive.
c. It was their way to celebrate the holiday.
d. The gifts showed that they really cared for each other since they were very
thoughtful.
_____ 7. What qualities does Maniac have that make him find and belong to two
families—the Beales and then Grayson?
a. Smart and creative.
b. Funny and resourceful.
c. Caring and kind.
d. Energetic and self-disciplined.
_____ 8. Why does Maniac run at the end of Chapter 32? What other times did Maniac
run away? Why did he run away then?
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Lesson 3 Independent Practice: Plot Conflicts Worksheet

Name: _____________________________________ Date: ________________
Directions: Write down the Plot Conflicts you encounter in Chapters 21-32.
Answer the questions for each conflict.
Who is the conflict between? Describe the tension:
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What is the cause of the conflict? _________________________________

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Lesson 3 Independent Practice: Plot Conflicts Worksheet (continued)

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Name: ______________________________ Date: ___________
Vocabulary Activity: One of These Words is Not Like the Others

Directions: Read each group of words. Cross out the word that does not belong in the
group. Then explain why the remaining words belong together.
1. accompanied solitary alone sole
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2. grim depressed hopeless cheerful
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3. desolation civilization abandoned isolation
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4. offering beseeching begging demanding
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5. confined limited freedom restricted
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Name: __________________________ Date: ___________
_____ 1. Why did Maniac angrily paint over the 101 on the band shell door?
a. Maniac was kicked out of the apartment and had nowhere to go.
b. The manager of the park made Maniac do it.
c. Maniac no longer considered this his home and was upset that Grayson
died.
d. Maniac did not want visitors to be able to find the apartment.
_____ 2. What does the following sentence from Chapter 33 mean? “From high above, a
tracing of his routes would have looked as hopelessly tangled as Cobble’s Knot.”
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_____ 3. Why did Maniac believe no one else would orphan him?
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_____ 4. What can you infer about Missing Tooth and Screecher by their language?
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_____ 5. Why did Maniac make up a story about John McNab’s stopball?
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_____ 6. What can you tell about Maniac’s character that he was willing to knock on
Finsterwald’s door?
a. He is a show off.
b. He is nervous.
c. He is brave.
d. He is competitive.
_____ 7. How is the McNab house different than the Beale’s?

a. It is much neater and organized.
b. It is very messy and no one tries to clean it up.
c. It is an older home.
d. It is a brand new home.
_____ 8. Predict what will happen when Maniac goes into the East End.
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Lesson 4 Independent Practice: What’s the Theme? Worksheet

Name: ______________________________ Date: _________________
Directions: In the left column, write down the topic. Record the recurring events
for this topic in the middle column. Draw a conclusion about the theme/author’s
message and record it in the right column.
Topic Recurring Events Theme/Author’s
Message
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Name: ______________________________ Date: ___________

Vocabulary Activity: Four Square
Directions: For each word below, write the definition, examples of the word, and non-examples of the word.
You may use a dictionary if you are unsure of the meaning of the words.
1. Word Examples
forlorn
2. Word Examples
marooned
3. Word Examples
scowling
4. Word Examples
exuberance
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Student Packet
Name: ______________________________ Date: ___________

_____ 1. Why did Mars Bar keep telling Maniac that he was bad?
a. He was trying to scare Maniac away from the East End.
b. He was jealous of Maniac.
c. He wanted to remind Maniac of all the bad things that he did.
d. He was trying to show off to Maniac.
_____ 2. What does Mars Bar’s name-calling tell you about his character?
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_____ 3. Rewrite the following sentence, without the use of figurative language. ”March
doubled back and grabbed April by the scruff of the neck and flung it another week or two
down the road.”
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_____ 4. Why didn’t Maniac help the McNabs when George asked him to “start luggin’ these”?
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_____ 5. What does the author convey with the statement, “Now there was something else
in that house, and it smelled worse than garbage and turds”?
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_____ 6. Why did Maniac consider the consequences of winning the race against Mars Bar?
a. He did not want to disappoint Amanda.
b. He knew he could win, but was not sure how Mars Bar and the crowd would
react.
c. He did not want to make the Beales angry.
d. He did not like to loose a race.
_____ 7. Why did Maniac feel that he could not abandon the McNab boys?
a. He knew that Grayson would want him to spend time with the McNab boys.
b. He made a promise to John McNab to spend time with his brothers.
c. He wanted to be a role model for the McNab boys and felt if he abandoned
them, he would be abandoning a part of himself.
d. He was scared of them.
_____ 8. Has coming to the West End changed Mars Bar? How? Why?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
34

Student Packet
Name: ______________________________ Date: ___________
Vocabulary Activity: Have You Ever?

