Maniac Magee- Vocabulary

As a vocabulary lesson for chapters 1-13, I would provide the students with cards containing the following words on each card:

Clamor, mirage, hallucination, emanate, phantom, hoist, stupefy, pandemonium, lumber, lurch, blemish, wobble, suffice, befuddle, scraggy, cringe, prospect, quiver, infamous, wretch

Students will work in groups of four to find the definitions of these words and write them on the back of their cards. They may use a dictionary, or the book to find the meanings. When they have finished, students will split their cards up so that each person has five different vocabulary words. One student will write a short story containing their five vocabulary words in sentences that make sense. The story can be about anything the student chooses. After the first person has written their story they pass their paper on to the next person who reads the entry and then continues the story using his/her five vocabulary words. This continues on to the next two people. The last person writes an ending to the story with their vocabulary words. Students can ask group members for help when writing their own entries. To close the lesson, students will present their stories to the class.