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Application of Content
EDPG #5: Application of Content
I chose a unit plan for EDPG #5 because it represents my ability to plan lessons linked to
academic standards which develop critical thinking skills, make connections across the
curriculum, and use a variety of instructional strategies. I used this unit plan during my student
teaching assignment at Lafayette Christian School. We added a 60’s enrichment day; students
did work outside class to research politics, entertainment, and fads of the era. They brought in
posters, photographs, newspapers, music, and even snack foods popular during the 1960’s.
Although the book was written over 50 years ago, the themes are relevant to what teens face
today – violence, peer pressure, and identity. They were especially interested in the author’s
perspective when they learned that S. E. Hinton began writing the novel at age fifteen, and that
The Outsiders was published the year she graduated from high school.
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Application of Content
The Outsiders
Unit Plan
Grade 8
Unit Theme: Exploring Identity: Self and Group
Description of the Unit: This one week unit will consist of activities revolving around the theme
of identity in The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton and will follow completion of reading the novel. Unit
will include:
Student Objectives: Activities presented will allow students to:

Understand the motivation of characters in the story

Define and explore the theme of identity

Use language to express ideas, problem solving and conflict resolutions
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
Communicate ideas and questions related to the theme of identity in journal writing,
poetry, and group dramatizations

Interpret Robert Frost’s “Nothing Gold Can Stay”

Relate concepts of cliques and gangs in the story to personal experience or observations

Compare and contrast the book version and movie version of The Outsiders.
Standards:
EL.8.3.3 2006
Compare and contrast the motivations and reactions of literary characters from different
historical eras confronting either similar situations and conflicts or similar hypothetical
situations.
EL.8.3.4 2006
Identify and analyze recurring themes that appear frequently across traditional and
contemporary works.
EL.8.3.6 2006
Analyze a work of literature, showing how it reflects the heritage, traditions, attitudes, and
beliefs of its author.
EL.8.3.8 2006
Write responses to literature that:

Demonstrate careful reading and insight into interpretations.

Connect response to the writer’s techniques and to specific textual references.

Make supported inferences about the effects of a literary work on its audience.

Support statements with evidence from the text.
EL.8.5.3 2006
Write persuasive compositions that:

Include a well-defined thesis that makes a clear and knowledgeable appeal.

Present detailed evidence, examples, and reasoning to support effective arguments and
emotional appeals.

Provide details, reasons, and examples, arranging them effectively by anticipating and
answering reader concerns and counterarguments.
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EL.8.5.5 2006
Deliver oral responses to literature that:

Interpret a reading and provide insight, connect personal responses to the writer’s
techniques and to specific textual references.

Make supported inferences about the effects of a literary work on its audience.

Support judgments through references to the text, other works, other authors, or
personal knowledge.
EL.8.7.12 2006
Evaluate the credibility of a speaker, including whether the speaker has hidden agendas or
presents slanted or biased material.
EL.8.7.9 2006
Interpret and evaluate the various ways in which visual image makers (such as graphic artists,
illustrators, and news photographers) communicate information and affect impressions and
opinions.
Accommodations: For the reading portions of the unit, students who are English-language
learners will have access to a read-along CD to enhance reading fluency. Students will be
grouped by mixed ability. Assignments will be modified for students with special needs.
Accelerated learners may do creative writing or multimedia projects.
Activities:

Journal – Daily journal entries will be responses to daily prompts (questions or
reflections of themes). Journal entries will not be evaluated on grammar or punctuation,
but on thoughtful participation

Students will each decorate a “Me Museum” box with quotes, photographs or drawings
to reflect student’s identity and gather items during the week to display on at the end of
the week

Students will work in group participation activities.

Role-play “problem-solving” scenarios connecting themes from the book to real-life
experience
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Application of Content

Read and discuss Robert Frost’s “Nothing Gold Can Stay.” Symbols within the poem will
be analyzed as they pertain to the themes in The Outsiders

Watch the movie version of The Outsiders, using a graphic organizer in preparation for
writing a persuasive essay
Unit Assessment:
Participation (includes journal)
20%
“Me Museum” Identity Project
15%
Role-play/ Group Activities
25%
Poetry Analysis
15%
Essay
25%
Materials Needed:
Poster-board, markers, glue sticks
Magazines
Nerf or other soft ball
Day One
Journal prompt: What are three traits that define Ponyboy’s identity? What are three traits
that you think define you? What three traits would you say others think define you? (10 min)
Discussion:

Identity – the distinguishing character or personality of an individual

Individuality – total character peculiar to and distinguishing an individual from others