Directions: Think about the meaning of the following words from Maniac Magee:
astonished, pried, vast, rasping, cling, drenched
1. Describe a time that you or someone you know were astonished. Explain.
________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
2. Have you ever pried someone for information? If not, would you ever pry someone for
information? Explain.
________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
3. Describe something that is vast.
________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
4. Have you ever spoke in a rasping voice or know someone who has? Why would you
do this?
________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
5. Why might you cling to something tightly?
________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
6. How would you feel if you were drenched? Explain.
________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
35

Student Packet
Name: ______________________________ Date: ___________

_____ 1. Who surprised Maniac as he ran in the early mornings, and how?
a. Finsterwald surprised Maniac because he wanted to tell Maniac he thought
that Maniac was cool.
b. Mars Bar surprised Maniac because he kept running along side of him, but never
said anything to Maniac.
c. Amanda surprised Maniac by begging him to come back to live with the Beales.
d. McNab surprised Manaic by thanking him for helping his brothers.
_____ 2. Why do you think Mars Bar ran with Maniac?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_____ 3. Why couldn’t Maniac register what he was seeing on the trestle?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_____ 4. What can you conclude about Mars Bar after he saved the McNab boys?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_____ 5. How do Amanda’s words and actions impact Maniac when she goes to the zoo to
get him in the middle of the night?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
36

Student Packet

Chapter 44— Chapter 46
_____ 6. Why did Maniac walk away from the trolley platform?
a. He had to go see Amanda.
b. He wanted Mars Bar to rescue Russell.
c. He did not care about Russell.
d. He went to go get John McNab.
_____ 7. Why didn’t Maniac want to go home with Mars Bar?

a. He still did not like Mars Bar.
b. He was going to live with his Aunt and Uncle.
c. He did not feel it was right and wanted to go to the Beales.
d. He was going to live in the band shell.
_____ 8. Make a prediction beyond the book. Will Maniac stay with Amanda’s family?
Why or why not?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
37

Student Packet
Independent Practice Lesson 5: Relationship Change Worksheet

Name: _____________________________ Date: _____________________
Directions: Choose one of the following relationships to examine Maniac and Amanda,
Maniac and Grayson, or Maniac and another character of your choice. Fill in the chart
below by answering the questions about the relationship. Be sure to cite page numbers
and details from the text to support your answers.
1. What did the 2. What does the 3. What events or 4. How did the
relationship look relationship look other characters relationship
like in the like now? caused the change impact
beginning of the change in the the characters?
book? relationship?
38

Student Packet Answer Key
Maniac Magee
(Page references refer to the page that the activity appears on in the student packet.)
Realistic Elements, pp. 2-3
Genre Lesson Independent Practice
Sample realistic elements include:
• Characters are realistic and have believable dialogue.
• Maniac’s parents have died in an accident.
• Maniac running away from home is realistic.
Vocabulary Activity: One of These Words is Not Like the Others, p. 4

Chapter 1 – Chapter 5
1. correct; The remaining words belong together because they all can be used to describe
an error that was made.
2. lower; The remaining words belong together because they all can be used to describe
something that is elevated.
3. dissatisfy; The remaining words belong together because they all can be used to
describe an uproar.
4. peace; The remaining words belong together because they all can be used to describe a
5. honorable; The remaining words belong together because they all can be used to
describe someone that is dishonorable.
Comprehension Questions, pp. 5-6

1. DC Jeffrey Magee probably never went back to school because he may have been
embarrassed to go back after he screamed. He probably did not want to go back to living with
his aunt and uncle.
2. DC The year was probably called “The Lost Year” because Jeffrey did not do much that
year except run around.
3. FL c. Amanda, Jeffrey, and the suitcases stood still in the middle of the street while
the people quickly passed by them.
4. DC Amanda knew that Jeffrey was not from the East End because he was white. White
people did not often go to the East End, where blacks lived. The two groups of people lived in
separate areas.
5. C When Jeffrey rescued Arnold Jones it shows that he is a caring person. He was
concerned about making sure Arnold was safe rather then getting beat up by the high school
students. This shows that he is a brave person.
6. C, P d. They hated each other, but would not get a divorce because they are
Catholic. There was two of everything and they never did anything together.
7. S, C, P b. He is white and ran through the part of town where black people live.
8. C, P Maniac probably impressed the high school students because when he first
encountered them, they threw Arnold into the forbidden Finsterwald’s backyard. Maniac
carried Arnold out of the backyard and then sat on Finsterwald’s steps. This made Maniac
seem cool and brave because no one sat on Finsterwald’s steps.
Vocabulary Activity: Four Square, p. 7

