Middle School Unit—The Outsiders
S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders
Middle School Unit
Cayla Berry, Nate Polacek, and Hannah Thompson
30 April 2012
Unit Rationale:
S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders is a remarkable novel detailing universal adolescent
experiences. Youth can relate to the indelible themes of the text, the unique and relatable
characters, and the harrowing and often trying adventures of the Greasers in ways that create an
authentic learning experience. We envision this unit to be used in a 7th grade class in the second
semester of their school year, lending to the previously-established classroom trust necessary to
conduct a unit centering on complex subjects. This unit on Hinton’s The Outsiders is based on
themes revolving around identity, including stereotyping/reputations/clique formation, social
justice and empathy, and family relationships and dynamics.
At this moment in their adolescence, middle school learners will be in a critical time
period of their lives—a time when questioning their identity, their relationships, and their place
in life is a natural occurrence. Hinton’s gripping plot line will allow students to relate the story
to their own lives in several significant ways: The themes are in alignment with the essentials
questions and promote themselves towards purposeful teaching for true understanding; the text is
integral for psychological and human developmental significance; and finally, students can
benefit from the critical literacy development along the self-text-world investigation.
The development of the essential questioned proves to be the most crucial aspect of
teaching a unit on The Outsiders. Encompassing larger, world themes such as identity, social
justice/empathy, and family relationships, the essential questions provide a framework for
purposeful teaching that fosters true understanding within the students. In addition, the essential
questions for this unit are conceptually-based questions which focus on deep knowledge and
understanding, not simply on the fact-based, declarative knowledge of the book. Focusing on the
process of the students’ knowledge acquisition, rather than on the end result, will contribute to
long-lasting implications for true understanding.
Hinton’s The Outsiders can certainly support students academically as they develop skills
in grammar, reading comprehension, and writing, as well as fulfilling numerous state standards
in the areas of reading, writing, speaking, and listening. However, the true strengths of this unit
center on the awareness and development of important concepts, such as social justice, empathy,
identity, mortality, morality, and life purpose. Lipman, author of Thinking in Education, calls
this awareness a “sensitivity to what is problematic” (21). Texts such as The Outsiders bring a
focus to problems as grandiose as large-scale, universal issues yet as focused as personal
challenges. The acknowledgement of these issues—or a sensitivity to what is problematic,
according to Lipman—bridges an important developmental processes in adolescents. The
essential questions aimed at identity and social justice/empathy caters to this process as well,
allowing students to use The Outsiders to gain a deeper understanding of their own psychological
processes in connection to the lives and significance of others.
Among the many important themes present in Hinton’s novel, we feel that three prevalent
themes are most beneficial for the middle school experience of 7th graders. The Outsiders
continually asks students to consider the self-text-world connection, a condition that is reflected
in the essential questions developed for this unit: Identity, social justice and empathy, and family
relationships and dynamics. Through the investigation of these themes, students will begin an
investigation into the self-text-world trichotomy: Reflecting specifically on The Outsiders,
students will be invited to examine the novel through multiple activities that enhance their
understanding through multiple discussions on central themes, journal prompts focusing on the
elements of the story, and other activities that examine the voices and motivations of the
characters in the novel; extending beyond the text, students will then make connections that
extend into the world, creating a sense of personal awareness and relating the text to their lives
through bridging activities such as weekly “Tuff Time” journal prompts, a contemporary song
analysis and a role-playing opportunity; finally, students will bridge the text and the world by
connecting themselves to the lives of the characters by completing a “You vs. Who?” final
assessment, a comparison/contrast essay in which students will be asked to reflect their own
personalities and characteristics in contrast to and connection with those of a character from The
Outsiders. Together, these elements bring a rich sense of multidimensionality to the text and
continually invite students to consider their place both in the world of the novel and in their own
contemporary world.
Once learners begin to recognize the connections to the text on a personal level, they
open vast doors to learning. According to Cushman and Rogers, authors of Fires in the Middle
School Bathroom, students are constantly looking for the link to this type of information, even if
they may not realize it: “In every interaction kids have with [teachers] and the school, they are
looking for information about themselves” (104). The Outsiders provides students with this
unique opportunity for students to find themselves within the struggling characters in the
novel. The characters give students a voice through which they can speak, reaffirming the trials
of being a teenager yet calling for hope and for change. Through the forum of the text, students
learn more about themselves, the world around them, and the impact they can have on their
surroundings.