Gang – a group of persons having informal and usually close social relations

Clique – an exclusive circle or group of persons (Merriam-Webster)

Individuality vs. the group (15 min)
Me Museum:
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Application of Content
“What distinguishes you from your classmates? From your other family members? What makes
you unique? When a famous person dies, the things they owned are often preserved for
posterity (write posterity on white board – discuss meaning “for future generations”). In 1985,
Michael Jackson paid $47 million for the Beatles music catalog. One of Michael Jackson’s gloves
sold for $160,000 after his death. Items belonging to famous people are often displayed in
museums. Let’s assume for a moment that all of you are famous – not some day, but right now.
What sort of tangible things could represent your identity? Your first assignment in this unit is
to decorate a small box – a shoe box or box of similar size, whatever you have. Be creative! The
box should include your name; other than that, you are only limited by your imagination. You
may use photographs, drawings, yarn, buttons, or paint – whatever you like. Add things to the
box during the week that you think represent your individuality. On Thursday, you will display
them as a museum exhibit. (5 min)
Role-play:
The class will be divided into two groups. Each group will choose one of three scenarios (a
conflict from The Outsiders). In a group setting, students will discuss the conflict and how it
might be resolved. For example:

Could the character have reacted differently?

Could the character have asked someone for help?
Each group will brain storm, choose characters, and act out the conflict in a modern-day
scenario with a peaceful resolution. For example, if the conflict involves a character from the
story being afraid to face a rival gang, the group might act out a modern-day scenario where a
student is afraid to face a bully.
Conflict #1: Cherry is with Bob although she is drawn to the Greasers and says she could fall in
love with Dally. What might be her motivation for staying with Bob?
Conflict #2: The Greasers are identified by their long, greasy hair. When Johnny reveals his plan
to cut both their hair, Ponyboy suffers an identity crisis.
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Application of Content
Conflict #3: After hearing that Johnny will not die but that he will be crippled, Ponyboy tells
himself, “I’m dreaming. I’ll wake up at home or in the church and everything will be like it used
to be.”
Brainstorm / rehearse (20 min)
Act out scenario (10 min)
Day Two
Journal prompt: Does gender play a role in identity? (10 min)
Discussion:
S. E. Hinton published The Outsiders when she was seventeen. She chose to use her initials, S.E.,
instead of her name, Susan Eloise. She feared that boys would not read a book about gangs
written by a girl. Was she right? Are you surprised to find that the author is female? Why or
why not? (10 min)
Activity:
In groups of 4-5, find advertisements from magazines representing both men and women.
Examine the differences in how men and women are portrayed in advertisements. Note the
roles of women and men in magazine articles. Are they portrayed equally? Differently? Work as
a group to make a poster representing male and female roles. (20 min)
Discussion:
(Write the word “male” at the top of one column on the board. Write the word “female” at the
top of another column. Ask students for adjectives that “many” people might use to describe a
“male;” write the words on the board. Next, ask for adjectives that “many” people might use to
describe a “female.” Write adjectives on the board (strong, powerful, emotional, silly, etc).
Encourage an honest discussion about gender.

Are we conditioned to “behave” as male or female?

Can a woman be strong? Can a man be empathetic?
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
Can we choose not to behave by societal norms without losing our femininity or
masculinity?
Encourage students to think! (10 min)
Day Three
Journal Prompt: What does Johnny mean when he says, “Stay Gold, Ponyboy”? (10 min)
(Have poem on board or poster)
Nothing Gold Can Stay
Robert Frost
Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.
Discussion:

What was happening in the story when Ponyboy recited “Nothing Gold Can Stay”?

What did Johnny mean when he said, “he meant you’re gold when you’re a kid, like
green”?

What is the significance of “sunsets” in the novel?

Carpe’ diem – meaning / significance to novel (10 min)
Writing Prompt: Essay
“The Soc’s identity is represented by their wealth (a car and Bob’s rings); the Greaser’s identity
is represented by their hair. When Ponyboy and Johnny are hiding in the church, Johnny
bleaches Ponyboy’s hair and washes the grease out of his own; he insists that they both cut
their long hair. Later, after watching a sunset, Ponyboy recites Robert Frost’s poem, “Nothing
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Application of Content
Gold Can Stay.” In a 2-3 page essay, discuss the significance of these elements to the story. (30
min)
*There are many “carpe’ diem” themed songs which would work in a unit with this poem. I
have included a link to a few of them. One option for an essay would be comparing Robert
Frost’s poem “Nothing Gold Can Stay” to the carpe’ diem theme of The Outsiders and/or a song
with the same theme.
“If Today was Your Last Day” ~ Nickelback - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrXIQQ8PeRs&ob=av2n
“Live Like You Were Dying” ~ Tim McGraw - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiOcW_YR1G8
“ Seize the Day” ~ Avenged Sevenfold - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUkoL9RE72o&ob=av2e
“ My Wish” ~ Rascal Flatts - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxjVCBSa-Vs
“I Hope You Dance” ~ Leanne Womack http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RV-Z1YwaOiw&ob=av2e
Day Four
Journal Prompt: What did Ponyboy mean when he said to Cherry, “It’s okay…We aren’t in the
same class. Just don’t forget that some of us watch the sunset, too.”? (10 min)
Discussion:

Stereotype – “an oversimplified or biased characterization of an individual or a group

What are some of the stereotypes represented in The Outsiders?

Are there stereotypes at our school?

What kinds of problems are caused by stereotypes?

How can we negate some stereotypes? (10 min)
Activity:
Place students in two separate groups representing ‘Greasers’ and ‘Socs’ (have them draw from
a jar of two colors of craft sticks or similar item; choose one color for Greasers and the other for
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Application of Content
Socs). Separate Greasers from Socs. Discuss the stereotypical differences of the different
groups. Use the lists below and encourage students to add to the list:
Greasers
Socs
“bad”
emotional
“juvenile delinquents”
poor
loyal
popular
fake
rich
mean
bored
Place chairs or desks in two straight lines in a broken circle; have Greasers sit on one side and
Socs on the other. Choose a student from either side to begin:
Student holding a small ball will toss the ball to a student on the opposite side and “accuse”
that person. For example, “You’re a Greaser; Greasers are juvenile delinquents.” The accused
student will respond with how that accusation makes them feel and why the stereotype is
unfair. After responding, the student throws the ball to a person on the opposite side and
“accuses” that person with another stereotype. Each response should describe how the
stereotype or accusation makes him or her feel and why it is unfair. The exercise continues until
all students have had a turn or as long as time permits. (20 min)
Group Activity
Survey: “Are You My Kind of People?”
Instructions: Think about the people in your circle of friends: Did you choose them? Did they
choose you? What is your criteria for letting someone into your inner circle? Answer honestly;
there are no right or wrong answers. Compare your answers with those in your group.
Are You My Kind of People?
How important are the following characteristics or qualities in choosing a friend?
Circle a number that best represents your opinion:
1 (Not Important)
2(Kind of Important) 3(Important) 4(Really Important)
Popularity
1
2
3
4
Sense of humor
1
2
3
4
How much money they have
1
2
3
4
Physical appearance
1
2
3
4
Race or ethnicity
1
2
3
4
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Grades / Attitude about learning
1
2
3
4
Style / Dress
1
2
3
4
Athletic ability
1
2
3
4
Hobbies / interests
1
2
3
4
Religion
1
2
3
4
How they treat others
1
2
3
4
Where they live
1
2
3
4
Parent / family status
1
2
3
4
(10 min)
Day Five / Six
Journal Prompt: What does it mean to be an “outsider”? (10 min)
Students present “Me Museum” boxes. (This could be an oral presentation or a table(s) could
be designated for students to display boxes. Time allotted would differ depending on how
boxes and contents are presented)
Students will begin watching the movie version of The Outsiders.
Instruction:
Remove all items from your desk except for a notebook, graphic organizer and pen or pencil.
You will compare and contrast the novel and movie versions in a persuasive essay (next week).
Your essay should focus on similarities, differences, and why you prefer one version over
another. Take a moment to look over the graphic essay; during the movie, make notes of
anything you might want to include in your essay. Enjoy the movie! (Remainder of class time)
Graphic Organizer: Persuasive Essay Plan
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Outline
Possible Structure
“Hook”
Introduction
Introduction
State position clearly
Transition to essay body
Reason #1
Supporting evidence
Supporting evidence
Reason #2
Supporting evidence
Supporting evidence
State the opposing position
Body
Supporting evidence
Explain why these may be true
but…
Reason #3
Supporting evidence
Supporting evidence
Conclusion
Transition to conclusion
Restate your position
Summary of reasons
Clincher (conclude with your
opinion)
Notes, Comments, Ideas
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Application of Content
© Creativewriting-prompts.com Graphic Organizer Persuasive Essay Plan
Sources Cited
Hinton, S.E. The Outsiders. Toronto, ON: Penguin, 1967
Websites:
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/individuality
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/outsiders/
http://somenovelideas.typepad.com/some-novel-ideas/2009/12/teaching-the-outsiders.html
http://www.creativewriting-prompts.com/support-files/persuasiveessaywritingplan.pdf