1. Definition: to flinch or draw back in fear or disgust, Examples: Cringe when seeing blood,
cringe in the dark; Non-examples: Confronting a fear, standing up to a bully
2. Definition: being or living alone, Examples: Going mountain climbing, visiting the desert;
Non-examples: Surrounded by students in a classroom, being at a baseball game
3. Definition: a mark or flaw that makes something imperfect, Examples: A dent in a car, a
scratched wood table, a spot on clothing; Non-examples: holiday decorations, getting
dressed
1
4. Definition: to come together as one; to combine, Examples: a group of students creating

a club, mixing two shades of paint together to create a new color; Non-examples: to
break something in half, seeds from a tree blowing in all directions

1. DC Maniac probably answered Mrs. Pickwell’s dinner whistle because he was hungry.
He probably saw all of the Pickwell kids and figured no one would notice another kid because
there were some many children.
2. EI McNab is a very large twelve-year old. He is five feet eight inches tall and weighs
over a hundred and seventy pounds.
3. C McNab is a very intimidating and mean person. He seems to scare the other kids,
which allows him to get what he wants.
4. DC b. White and black people did not visit the opposite end of the town because they
would be teased. Kids would run through the opposite end to avoid the confrontations.
5. C Mrs. Beale is a very caring, kind person. She does not care that Maniac is white
and that she is black. She was more concerned about making sure Maniac was OK.
6. DC c. There are so many people at the table and they all assumed someone else
knew Maniac.
7. Co/Co, C d. He felt confident at the beginning that he would strike Maniac out and
mad at himself at the end that he could not strike Maniac out.
8. C, DC Maniac does not seem to like that he does not have a home. He tries to make the
best of it by not having a home, but he really comes to lives and is comfortable when he is at
the Beales. It is very important for him to have a place to call home.
Relationship Roster, p. 10
Lesson 1 Independent Practice
Answers will vary according to the specific relationships that students choose to focus on.
Possible relationships include:
Maniac and Brian Denehy; Maniac and the Pickwells; Maniac and Mars Bar; Maniac and Mrs.
Beale.
Vocabulary Activity: Have You Ever?, p. 11

1. leered: looked with bad intentions; glanced sideways
2. contorted: violently twisted; deformed
3. foresight: looking forward, or seeing in advance
4. eons: a very long period of time
5. unbeknownst: without the knowledge of; not knowing
6. coot: a foolish and crotchety person

1. DC a. Maniac enjoyed just observing everyone around him live their life.
2. DC Maniac couldn’t see “this color business” because he gave other people a fair
chance. He did not judge people by their skin color, but by how they treated him. He also did
not understand why people are called white or black as he felt there were many shades of
skin colors.
3. C The man that told Maniac to “go back to your own kind” lived in the East End. He
was an older man who spoke to Maniac at the block party. He had a deep and thick voice and
called Maniac, “Whitey.” He wore slippers, baggy pants, and a pajama top that had roosters
on it. He had white, curly hair. He spoke loudly and yelled at Maniac to leave the East End.
4. EI b. She thought if he could do it, the entire community would love him and the
people who did not want him there would allow him to stay.
2
5. DC, C/E Maniac walked out of town because he was in the middle of the East End
and the West End. As he was leaving, people were yelling and teasing him, but since he was
in the middle, no one would cross the line. He did not need to run.
6. C, Co/Co b. He learns what it is like to be cared about and also about
discrimination.
7. C, P d. Her “A” encyclopedia was all ripped up.
8. C Mars Bar hates Maniac Magee because Maniac is white and Mars Bar is black. He
has grown up with the idea that he should hate all white people just because they are white.
Textual Analysis Questions, p. 16

1. ViC; c
2. EI; d
3. EI; b
4. EI; d
5. F/O; c
6. F/O; a
7. AP; d
8. MI; A better title for this passage would be “Segregation: Still Alive in the U.S.”
Vocabulary Activity: Opposite Meanings, p. 17

1. fat, healthy, plump
2. sense, awareness, understanding
3. disregard, incomprehensible, bewilderment
4. clear up, explain, clarify
5. similar, alike

