Objectives

• Analyse how Philbrick constructs Max's narrative voice in Chapters 1–2 to present a character defined by self-doubt and inherited shame.
• Explain how the Freak the Mighty partnership in Chapters 5–7 transforms both Max's and Kevin's sense of identity and possibility.
• Examine how Philbrick presents Killer Kane as a figure of evil in Chapters 13–18, evaluating the methods used to create threat and moral contrast.
• Trace how Philbrick explores loss and resilience through Max's response to Kevin's death in Chapters 19–25, including the significance of the empty book.
• Write a sustained analytical essay that embeds quotation, names authorial method, and tracks a theme across at least three chapters of the novel.

The sequence

1. Lesson 1: Max's Voice: Self-Doubt and Inherited Shame in Chapters 1–2

   55 min · ch. 1, 2

   Do now

   Read the opening sentence of Chapter 1: 'I never had a brain until Freak came along and let me borrow his for a while.' Reflect on what this reveals about Max before you learn anything else about him, and consider what question it leaves you wanting to ask.

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of the passage in Chapter 1 where Max describes hiding under his bed "like a little animal" and remembers being called "the spitting image of his father." Identify the animal metaphor as a sign of Max's self-dehumanization, and explain how the phrase "spitting image" connects Max's identity crisis to his fear of becoming Killer Kane — a concept Philbrick introduces right at the beginning to evoke Gram and Grim's anxiety in the reader. Guide students in crafting one analytical sentence that identifies the technique, includes the quoted word or phrase, and clarifies its effect on the reader.

   Independent task

   Using Chapter 2, where Max describes his room in "the down under" and recalls Kevin arriving as a small boy with leg braces, write a full PEEL paragraph (approximately 120–150 words) analyzing how Philbrick uses setting and physical description to illustrate Max's perception of himself as something buried or hidden. For example, Max's room is described as "dark and cramped," reflecting his feelings of confinement and isolation. The imagery here emphasizes how he feels trapped in his own life. Additionally, when he remembers Kevin's "bright smile" contrasting with his own gloom, it highlights Max's inner struggle. Philbrick employs these descriptive techniques to convey Max's emotional state, making the reader aware of his desire to escape his hidden identity. Be sure to embed at least two short quotations from Chapter 2 and mention one language technique. Submit your paragraph on the provided sheet.

   Exit ticket

   Write one sentence explaining what the phrase 'down under' tells us about how Max sees his own place in the world at the start of the novel.

2. Lesson 2: Freak the Mighty: How Partnership Rewrites Identity in Chapters 5–7

   55 min · ch. 5, 6, 7

   Do now

   Look at the chapter title 'Freak the Mighty' (Chapter 5). Before you dive back in, take a moment to predict in two sentences: why do you think Philbrick chose this title for both a chapter and the entire novel? What does this phrase imply about how two individuals can achieve something neither could accomplish on their own?

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of the moment in Chapter 7 where Max carries Kevin on his shoulders and Kevin shouts directions: "I am Freak the Mighty, slayer of dragons, and I fear no one!" Analyze how this exclamatory sentence signals Kevin's psychological liberation—he can finally navigate the world at full height. In contrast, Max's silence in this passage reveals his transformation as well; he has shifted from being the boy who hides to the body that acts. Show students how to connect these two moments in the same paragraph using the word "whereas" to highlight the change.

   Independent task

   Re-read Chapters 5–7 and write two connected PEEL paragraphs (around 200–250 words in total) examining how Philbrick portrays the Freak the Mighty partnership as life-changing for both boys. Your first paragraph should concentrate on Kevin (including at least one quote from Chapter 7). Your second paragraph should focus on Max and start with the word 'Whereas.' Ensure both paragraphs mention a language or structural technique. Submit your two paragraphs on lined paper.

   Exit ticket

   In one sentence, explain why Philbrick chooses to give the partnership a single name — 'Freak the Mighty' — rather than keeping Max and Kevin as separate characters in these chapters.

3. Lesson 3: Killer Kane: Constructing Evil and Moral Contrast in Chapters 13–18

   55 min · ch. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18

   Do now

   Chapter 13 is titled 'Killer Kane.' Write three words you think describe Kenny Kane before you re-read, then jot down one question you still have about him after reading this far in the novel. Hold onto your answers — you'll revisit them at the end of the lesson.

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of the scene in Chapter 16 where Kane chains Max to the wall and recites the Lord's Prayer, insisting on his innocence. Philbrick employs dramatic irony here; the reader is aware of Kane's guilt, which makes his religious language particularly menacing. The contrast between sacred phrases like 'By all that's holy' and the act of physically imprisoning Max paints a disturbing picture of evil masked as righteousness. Craft an analytical sentence that identifies the dramatic irony, quotes the religious language, and clarifies Philbrick's intent for the reader's perception of Kane's self-deception.

   Independent task

   Re-read Chapters 13–18 and write three PEEL paragraphs (around 280–320 words in total) analyzing how Philbrick portrays Killer Kane as a symbol of evil. Your first paragraph should focus on his physical description in Chapter 13. The second paragraph should examine his use of religious language in Chapter 16. The third paragraph should discuss what Kane's treatment of Max reveals about the theme of good and evil in the novel. Include at least one quotation in each paragraph and identify a different literary technique in each. Submit your three paragraphs.

   Exit ticket

   Write one sentence explaining why Philbrick has Kane use religious language while committing a crime — what effect does this contradiction create for the reader?

