Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment Curriculum Guide

%6%. When Angel is taken, the Flock is devastated because they

know she has been taken back to the School for more tests

and experimentation. What options do they have for

rescuing her? Why are they willing to put themselves in

harm’s way to save her?

%6%. Each of the six children in the Flock possesses a supernatural

skill. How do these skills work together to make the Flock

stronger? How does each child’s strength contribute to the

Flock? What similar characteristics do all six children

possess?

%6%. Max and Fang are the same age, so why is Max the leader

instead of Fang? What characteristics does she possess,

which Fang lacks, that enable her to safely lead the Flock?

What are the drawbacks to her leadership? Would Fang be a

better leader? Why or why not?

%6%. Why is Jeb’s betrayal more hurtful than even some of the

experiments and tests the children have endured?

%6%. The Flock’s search for their parents gives them hope for a new

way of life. What do they expect to happen when they find

them? Are their expectations realistic? Why or why not?

%6%. Iggy is blinded when scientists operate on him to try to improve

his night vision. What does this show about the character of

the scientists at the School? How does Iggy adapt to his

blindness? How does his blindness affect the Flock?

%6%. Max hears a voice in her head, but she doesn’t know whose it is

or if she can trust what it says. How does she determine

whether or not she can trust it? To whom could the voice

belong? Why?

Maximum Ride: School’s Out—Forever Curriculum Guide

%6%. When Max sees herself in the mirror as an Eraser, she panics.

What is her biggest fear? What measures does she take to

ensure the Flock’s safety against her should she become an

Eraser?

%6%. While Anne takes good care of the Flock and gives them a

relatively normal life, Max is never convinced Anne is who

she says she is. Why is Max so suspicious of Anne? What

facts does she discover to support her suspicions? How does

Max’s jealousy play a role in her attitude toward Anne?

%6%. Attending school for the first time affects each child differently.

How does each of the children respond to school? Why is

the transition to “normal” easier for Angel, Gazzy, and

Nudge?

%6%. Max is surprised to discover that she is jealous of the Red-

Haired Wonder, and Fang is none too happy about Max’s

date. How is Max and Fang’s relationship changing? How

does this shift in their relationship affect the Flock?

%6%. Why are Ari’s feelings for Max so confused? Does he feel more

love for her or hate? How does he convey his feelings for

Max?

%6%. What is Max’s concern for Angel’s ability to read and control

minds? Is her concern justified? Why or why not?

Maximum Ride: Saving the World and Other Extreme

Sports Curriculum Guide

%6%. For the first time since the Flock escaped from the School, Max

and Fang disagree about the direction the Flock should

take. Justifiably concerned, Max feels bound to save the

world for the common good, while Fang’s priority lies with

the safety of the Flock. Reread their conversation in Chapter

13. What is the basis for their disagreement? How does this

difference of opinion affect the Flock?

%6%. How does the Flock react when they discover the Erasers are

robots? How do the robotic Erasers differ from their

predecessors? What advantages does the Flock have over

the Robot Erasers? What disadvantages?

%6%. Why does the popularity of Fang’s blog cause Max to feel

threatened and offended? What are the positive aspects of

the population-at-large knowing about the Flock and their

situation? How does the blog negatively affect the Flock?

%6%. How does Max’s decision to allow Ari to join the Flock affect

them? Does Max have the right to make a decision, which

no one else in the Flock agrees with? What overriding

emotion leads Max to her decision? What emotion does

Fang reveal when Max chooses Ari over him? Is he justified

in his decision to leave the Flock? Based on what the reader

knows about these three characters and their pasts, are

both emotions justified?

%6%. When Fang and Max split up, each member of the Flock is

forced to make a hard choice. Why do Nudge and Angel

stay with Max? Why do Iggy and Gazzy go with Fang? How

do their choices affect the safety of the Flock?

%6%. Once Fang is away from Max, he realizes all the extra duties

Max has had to perform and the pressure she has endured

as leader of the Flock. What effect does this realization have

on Fang? How does it alter his perception of leadership?

Maximum Ride: The Final Warning Curriculum Guide

%6%. When the Flock meets with the government officials to

determine their future, Max is uncomfortable with the way

the officials answer her questions and their condescending

treatment of the members of the Flock. How does Max

respond to their offer? What role do Jeb and Dr. Martinez

play in the decision she makes?

%6%. Each member of the Flock seems to be spontaneously mutating

and gaining a new ability. How are their new abilities

affecting the manner in which the Flock operates?

%6%. Why do Fang and Max trust Dr Martinez, but not Jeb? Why does

Max continue to trust the voice in her head?

%6%. Fang and Max risk their lives to save Sue Ann. Based on what

you know about the characters of Fang and Max, would they

have saved Sue Ann if they had known that she turned

them over to the Uber-Director?

%6%. How does Max attempt to keep the Flock from becoming bitter

and cynical? Are her attempts successful with all members

of the Flock? Why or why not?