1. EI b. He picked Maniac up, put him in his truck, and drove him to the baseball
equipment room. He covered him with a blanket, introduced himself, and gave Maniac a cup
of soup.
2. EI Grayson scraped a path of dirt from Maniac’s arm because he wanted to check that
Maniac was white. Maniac had just told Grayson that he lived on the East End. Grayson knew
that only black people lived there and was surprised when Maniac told him he lived there
because he was white.
3. EI Grayson was interested in learning about “them black people” because he did
never visited a black person’s home. He did not know that they are not any different then
white people.
4. Pre Maniac and Grayson’s relationship will probably grow. They already seem to care
about each other and enjoy spending time with each other. They probably will continue to be
friends.
5. EI Maniac used the money that Grayson gave him to buy old books from the library.
6. P, C d. Maniac decides to teach Grayson how to read and Grayson gives Maniac a
place to stay.
7. PoV, AP b. The buffalo’s perspective. To show what it was like to have Maniac in the pen.
8. P, C Maniac does not want to go to school until he has a home. He wants to have a
place to call home to go to at night when school is out. He wants to be like everyone else with
a home to go to after school.
Predictions Chart Worksheet and Coming up Next . . . TV Screen, pp. 20-22

Answers will vary. Students should identify a big event or cliffhanger in the text, identify
missing information and ask questions about what could happen next, access prior
knowledge or experience to think about what could happen next, and then use details from
the text to make a sound prediction.
3
Possible events or cliffhangers in Chapters 24-26 that students can focus on for their
predictions include:
Chapter 24: Cliffhanger-Grayson telling Maniac that he wanted to be a baseball player at the
end of the chapter.
Chapter 25: The chapter ends with Grayson feeling like he has no purpose in life.
Chapter 26: Maniac teaches Grayson how to read.
Vocabulary Activity: Questions, Reasons, Examples, p. 23

Chapter 27– Chapter 32
1. languished: lose strength; feeble
2. throng: group crowded together
3. preposterous: absurd or ridiculous
4. ornery: stubborn
5. dispersed: scattered or separate
6. stoic: calm, unconcerned about pleasure or pain

1. EI The adults in Grayson’s life when he was younger did not treat him very well. His
parents were often drunk and left him on his own. His teacher was not very encouraging or
positive, saying that his class would never learn to read.
2. C a. He loved him.
3. DC Maniac wanted to cook for Grayson to show his appreciation. He probably also
wanted to take care of him since Grayson had been helping him out.
4. DC Maniac painted numbers outside the Band Shell to show that he finally had an
address and a home. It was very important for him to have an address and a home. When he
painted the numbers, it represented that he had a place to call home.
5. DC After Maniac ran away from the funeral, Grayson was probably buried. The minister
may or may not have showed up. It was probably a very short funeral.
6. DC d. The gifts showed that they really cared for each other since they were very
thoughtful.
7. C c. Caring and kind.
8. C/E, TH Maniac runs away at the end of Chapter 32 because he has a hard time
dealing with Grayson’s death. He feels like Grayson was family to him and should be treated
that way, but no one else was at the funeral. He does not want to admit that Grayson has
died and he no longer has a home and a family with him. Other times Maniac has ran away
include: Running away from his Aunt and Uncle because he does not like living with them;
running away from the Pickwell family when they realize that no one knows who he is or why
he is there; running away from McNab when McNab was not able to strike him out because
he did not want to confront him; running away from the Beales after being teased by a man
because he did not feel like he belonged.
Plot Conflicts Worksheet, pp. 26-27

Students should identify and record the following conflicts:
Chapter 21: Character vs. Self- Amanda is upset with herself because she left her
encyclopedia out. Her “A” encyclopedia was torn up and used as confetti. Character vs. Self-
Maniac is mad at himself for coming to East End because people make fun of him for living
with the Beales and living on the East End.
Chapter 22: Character vs. Character-Maniac is hiding in the bushes from the East End kids.
Chapter 23: Character vs. Character-Maniac argues with Grayson about going to school.
Character vs. Self-Maniac has a conflict with himself when Grayson asks him about school.
He is upset because he wants to have a home before he goes to school.
Chapter 24: None
Chapter 25: Character vs. Self- Grayson has a conflict with himself for pitching poorly in the
game against the Mud Hens.
4
Chapter 26: None

Chapter 27: Character vs. Self and Character vs. Character-Grayson ran away when he was
15 because his teachers told him he could never learn to read. His parents often left him
alone. He was upset with himself and the people in his life.
Chapter 28: None
Chapter 29: None
Chapter 30: None
Chapter 31: None
Chapter 32: Character vs. Self-Maniac has a hard time dealing with Grayson’s death and
runs away from the funeral.
Vocabulary Activity: One of These Words is Not Like the Others, p. 28

1. accompanied; The remaining words belong together because they all can be used to
describe someone that does something without other people.
2. cheerful; The remaining words belong together because they all can be used to describe
someone who is gloomy, sad, and dejected.
3. civilization; The remaining words belong together because they all can be used to
describe places that are barren.
4. offering; The remaining words belong together because they all can be used to describe
ways that someone can plead for something.
5. freedom; The remaining words belong together because they all can be used to describe
something with constraints.

