Diversity Lesson
Becky Belcher
Heather Peppers
ED 301
Exceptionalities
Literature Class
Grade 8
Freak the Mighty
Objectives
• Introduce students to difficulties Learning
Disabled students experience.
• Introduce students to difficulties Gifted
students experience.
• Help students relate to LD and Gifted student’s
insecurities by making them aware of the same
insecurities in their own lives.
Materials Needed
• Set of Freak the Mighty books
written by Rodman Philbrick
• “The Pile of Junk” reading disability
worksheet
Book Overview
Freak the Mighty, by Rodman Philbrick, is a young adult novel
based on the friendship between two eighth grade boys named
Max and Kevin. Max, a shy, giant-sized boy with a Learning
Disability forms very unique friendship with Kevin, a small
handicapped gifted boy, that just moved into the
neighborhood. Throughout this fun and cleverly written novel,
Kevin shows Max that he is not the “stupid butthead” he
thinks he is, while Max allows Kevin to experience some much
needed fun and a friend to confide in.
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons
/lesson_view.asp?id=41
Reading Disability Worksheet
After chapter three, the
students will be aware of
Max’s learning disability. The
students will be led through
an activity that will help them
see through the eyes of Max
while he tries to read. The
symbols are a representation
of something an LD student
sees, followed with a
translation. The students will
need to remember the
meaning for the symbols for
future sentences.
Reading Disability Worksheet Continued…
Essay Activity
Why is Max convinced he doesn’t have a brain? Is
his assessment of himself as a “butthead”
correct? Do our opinions of ourselves affect
what others think of us? Do others opinions of us
affect how we feel about ourselves?
Preventing Antisocial Behavior in
Disabled and At-Risk Students
http://www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/ad
d_adhd/ael_behavior.html
This website is about preventing antisocial behavior in disabled
and at-risk students. It talks about risk factors specific to
ADHD and LD students. This relates to the previous
activity because antisocial behavior can cause students to
look at LD students differently.
“My name is Maxwell, but
kids at school and in
my class call me many other
names. I'm not too smart,
and am in the LD class at
school. “
-Max
Debate
With Freak’s help, Max is making great progress as a learner.
Mr. Meehan is convinced that Max has never had learning
disabilities, but that he was simply lazy, stubborn, and
disinterested. Prepare yourself for a debate. Choose a
partner and prepare arguments supporting the opinion that
Max is lazy or that Max is smart but has a learning
disability. Then use your arguments to debate your partner.
Debate Prompts
• I believe Max is lazy
because…..
• I believe Max is learning
disabled because….
Diagnosing Learning
Disabilities
• http://healthlink.m
cw.edu/article/952
720781.html
Site Information
• This site provides information
concerning questions about
educational options, medication, and
ways for families to cope with
learning disabled children.
A Gift of Words:
Dictionary Activity
• Students will be asked to make their own
dictionary as they read the last 15
chapters of the book. Any words that
they do not know, or any words that they
find funny should be underlined and added
to their own personal dictionary, just like
Kevin’s personal dictionary. The students
should also look up the definitions for each
of the words, and make up a definition for
the funny words they choose.
A Gift of Words
• This activity emphasizes Freak’s true
intelligence and creativity. Why
might Max have hated dictionaries?
What might Max hope to gain from
having Freak’s dictionary? Invite
students to share their new words
with the class.
Helping Your Highly
Gifted Child
• http://www.ericfacility.net/ericdiges
ts/ed321482.html
• This web site deals with the social
and emotional needs of gifted
children, as well as information on
schools and understanding
differences.
Walk in a character's
shoes
• Imagine that, by magic, you switch
places with either Freak or Maxwell.
Pick an important event from the
story and retell the scene with
yourself in the character's place (be
sure to show how you would act
differently and/or make different
decisions.)
Sample Gifted Program
Curriculum
• This website provides a description
of activities for gifted students at a
middle school in Georgia.
http://hub.catoosa.k12.ga.us
/rms/gifted.htm