%6%. Why does the Flock come to share the scientists’ beliefs about

global warming? How does the Flock show its support?

%6%. Max and her Flock are given a chance to attend a special school

for mutant children where they will be safe, warm, and well-

fed, but when Max hears the voice in her head giving

coordinates for another mission, she tells the Flock to get

ready to go. Why is the Flock so willing to go with Max and

relinquish the safety they all so desire?

Max Ride Cross Curriculum Activities

Science—Unfortunately for Max and her Flock, the scientists

experimenting with genomics use their knowledge to harm rather

than aid society. But genomic research can be used for useful

purposes: developing new energy sources, insect-and drought-

resistant crops, and hardier livestock. Assign students a partner

and ask them to select one of the above fields to research. Each

pair should make a brochure explaining the field of genomic

research, detailing both its positive and negative impact. The

brochures should be presented to the class and displayed in the

classroom.

Science—The science of robotics has dramatically advanced in

the last 20 years due to new computer technology available to

scientists and engineers. Ask students to investigate the use of

robotics in society today and to select an actual product or tool

that utilizes robotics. Each student should make a visual aid

showing the product they have selected, how it works, when it

was invented, and its purpose. Display the projects in the school

library.

English/Language Arts—Fang enjoys writing his blog and

keeping in touch with kids from around the world who follow the

adventures of the Flock. In groups of three, ask students to make

a list of the adventures of the Flock since their inception at the

school in The Angel Experiment. Then, assuming Fang’s voice,

ask each group to write a first-hand account of the adventures to

post to Fang’s blog.

History—Throughout history, humans have yearned to fly, and in

many ancient myths and folklore, people do have wings and can

fly. Ask students to research fictional accounts, locate stories of

people with wings and find stories of people who can fly. Have

each student write a summary of a story they find and read it to

the class.

Art—In small groups, have students envision the Flock as a

community of superheroes. Students will need to imagine where

this community would live, how they would be called to action

and by whom, what their costumes would look like, how their

individual powers could be further enhanced, etc. Have each

group collaborate to write and illustrate a comic book or graphic

novel introducing their superheroes. Students can present their

Superhero Communities to the class, and judges from outside the

class could select the most viable and creative community.

Social Studies—The newspapers report trends in Global

warming; books and news magazines carry in-depth analysis of

the phenomenon; and even the mass media, such as the Oscar

winning film, An Inconvenient Truth, focus the public’s attention

on the far-reaching ramifications of global warming. Ask students

to find a partner and together find one of the above types of

presentations on global warming to view or read. Then, ask

students to make a multi-media presentation to the class

conveying the pertinent facts and using a variety of media/tools

to aptly communicate the information the team has gathered.

Have students collectively establish a permanent display in the

school to bring awareness to global warming.

Geography—In Chapter 25, the Flock boards a private jet for an

unknown destination. They do know they have joined a group of

scientists as part of a rescue mission, but they do not know who

or what they will rescue. Have students work in small groups to

draw a map tracing the Flock’s steps in Parts II and III, including

their mode of transportation. At each place the Flock makes a

major move, have the students write a brief paragraph about the

country or the place to which they have traveled. Ask students to

use a variety of artistic mediums as they create their maps and

to display their maps in the classroom.

Media Studies—Many television shows are focused on locating

criminals. These television dramas often include descriptions or

the victims and assailants, circumstances of the crime,

reenactments, and reward information, to name a few elements.

Assign students to small groups to write their own version of

Maximum Ride—The FBI Files. Students should select an incident

from the series and script and present the television show based

on details from the books and their own creative interpretations.

Max Ride Thematic ConnectionsTeamwork—The Flock must cooperate and share the same goals in order to survive. What events force the Flock to work together as a team? What is their number one goal? In spite of their differences, how do Max and Fang continue to prove they are working as a team? On the other hand, how would teamwork help the scientists?Loyalty/Betrayal—The Flock is betrayed throughout the series by almost everyone in whom they place their trust—Jeb, Ari, Anne, Sue Ann—just to name a few. How does the Flock continue to persevere in the face of constant danger, knowing they can depend on no one but themselves? How does loyalty help/hinder

the Flock and their goal to stay free? How does Fang’s departure prove the loyalty of the Flock?Responsibility—Max’s sense of responsibility to take care of the Flock and to keep them safe overwhelms her at times. How does the Flock share in this responsibility? How does Max extend this sense of responsibility to those outside the Flock? What special responsibilities do Jeb and Anne have?Hope—Hope is the driving force behind the Flock’s attempts to stay free and alive. What are they hoping for? How does hope affect Max’s desire to save the world?Family—The members of the Flock view themselves as a family—even though they are not related by blood. Why are their bonds so strong? What makes them a family? Why are Max’s feelings for Jeb so conflicted? Is her anger toward him justified? How is Max affected when she learns that Ari is her brother?