“They say Maniac McGee was Born in a dump…” |
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Introduction – Task – Process – Evaluation - Conclusion
IntroductionJust who is Maniac McGee anyway? Legend? Myth? Is Maniac his real name? If it isn’t, then who IS he? Where does he live? Do you ever see him at school? And why is he so color-blind? Doesn’t he know the rules our community lives by? Maniac McGee is a compelling, contemporary novel about one boy’s search for acceptance, understanding, and a real home. Along the way, Maniac discovers that friendship exists best when there are no walls surrounding it. What defines home for you? Is it the people you live with, the structure (walls, floors, doors,) or something else? Could you survive and thrive without a home? You’re about to discover what makes a home for many of Sacramento’s school-aged children… boys and girls just like you whose definition of home may surprise you. Read on! |
Tasks► In this quest you will have 3 tasks to complete:Task One:Read…Your task begins with reading Jerry Spinelli’s NewberyAward winning novel, Maniac McGee.Task Two: Think… As you read, consider the following questions and fill in the investigation page with your thoughts: • Does Maniac McGee have a real name? What is it? • Where was Maniac born, and what caused him to leave his home? • How many homes does Maniac live in during the course of this novel? • Was Maniac’s lifestyle a choice he made? • How did Maniac define “home” for himself? Task Three: Act… • Who are the homeless in Sacramento? • How many of Sacramento’s homeless are children under nineteen years of age? • What services exist to help this population? • How can you use the information you just discovered to help a homeless family or a homeless child in a very specific way? |
Process• After reading Maniac McGee, students will form groups of four to begin working on individual projects. • Each group member will research a different aspect of homelessness in Sacramento, then choose a project from the list below. Research: ►Learn about Loaves and Fishes: http://www.sacramentoloavesandfishes.org/ ►Learn about Mustard Seed School: http://www.sacramento.org/loaves/mustardseed.html ► Research Facts About Homeless Children: Kids' Corner: Facts About Homelessness ► How Many Children Under 19 Live in Sacramento Population and Demographics (Sacramento, CA) ► What is Food Insecurity? http://www.cfpa.net/press/touched/county profiles/sacramento.PDF ► How Many of Sacramento’s Children Go Hungry? http://www.cfpa.net/press/touched/Press Releases/sacramento.PDF ► Find Out Where You Can Get Help ►Learn How You Can Make A http://www.nationalhomeless.org/fmn2001/kidshelp.html Projects: Your Group Must Complete Two of the Following Projects With Parental Supervision And Permission ► Volunteer to Serve Meals http://www.sacramentoloavesandfishes.org/about_newsgeneral.html?x=105
Mustard Seed School (scroll down on page) The Write Stuff: ► Each student will write a report describing the projects your group chose to complete. You must explain why you chose the two projects And describe their outcomes. ► If your group chose to write poetry, each of the four members of the group will read his or her poem aloud to the class during sharing time. ► In your written report, you must connect what you have learned in your project to some aspect of Maniac McGee’s life. Opportunity To Share With Classmates: ► After the reports are written and have been reviewed by the teacher, each student will have five minutes to read his or her report aloud to the class. ► When all oral reports are completed, students will have fifteen minutes to ask each other questions about the completed projects. ► Each student in the class will prepare one well- thought-out question to ask a classmate during the question-and-answer portion of the oral reports. The question must be asked of a classmate who is not in the same small group as the questioner. |
Evaluation► Your total score for this project will be Determined according to the following rubric. • Reading the novel, Maniac McGee 20 points • Written responses to reading questions 5 • Signed Permission Slip 5 • Worked cooperatively in group 15 • Equal participation by all group members 5 • Independently written report w/o poem 25 • Independent report plus poem 15+10 • Speaking role in group oral report 10 • Spoke loudly and clearly during report 10 • Prepared a thoughtful question for class 5 Total Points Possible 100 |
Conclusion• Congratulations! You have just made an effort to think outside of yourself. You are developing skills and insights necessary to be a compassionate person in a hurting world. Continue your journey by making it a habit to reach out to people less fortunate than you. Your life will be richer for it. “Maniac said nothing. He was quite content to let Amanda do the talking, for he knew that behind her grumbling was all that he had ever wanted. He knew that finally, truly, at long last, someone was calling him home.” Quotes to Remember: • St.
Ambrose: You are not making a gift of your possessions to the poor
person. You are handing over to him what is his. |