Hinton’s novel easily guides the development of this self-text-world continuum on many
levels. With powerful, well-developed characters, from iconic Ponyboy and the myriad of
Greaser boys to introspective Socs like Randy and Cherry, students have ample opportunity to
see the world through the characters’ eyes and find a personal connection. Empathizing with the
characters allows students to gain an introspective look into their own lives and into the lives of
others. Additionally, The Outsiders shows the transcendence of numerous teenage issues.
Though written in the 1960s, issues such as identity development, the evolution of both
friendships and enemies, and the conflicting yet interconnected need for autonomy,
companionship, and love allow students to find solidarity and guidance through Hinton’s
text. Finally, the indelible crises in the novel, including the presence of unique and broken
families, the need for heroism and gallantry, and the tragedy of the deaths of friends, illustrate
for students how to handle the inevitable arduous situations they or someone they know will one
day face. Developing these skills with the guidance of The Outsiders will help students see their
lives in relation to both the text and the world, an integral quality in developing in students the
principles of empathy and social justice.
In order to grow from the self-text-world investigation, however, students must develop
critical literacy skills to help them understand the connections among this trichotomy. In his
work on challenging critical thinking skills within the classroom, Ira Shor asserts that “critical
literacy is language use that questions the social construction of the self.” Students at the Middle
School level are just beginning the search for the self and are learning to define their individual
beliefs; texts such as The Outsiders provide a strong model for students to emulate, imparting the
very qualities that Shor professes. When strong novels can provide students with a model for
powerful language, students then have the means with which to question the world around them,
including—and most importantly—the construction of the self that they have built.
Critical thinking allows students to make personal connections to the text, forming lasting
implications that bring the world of literature into students’ lives. According to Lipman,
"students would think better if they could be provided with conditions that would encourage the
application of their thinking to the world in which they lived" (208). Many times, motivation
and attachment to the material suffer because students feel unable to connect the subject of
English to their own lives; an adventure with The Outsiders, however, supplies students with
relatable characters such as Ponyboy or Darry and the universal themes of independence social
justice, experiences that have the ability to not only excite readers, but also draw adolescents into
a world of companionship and understanding.
Ultimately, Hinton’s The Outsiders presents a unique and valuable text capable of
reaching 7th grade students in powerful ways. The unit will not only allow students to gain an
appreciation for classic literature, but it will also allow for self-exploration and growth,
appealing to psychologically and developmentally significant stages of adolescence. The various
themes presented throughout the novel, including identity development, social justice and
empathy, and family relationships and dynamics, present experiences and situations in an
environment that allows them to question. The text is also paramount in initiating critical
literacy skills, most particularly through the invitation to inquisition. To combine all of these
strengths, the final project, a “You vs. Who?” essay, will demonstrate how students are able to
reflect on the novel as a whole in relation to their identity and characteristics—a crucial task as
students adjust to this strange and significant time in their adolescent lives.
Pedagogical Orientation/Framework:
Working with The Outsiders, there are any number of applicable themes that could be
successfully and efficiently taught to 7th grade students in the second semester of their school
year: relationships, values systems, journey to maturity, conflicts between social classes, and the
list goes on. There is no clear-cut mold to which the teaching of the novel must follow,
therefore, the teacher is able to freely adapt the themes of The Outsiders to fit the needs of the
class at hand. Through the development of our essential questions, we chose the primary themes
of reputations/cliques/stereotypes, social justice, and the role of the family. We chose these
particular themes on the basis of understandability and application to the lives of our
students. Our group decided that these themes would challenge and foster growth within our
students in both their academic and personal lives.
First, we understand the necessity of teaching middle school students how reputations can
lead to cliques which can lead to stereotypes. Middle school is a critical period in the
development of identity and self-perception. However, many students are pigeon-holed by their
classmates into a particular niche and because of that reputation, students become linked to
cliques leading students to generalize and stereotype. Fires in the Middle School Bathroom by
Kathleen Cushman and Laura Rogers echoes similar sentiments from middle school
students. “They want the status they will enjoy as older students, and at the same time they
worry about fitting into a new social and academic scene where new rules of the game apply”
(31). Fires also references that students are at a period in their lives where they are searching for
a sense of identity. “They also notice that middle school holds out a chance to redefine
themselves--for better or worse--in the eyes of both teachers and peers” (30). The roles of
identity, reputation, and status are clearly outlined in The Outsiders and force students to think
critically about the world in which they live; why are certain groups perceived in different
ways? How do these stereotypes affect how we view and treat people? How do we overcome
this?