4. Lesson 4: Loss, Resilience, and the Empty Book: Chapters 19–25

   55 min · ch. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25

   Do now

   Chapter 20 and Chapter 25 both bear the title 'The Empty Book.' Initially, when Max receives it in Chapter 20, the empty book symbolizes lost potential and unfulfilled dreams, reflecting his feelings of emptiness. By the time we reach the epilogue in Chapter 25, its meaning may shift to represent hope and new beginnings, suggesting that Max has the power to fill the pages with his own stories and experiences.

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of the passage in Chapter 24, 'The Greatest Gift,' where Dr. Spivak tells Max that Kevin always believed Max was the one with the gift — the gift of storytelling. Illustrate how Philbrick uses this moment to reshape the entire novel: Max's writing becomes an act of resilience and a tribute to Kevin. Guide students on how to discuss structure — specifically, that the novel we've just read is the book Max fills — as a technique rather than merely a plot point, by identifying it as a structural frame narrative and explaining what it reveals about grief and recovery.

   Independent task

   Revisit Chapters 19–25 and craft two PEEL paragraphs (totaling around 200–240 words) that examine how Philbrick addresses themes of loss and resilience. In your first paragraph, analyze Max's response to Kevin's death in either Chapter 19 or 20, incorporating at least one quotation. Your second paragraph should focus on the significance of the filled book in Chapter 25 as a structural element, detailing what it implies about the role of writing and memory in helping Max navigate his grief. Please submit your two paragraphs on the provided sheet.

   Exit ticket

   Write one full sentence explaining what Philbrick suggests about the relationship between storytelling and grief by making the novel itself the book Max fills.

5. Lesson 5: Sustained Essay: Tracking a Theme Across the Whole Novel

   60 min · ch. 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 19, 24, 25

   Do now

   Select one of these themes: friendship, identity, or courage. Write a single sentence that captures Philbrick's message about that theme by the end of the novel. This will serve as your working thesis, which you will improve throughout the lesson.

   Teacher input

   Model how to create an essay introduction using the thesis students wrote during the do-now. Using the theme of friendship as an example, illustrate how to transition from a broad statement ('Philbrick presents friendship as transformative') to a precise, arguable claim ('Philbrick portrays the partnership between Freak and Mighty as the driving force that helps Max break free from the identity defined by his father's crimes, while allowing Kevin to transcend the limitations of his body'). Guide students on how to indicate the essay's structure in the last sentence of the introduction by mentioning the three chapters or key moments they will explore.

   Independent task

   Write an analytical essay of about 400–500 words addressing the following question: How does Philbrick explore the theme of identity in Freak the Mighty? Your essay should include: an introduction that presents a clear and arguable thesis; three body paragraphs, each focusing on a distinct moment in the novel — you must cover Chapter 1 or 2 (Max's self-image), Chapter 5, 6, or 7 (the Freak the Mighty partnership), and Chapter 19, 24, or 25 (after Kevin's death); at least one embedded quotation per body paragraph, with the technique identified; and a conclusion that revisits your thesis while expanding on it. You may refer to your annotated chapters and the paragraphs you wrote in earlier lessons for support. Please submit your essay at the end of the period.

   Exit ticket

   Re-read your thesis sentence and write one sentence explaining whether your essay proved it — and if your thinking changed during the writing, say exactly how.

Activities

Assessment

• Lesson 1 exit ticket — checks whether students can connect a specific phrase ('down under') to Max's psychological self-image rather than just its literal meaning.
• Lesson 2 paragraph check — teacher scans the 'Whereas' paragraph for evidence that students can track change across two characters using a linking connective and embedded quotation.
• Lesson 3 technique identification — teacher circulates during independent writing to check that students are naming dramatic irony correctly and not conflating it with foreshadowing.
• Lesson 4 exit ticket — checks whether students understand the structural frame narrative device and can articulate its thematic significance in one coherent sentence.
• Lesson 5 introduction check — teacher reads thesis sentences after the do-now and gives one verbal prompt to any student whose claim is too general before independent writing begins.

Standards covered

Common Core 11 12

• RL.11-12.1 — Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
• RL.11-12.3 — Analyse the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama.
• RL.11-12.4 — Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyse the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone.
• RL.11-12.5 — Analyse how an author's choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text contribute to its overall structure and meaning.
• W.11-12.1 — Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

AP Literature

• Literary Argumentation (LAN-1) — Develop a thesis that makes a defensible claim about the literary text and supports it with evidence.
• Figurative Language (FIG-1) — Identify and analyse the role of imagery, metaphor, and other figurative language in shaping meaning.
• Character (CHR-1) — Analyse how an author's choices about how to develop characters contribute to an interpretation of the text as a whole.
• Narration (NAR-1) — Explain the function of point of view, including first-person unreliable narration, and its effect on the reader's understanding.
• Structure (STR-1) — Analyse how the sequence and framing of a narrative contribute to its overall meaning.

AQA

• AO1 — Read, understand and respond to texts; maintain a critical style and develop an informed personal response; use textual references, including quotations, to support and illustrate interpretations.
• AO2 — Analyse the language, form and structure used by a writer to create meanings and effects, using relevant subject terminology where appropriate.
• AO3 — Show understanding of the relationships between texts and the contexts in which they were written and received.

Edexcel

• AO1 — Read, understand and respond to texts; write a personal and critical response using references and quotations to support interpretations.
• AO2 — Analyse the language, form and structure used by a writer to create meanings and effects, using relevant subject terminology.
• AO4 — Explore literary texts informed by different interpretations.

Eduqas

• AO1 — Read, understand and respond to texts, maintaining a critical style and developing an informed personal response with textual references.
• AO2 — Analyse the language, form and structure used by a writer to create meanings and effects, using relevant subject terminology.
• AO5 — Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which literary texts are written and received.