1. DC c. He no longer considered this his home and was upset that Grayson died.
2. FL The sentence, “From high above, a tracing of his routes would have looked as
hopelessly tangled as Cobble’s Knot,” means that if someone were to look at the routes
where Maniac traveled it would have looked like a bunch of twists and turns, similar to the
knot. Maniac went all over the place in many directions.
3. DC Maniac believed that no one else would orphan him because he did not feel like
anyone else would want him. He also did not want to subject himself to any other families and
potentially get hurt again. He purposely decided that he would not join another family so that
he could avoid getting hurt again.
4. DC I can infer that Missing Tooth and Screecher are not very kind people by the
language that they use. They do not care about hurting other people’s feelings.
5. DC Maniac made up a story about McNab’s stopball because he did not want to
embarrass McNab in front of his brothers. He did not want McNab to be angry with him. He
also thought that if he was kind to McNab, McNab would be kind back. It ultimately resulted in
McNab inviting Maniac to his home.
6. C c. He is brave.
7. Co/Co, S b. It is very messy and no one tries to clean it up.
8. PRE, C/E Answers will vary, but should be based on text evidence. Possible
predictions: Maniac will be welcomed back because he was able to untie Cobble’s Knot; he
will be teased and made fun of for returning to the neighborhood because he is white.
What’s the Theme? Worksheet, p. 31

Answers will vary. Possible themes include: racism divides and hurts people; kindness brings
people together.
5
Vocabulary Activity: Four Square, p. 32

1. Definition: Hopeless, deserted, or miserable, Examples: Someone may feel forlorn after
their friend moves or their pet dies; Non-examples: A family after learning they will have a
baby, two friends spending time together
2. Definition: Cut off, left behind, or isolated, Examples: Climbing a mountain and getting
stuck there during a storm, a rural area; Non-examples: A city, being surrounded by people
3. Definition: Frowning with displeasure, Examples: Scowling if sick, a child being told they
do not have permission to do something; Non-examples: Going on vacation, spending time
with friends and family
4. Definition: Joyful enthusiasm, Examples: Welcoming the army when they return from
service, someone who has just won a race; Non-examples: Crying or being mad

1. DC a. He was trying to scare Maniac away from the East End.
2. C Mars Bar’s name-calling shows that he is not a kind person. He does not care if he
hurts other people’s feelings.
3. FL Just when the weather was getting nicer, it felt like March again. It was cold for
another two weeks in April.
4. DC Maniac didn’t help the McNabs when George asked him to “start luggin’ these”
because he did not want to be part of the so-called revolt. He thought that by helping George
out, it would just fuel additional tension between the East and West Ends.
5. V When the author states that, “Now there was something else in that house, and it
smelled worse than garbage and turds,” he coveys that there was a tension within the house
that was making it feel awful.
6. C/E, DC b. He knew he could win, but was not sure how Mars Bar and the crowd would
react.
7. C c. He wanted to be a role model for the McNab boys and felt if he abandoned them,
he would be abandoning a part of himself.
8. C, P, C/E Coming to the West End has not really changed Mars Bar. He was a bit
kinder to the Pickwells, but when he went to the McNabs’ party, he still made fun of people
and they almost got hurt. He did realize what Maniac was doing, but said he would not return
to the West End.
Vocabulary Activity: Have You Ever?, p. 35

1. astonished: sudden wonder or surprise
2. pried: forced out, inquired unnecessarily about something
3. vast: great in size, amount, or intensity
4. rasping: speaking in an irritated tone
5. cling: to hold on tightly
6. drenched: thoroughly wet