After reputations/cliques/stereotypes, we progressed into the idea of social justice, of
what keeps us from seeing other people’s problems and in what ways we are viewed as
unequal. This theme springboards off of the judging of people and specifically allows the
individual to perceive their own use of social justice as a type of metacognition and selfregulation. Many of the conflicts that arise in The Outsiders stem from groups not being able to
understand each other. The same can be said for middle schools. With this theme, we seek the
teaching of ethical thinking, of empathizing with those around us.
Finally, our group saw the importance of talking about “family.” Though we see this
theme as clearly important to both The Outsiders and the students’ lives, we want to make sure
we are careful to keep the classroom a safe place. Many of our students may have different
familial compositions —both from traditional and nontraditional families. In discussing the
theme of family, we want students to continue the use of empathy and to realize that people are
from more than one family. This promotes a sense of togetherness and open-mindedness that
will allow our class to be both ethical and critical in our discussions.
One of our primary foci when teaching The Outsiders is an orientation based around
application to students. Often, teachers teach middle school students novels and focus on core
literary concepts--theme, symbolism, character development, plot--in a vacuum, that is, that
students learn how to critically analyze texts but fail to see a correlation between this new skill
and their own lives. Matthew Lipman addresses this in Thinking and Education. Lipman writes,
“Students would think better if material could be applied. The attraction that would spur them
on would be their discovery of the meanings they were attempting to master” (208). However,
teachers and students often become caught up in the teaching of “the subject” rather than
Lipman’s concept of promoting applied meaningful learning. The subject, then, becomes more
important than the students’ personal use and interpersonality of the text. Smagorinsky writes
about this idea in his chapter about unit design;
When asked, “What do you teach?” some teachers answer, “Students.” Rather than
viewing themselves as subject-area specialists, they see themselves first as teacher of the
people who are in their care. Taking this approach will make you different from people
in the teaching profession. There are those who feel that they teach a subject rather than
Students. When you believe that you are teaching the subject, you release yourself from
much responsibility to make sure that your students are learning. (131)
More than anything, our orientation focused on the essential questions of our unit. Through our
unit, we will critically analyze texts and use literary devices to construct meaning and
understanding for our students, but we want to make sure that our focus stays on teaching
students. We feel that this will help students to participate and be engaged in the text and
activities because we are performing tasks that are pertinent to them as people in order to create
meaningful learning. Middle school students are surrounded by reputations, cliques, and
stereotypes. Middle school students also are at a period in their development when they begin to
empathize strongly with others rather than basing their identity on egocentrism. Finally, middle
school students often clash with their “families” and seek a sense of camaraderie with their
peers. Through these relevant points, we have focused our lessons on reaching students, letting
them enjoy the experience, and giving them something that they can take away and apply to their
lives.
By making our lessons relevant to students’ experiences, we hope to foster a sense of
intrinsic motivation where the students can feel a connection to The Outsiders and the struggles
the Greasers and Socs face. In terms of our methods, our group focuses on motivation by giving
our students opportunities to connect with the story. Our warm-up activity, called “Tuff Talk”
like that of the Greasers, allows students to write about what they would do in certain
situations. Would they perform the same actions as Pony and Johnny? Beyond that, Tuff Talk
allows students to process what is happening both in the book and in their own lives as
well. Tuff Talk serves as an analytical tool as well as an opportunity to perform metacognitive
reflection. In the end, our essential questions and objectives focus on students being able to
understand the implications of events, the limitations, the benefits, and the need to recognize and
empathize. Our methods, essential questions, objectives, and lessons aim to allow students to
better understand their own actions, the actions of others, to look at their world differently.
Materials:
Supplies
-The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton
-Pencils/journal notebooks
-Chalkboard/Whiteboard, with chalk or markers
-2 different colored highlighters
-Various The Outsiders YouTube clips
-Masking tape
-News articles on bullying/mix it up
-West Side Story DVD
-DVD player, TV
-“How to Save a Life” by The Fray, CD or MP3
-CD player or computer with speakers
Worksheets/quizzes
-Week 2 Quiz (1 per student)
- Ponyboy’s reflection worksheet (1 per student)
-“Venn Diagram/West Side Story vs. The Outsiders” worksheet (1 per student)
-Week 3 Quiz (1 per student)
-“Crisis & Help” worksheet (1 per student)
-“How to Save a Life” worksheet (1 per student)
-“Role Playing” worksheet (1 per group)
-“Chapters 10-12 Discussion” worksheet (1 per student)
Bridging texts
-Grease
-Westside Story
-Mean Girls
-”Daily Mix it up Lunch Yields Big Shares”
(http://www.tolerance.org/blog/daily-mix-it-lunch-yields-big-shares)
-Current newspaper articles on bullying
-“How to Save a Life” by The Fray
-“Nothing Gold Can” Stay by Robert Frost
Unit Goals:
Essential Questions:
1. Identity—
a. How do our interactions with others form our perception of identity?
