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Read Chapters 38-46; Complete Student Packet Worksheets for Chapters 38-46; Bring in 3-5 photos/illustrations of self at various points in life.

Prior to beginning this lesson, ask students to gather and bring in 3 to 5 photos of themselves at various points in their lives. If they do not have photos available, they can draw pictures that illustrate 3 to 5 various points/ages in their lives. Students should choose photos that portray important events or days in their lives, placing them in chronological order. Ask students to create a timeline on poster paper using their photos/illustrations. The oldest photo should be at the left, with photos moving to the right in chronological order. (You may want to have students use paper clips to attach the photos to the paper, rather then using glue.) Have students think about how they have changed from photo to photo (age, appearance, feelings, ideas, living spaces, abilities, interests, etc.). They may write these changes down on their timeline under each photo.

Ask students to share their timeline with the class, describing the changes they may have experienced during each stage represented in the photos. Explain that not only do people change personally, but they also bring about change in others. Ask students to think about how their growing up or their actions may have changed friends or family members. Students can brainstorm and discuss this point as a class.

will explain that just as people change over the course of their lives, characters change over the course of a book. Characters may change physically or emotionally. Relationships between characters also change. I will also explain that characters usually change because of events and/or other characters that impact or influence them.  Now that I have read Maniac Magee, I can think about how a relationship has changed in the story, what impacted that change, and how this change in relationship also brought about change in a character. I am going to examine the relationship between Maniac and John McNab, and I’m going to answer the following questions on my Relationship Change Chart 1 to understand what drove the changes in their relationship and how these changes impacted the characters: What did this relationship look like in the beginning of the book? What does this relationship look like now? What events or other characters caused the change in the relationship? How did the relationship change impact the characters? 

I will answer the first question on the chart, “What did the relationship look like in the beginning of the book?” In order to refresh my memory about this relationship, I will review the Sample Relationship Chart (from Lesson 1),Plot Conflicts Chart 1 (from Lesson 3), and Plot Conflicts Chart 2 (from Lesson 3). I see that I noted in the beginning of the book, the relationship between McNab and Maniac was not friendly. McNab teased and bullied Maniac by calling him names and eventually chasing him out of town. I will record this information under the column with the question, “What did the relationship look like in the beginning of the book?” on the Relationship Change Chart 1.

Next, I need to think about what the relationship between McNab and Maniac is like now. On my Sample Relationship Chart and Plot Conflict Charts 1 and 2, I noted that John McNab was a bully. He was part of a gang called the Cobras. He chased Maniac out of town and called him racist names. Later in the book, however, I recall that McNab becomes friendlier to Maniac. I will write this under the “What does this relationship look like now?” column on the Relationship Change Chart 1.

Now, I need to think about the events or other characters that caused the relationship between John McNab and Maniac to change. McNab became friendly and grateful to Maniac because Maniac brought his runaway brothers home safely. This event explains what caused the relationship between McNab and Maniac to change. I will write this under the “What events or other characters caused the change in the relationship?” column on the Relationship Change Chart 1.

Finally, I will answer the last question, “How did the relationship change impact the characters?” After Maniac brought McNab’s brothers home, McNab became friendly towards Maniac. He started to appreciate Maniac’s actions and treat him kindly. I will record this information under the “How did the relationship change impact the characters?” column on the Relationship Change Chart 1.

Ask: "How can I identify how a relationship in a work of realistic fiction changes, what drives that change, and how a relationship change impact the characters?" Students should respond that you examine a relationship in the book and look at details about the relationship and how it has changed over time. Then, you identify which events in the book or other characters drove that change. You then compare and contrast the character’s personality and actions from the beginning of the book to the end of the book, and draw a conclusion about how this relationship change has also changed the character.

will show how Mars Bar’s relationship with Manic changed in the story. We will answer the following questions and record the information on the Relationship Change Chart 2: What did this relationship look like in the beginning of the book? What does this relationship look like now? What events or other characters caused the change in the relationship? How did the relationship change impact the characters?

First, we will review the Sample Relationship Chart looking for details about Mars Bar, events that he is involved in, and his relationship with Maniac. Next, we need to think about what the relationship was like in the beginning of the book. We know that in the beginning of the story, Mars Bar was a bully and he did not like white people, including Maniac. We will record this information under the column labeled, “What did this relationship look like in the beginning of the book?” on the Relationship Change Chart 2.

We need to think about what the relationship looks like now. As we continue skimming the book and the Sample Relationship Chart for more information about the relationship between Mars Bar and Maniac, we can recall that the relationship changed when they visited the Pickwells. Mars Bar’s attitude towards white people softened a bit, and he actually enjoyed spending time with them. Mars Bar and Maniac started to become friends. We will write this under the “What does the relationship look like now?” column on the Relationship Change Chart 2. 

We will ask ourselves: What events or other characters caused the change in the relationship between Mars Bar and Maniac? We can conclude that Mars Bar changed because Maniac brought him to the Pickwells, who treated him kindly and as if he were a legend. Therefore, this change was brought about by characters (Maniac and the Pickwells) and an event (visiting the Pickwell’s home). Their relationship also changed when Mars saved Russell McNab from falling over the trolley platform and Maniac froze. Instead of Maniac “showing up” Mars, Mars was able to be a hero. We will record this under the “What events or other characters caused the change in the relationship?” column on our Relationship Change Chart 2.

Finally, we will ask ourselves: How did the relationship change impact the characters? When Mars saved Russell McNab and Maniac froze, it helped to level the playing field for Maniac and Mars, making both boys feel like equals and like legends. We will record this information under the “How did the relationship change impact the characters?” column on our Relationship Change Chart 2.

will choose one of the following relationships to examine: Maniac and Amanda, Maniac and Grayson, or Maniac and another character of your choice. You will examine the relationship by filling in the columns of your Relationship Change Worksheet in your Student Packet (see page 38 in the Student Packet) and by answering the following questions: What did this relationship look like in the beginning of the book? What does this relationship look like now? What events or other characters caused the change in the relationship?

will share the changes in Maniac’s relationships. We will identify how the relationship changed and the events or characters that caused this change. We will engage in a debate/discussion. Ask, "Which character or event changed Maniac the most? Why do you think so?" Encourage students to explain their reasoning using text evidence. "Did any relationship stay the same? If so, which one? Why do you think so?"