1. EI b. Mars Bar surprised Maniac because he kept running along side of him, but never said
anything to Maniac.
2. DC Mars Bar probably ran with Maniac because he was curious to see what Maniac
was doing. At some level, he may have envied him and wanted to be like him. He may want
to show off to Maniac.
3. EI Maniac couldn’t register with what he was seeing on the trestle because it
reminded him of when his parents had died in the trolley accident.
4. DC After Mars Bar saved the McNab boys, I can conclude that he has changed. He
seems to care more about being nice to people rather then intimidating them.
6
5. DC Amanda’s words and actions impact Maniac when she goes to the zoo to get him in
the middle of the night by showing him that he can have a family and that people do care
about him. He realizes that the Beales really are his family and he goes to live with them
again.
6. P, C, C/E b. He wanted Mars Bar to rescue Russell.
7. C, P c. He did not feel it was right and wanted to go to the Beales.
8. PRE Answers will vary. Predictions should be based on text evidence. Sample
predictions: Yes, Maniac will continue to live with the Beales. He says that he is content and
has finally found a home. No, Maniac will leave the Beales because he likes moving from
place to place.
Relationship Change Worksheet, pp. 38

Answers will vary depending on the relationship that students choose to focus on.
Maniac and Amanda:
Relationship at the Beginning of the Book: Maniac and Amanda are first friendly. They later
care about each other a lot and Maniac moves into her house.
What the Relationship Looks Like Now: Maniac leaves Amanda’s house. When Maniac
leaves they are very angry and mad at each other. At the end of the story, they reunite and
care for each other again.
Characters and Events that Caused the Change: Maniac starts to care for Amanda a lot
because her family invites him to live in their home. Amanda and her family treat Maniac as if
he was a member of their family. They become mad at each other because Maniac is teased
by the locals for living in the black section of town when he is white. Amanda doesn’t
understand why he wants to leave and becomes angry with him. Maniac is mean to Amanda
and leaves. Later, she finds him and they apologize to each other. Maniac once again lives
with Amanda and they care about each other.
How the Change Impacts the Characters: Maniac and Amanda realize that what’s most
important is if you care about each other, not what others think of you.
Maniac and Grayson:
Relationship at the Beginning of the Book: Maniac and Grayson meet when Grayson runs
into him sleeping in the park. They become friendly and take care of each other. They care
for each other.
What the Relationship Looks Like Now: At first, Grayson and Maniac are friendly. Grayson
teaches Maniac about baseball and Maniac teaches Grayson how to read. This helps them to
open up about their past and get to know each other. They start to care for each other and
become a family. The relationship ends when Grayson dies.
Characters and Events that Caused the Change: They spend more time together and open
up to each other. When Grayson dies, the relationship ends.
How the Relationship Impacts the Characters: Both Grayson and Maniac come to think of
each other as family. They realize that you do not need to be related to someone to consider
them family. Maniac helps to give Grayson a purpose. Grayson’s death causes Maniac to run
away. He later realizes he can still care for someone even though they have died.
7
Unit Assessment
Name: _______________________________ Date: ________________
Fifth Grade Realistic Fiction Unit Assessment

Maniac Magee
Directions: Read each question, circle the correct answer, or respond by writing
complete sentences.
1. What happened to Jeffrey Lionel Magee’s parents?

a. They ran away from Bridgeport.
b. They were killed in a trolley accident.
c. They stopped talking to each other.
d. They moved to Two Mills and left Jeffrey with his aunt and uncle.
2. Which of the following is an example of a Character vs. Character Plot

Conflict in Maniac Magee?
a. Amanda and Maniac arguing over how Amanda’s books are used.
b. John McNab getting mad at because he is unable to strike out Maniac.
c. Maniac running away after Grayson’s death.
d. Maniac running away from his Aunt and Uncle.
3. What did Jeffrey think when he first met Amanda Beale?

a. He thought she was racist.
b. He thought she was running away.
c. He thought she was going to the library.
d. He thought she was going to be his best friend.
4. What do you think this sentence from Chapter 5 implies:

“They saw the kid, cool times ten, stretch out on the forbidden steps and
open his book to read.”
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
5. Why did Jeffrey Magee become known as Maniac?

a. No one knew his real name.
b. He started calling himself Maniac, so others copied.
c. He completed amazing feats, so people called him Maniac.
d. He was diagnosed by a psychiatrist who said he was crazy.
1
Unit Assessment
6. What does this sentence mean? Explain your answer.

“The Cobras were laughing because they figured the dumb, scraggly runt
would get out of the East End in about as good shape as a bare big toe in a
convention of snapping turtles.”
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
7. What can you conclude about the Beales when they insisted Maniac stay
with them because he didn’t have a home to live in?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
8. Why did Hester, Lester, and Amanda try to keep Maniac from going home
to Sycamore after his morning run? (Chapter 17)
a. They didn’t want him to live with them anymore.
b. They didn’t want him to see the hate message written on the house.
c. They were planning a surprise party for him.
d. A gang of kids were waiting at the house to beat him up.
9. Why did Amanda tell Maniac not to, “come crawling back around here”?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
10. What does it tell you about Amanda when she responds, “I’m incubating an
egg,” to Maniac’s question about what she’s doing up so late.
________________________________________________________________
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________________________________________________________________
2
Unit Assessment
11. When Maniac and Amanda found the “A” Encyclopedia torn into scrap paper,
why did Maniac want to hug Amanda and tell her it was okay?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
12. Why did Maniac Magee walk—not run—out of town?

a. His feet were tired from running all day.
b. He wasn’t in a hurry to leave town because he wanted to stay.
c. He knew the crowd following him couldn’t keep up.
d. All of the above.
13. What can you tell about Grayson when he took Maniac to the Band Shell?
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________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
14. What caused the change in the relationship between Maniac and McNab?
a. McNab chased Maniac out of town.
b. Maniac allowed McNab to finally strike him out.
c. Maniac brought McNab’s runaway brothers home safely.
d. Maniac brought McNab to the Pickwells, who treated him kindly.
15. Why did Maniac write a number on the outside of the Band Shell?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
3
Unit Assessment
16. Why do you think Maniac ran away before Grayson was buried?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
17. In Chapter 38, Maniac said he wasn’t afraid of the so-called black people, but
what was he afraid of?
a. He was afraid of any trouble he might cause.
b. He was afraid of the worms that had crawled onto the sidewalks.
c. He was afraid of the West-Enders.
d. He was afraid of someone calling him names.
18. Describe recurring events in the book around the topic of running away. Then
use the recurring events explain a theme of the book.
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4
Unit Assessment
19. Do you think Maniac influenced Mars Bar’s decision to save the McNab boys?
Why or why not? Explain your answer with text evidence.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
20. Predict what occurs after the last line of Maniac Magee. What happens to
Maniac? Amanda? Mars Bar? Use text evidence to justify your answer.
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5
Unit Assessment Answers
1. b. They were killed in a trolley accident.

2. a. Amanda and Maniac arguing over how Amanda’s books are used.
3. b. He thought she was running away.
4. The sentence implies that the high schoolers saw Maniac stretching out on Finsterwald’s
steps looking very relaxed and reading. It shows that while most people were afraid and would
not attempt to sit on the steps, Maniac is very relaxed and brave. He does not fear Finsterwald.
5. c. He completed amazing feats, so people called him Maniac.
6. The sentence means that the Cobras were laughing at Maniac because he was heading
toward East End. Maniac is white and only black people live in the East End. The Cobras think
that Maniac will get beat up when he goes to the East End because he is white.
7. When the Beales insisted that Maniac stay with them, it shows that they are very caring and
considerate people. It did not matter to them that Maniac was not black or what other East Enders
would say.
8. b. They didn’t want him to see the hate message written on the house.
9. Amanda told Maniac not to, “come crawling back around here” because she was very hurt
and upset that Maniac said he was going to leave.
10. When Amanda responds to Maniac’s question by saying, “I’m incubating an egg,” it shows
that she is very sarcastic. She has a dry sense of humor.
11. When Maniac and Amanda found the “A” Encyclopedia torn into scrap paper, he wanted to
hug her and tell her it was OK because he knew how much the book meant to her. He wanted to
hug her as a way of comforting her and showing her that he cared.
12. b. He wasn’t in a hurry to leave town because he wanted to stay.
13. When Grayson took Maniac to the Band Shell, it shows that he cares about people. He
wanted to make sure that Maniac had a place to stay. It also shows that Grayson considered
Maniac to be important because the Band Shell meant a lot to him.
14. c. Maniac brought McNab’s runaway brothers home safely.
15. Maniac wrote a number on the outside of the Band Shell because he felt like it was his home.
He wanted to show that he finally had a home and an address, so he painted the number.
16. Maniac probably ran away before Grayson was buried because the funeral and the fact that
Grayson died was hard for him to deal with. He wanted to remember how Grayson was when he
was alive.
17. a. He was afraid of any trouble he might cause.
18. Recurring events around the topic of running away include Maniac running away from his
Aunt Dot and Uncle Dan and Hollidaysburg for one year, winding up in Two Mills; Maniac running
away after Grayson dies; Maniac running when he is chased; Manic running when he feels fearful
for others. Possible themes include Running away from your problems doesn’t help you solve
them or you need to confront your problems to solve them.
19. Answers will vary. Students should support their opinions with evidence from the text.
20. Answers will vary. Students should make reasonable predictions for each character based on
text evidence.
1
Unit Assessment Analysis

Use the Unit Assessment Answers to mark each student’s assessment. Then
refer to the following table to formally assess your students’ performance on their
Unit Assessment. The table shows how each question is aligned to the
concepts in this Unit. If a student gets question 1 wrong on the assessment, you
will know that this student may benefit from a re-teaching of Character, since
question 1 is a Character question. Use the table to pinpoint what Concepts your
students need additional practice with.
Concepts
Explicit Character Drawing Figurative Plot Fact and Predicting Cause Theme
Information Conclusions Language Opinion and
Effect
Question
Number
1 X
2 X X
3 X
4 X
5 X X
6 X
7 X X
8 X X
9 X X
10 X X
11 X X
12 X X
13 X X
14 X X X
15 X X
16 X X X
17 X
18 X X
19 X X X
20 X X X
2
Use the following table to find the questions that are specifically aligned to the
lessons and learning outcomes for the unit.
Question Lesson(s) Learning Outcome(s)

2 3 Students will be able to identify two plot conflicts in the
text. (Character vs. Character and Character vs. Self)
7 1 Students will be able to analyze character relationships.
9 1, 3, 5 Students will be able to analyze character relationships.

Students will be able to identify two plot conflicts in the
14 5 Students will be able to explain what drives a change in

characters and their relationships.
16 3 Students will be able to identify two plot conflicts in the

18 4 Students will be able to use recurring events in order to

identify and examine a theme in a work of realistic
fiction.
19 1, 5 Students will be able to analyze character relationships.
Students will be able to explain what drives a change in
characters and their relationships.
20 2 Students will be able to make a prediction about what

will happen in a work of realistic fiction using text
evidence and prior knowledge.
3

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CONCEPTS OF COMPREHENSION: MANIAC MAGEE 5TH GRADE UNIT

Title: Maniac Magee

© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved

Genre Lesson Independent Practice: Realistic Elements

Realistic Elements in the Text My Personal Connection

© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved

Genre Lesson Independent Practice: Realistic Elements

© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved

Name: _____________________________________ Date: ___________

Vocabulary Activity: One of These Words is Not Like the Others

1. blunder mistake confuse correct

2. hoist lift lower raise

3. suffice enough adequate dissatisfy

4. commotion peace disturbance noisiness

5. infamous shameful honorable offensive

© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved

Name: _________________________________ Date: ___________

© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved

Comprehension Questions (continued)

© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved

Name: _____________________________ Date: _________________

© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved

Name: ______________________________ Date: ___________

_____ 2. Describe McNab’s physical characteristics.

© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved

Comprehension Questions (continued)

© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved

Lesson 1 Independent Practice: Relationship Roster

How are these characters alike and different?

How do the characters feel about each other?

Why do the characters need each other?

Describe the relationship. Is it positive or negative? Both? Explain.

© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved

Name: _____________________________ Date: ___________

2. Give an example of something that is contorted.

4. Have you ever waited eons to do something? Explain.

5. Give an example of something that happened unbeknownst to you.

6. Would you want to be known as a coot? Why or why not?

© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved

Name: _______________________________ Date: ___________

_____ 2. Why couldn’t Maniac see “this color business?”

_____ 4. Why did Amanda encourage Maniac to untie Cobble’s Knot?

_____ 5. Why did Maniac walk—not run—out of town?

© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved

Comprehension Questions (continued)

_____ 6. How has living in the East End changed Maniac?

_____ 7. Why was Amanda so upset when everyone was celebrating?

_____ 8. Why does Mars Bars hate Maniac Magee?

© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved

Name: Date: _____

Segregation means the separation of people or groups of people depending on their

A group of parents in Topeka, Kansas challenged their city’s Board of Education in

© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved

© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved

Name: Date: _____

___ 1. What is segregation?

___ 2. What was Brown vs. Board of Ed?

___ 5. What does the author imply with this sentence?

___ 7. Why did the author write this passage?

© 2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved

Name: ______________________________ Date: ___________

scrawny: thin, bony, lean

claptrap: nonsense, rubbish, empty talk

recognition: acceptance, awareness, acknowledgement

Name: ___________________________ Date: _

Name: _______________________ Date: _

Name: _____________ Date: _

Name: ____________________ Date: _

Name: ___________________ Date: _

Name: _____________________ Date: _

Name: ____________________ Date: _

Name: ___________________ Date: _

Name: ___________________________ Date: _

Name: ____________________ Date: _

Name: ____________________ Date: _

Name: ________________ Date: _

Name: ____________________ Date: _

Name: ____________________ Date: _

Name: ____________________ Date: _

Name: ____________________ Date: _