b. Why do stereotypes exist? How do we break them down—or is it even necessary
to break them down?
c. What is the value in recognizing stereotyping, both in our lives and in the text?
d. How will our experiences with these terms build our identity?
2. Social Justice & Empathy—
a. How do our choices affect the challenges in our lives?
b. Why are other people’s challenges harder to see than our own?
c. How do we help others? How do we help ourselves?
d. What is the value in recognizing and confronting the challenges in our lives?
e. How do our own experiences help us build empathy for the other?
3. Family Relationships & Dynamics—
1. What is a family?
2. What is the value in creating the family around us?
3. How do our experiences with family affect our lives?
Objectives:
1. Identity
a. Students will understand what reputations are and that reputations affect multiple aspects
of adolescent life.
b. Students will understand the dynamics, the purpose, and the limitations of cliques;
students will be able to view cliques from the outside and the inside.
c. Students will understand the dynamics, the purpose, and the limitations of
stereotypes.
d. Students will understand how reputations, cliques, and stereotypes come together
to form judgments and perceptions of identity.
2.
Social Justice & Empathy
a. Students will understand how choices affect the situations and challenges we face.
b. Students will understand the importance of recognizing problems in other
people’s lives.
c. Students will understand the importance of considering other people’s challenges.
d. Students will understand the implications of ignoring other people’s challenges.
e. Students will understand the importance of getting help both for others and for
themselves.
3.
Family Relationships & Dynamics
a. Students will understand the different facets of and the dynamics and composition
of the family.
b. Students will understand the idea of belonging to multiple families.
c. Students will understand the importance of familial connections.
Daily Plans for S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders:
Week 0, Day 0: Context and Intro Day
(25 Minutes) 1950’s Context
Show Clip from Grease: Bonfire Scene
Scaffold plot, characters
How are these teenagers different from you or your friends? How do they act/talk/dress?
(15 Minutes) Show cigarette ads: Showing ads that express the 1950s attitudes towards smoking
will help establish the cultural context and provide an explanation for why Greasers smoke the
way they do. Furthermore, showing additional ads that provide a modern anti-smoking
perspective will help scaffold the self-text-world parallel and provide a PSA moment for middle
schoolers.
Flinstones Cigarette ad (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqdTBDkUEEQ)
Why are these kids drinking and smoking so much?
What they knew then vs. what we know now
Show current Captain Planet Anti-Smoking ad
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjCIZ__v0F4&feature=related)
o
o
How do Captain Planet’s views on smoking conflict with Fred and Barney’s?)
What do we know today about the harmful effects of smoking that we didn’t
know back then (1950s, according to Danny/Grease, Fred and Barney)?
Bigger than smoking (rest of class)
Cultural differences writing assignment. In what other ways do you think that your way
of life is different from these characters from the 1950’s?
Week 1, Day 1: Slang Dictionary
(10 Minutes) Tuff Talk: Writing Prompt: Do you speak differently around your parents than your
friends/teachers? (mention clip from Grease)
(15 Minutes) Parts of Speech Scaffolding: Go through Dictionary Definition worksheet as a class
in order to scaffold the intention for dictionary definitions. Read through the definition of
“tough” and fill in what multiple defintions, related forms, synonyms and antonyms mean and
how to apply these elements
(4-25 minutes) Introduce “Slang Dictionary.”




We can tell a lot about people by the way they talk, or can we?
What did you notice about how the characters spoke in Grease yesterday? What do you
notice about how you speak to your friends? Parents? Teachers?
Many of the words the “Outsiders” use are slang and not technically “dictionary” words,
so as we go through The Outsiders, we will create our own “Slang Dictionaries.” These
slang dictionaries will have multiple sections.
o First, we will create our own Slang Dictionary full of words or phrases that we
use. After we complete our slang dictionary, we will make an Outsiders Slang
Dictionary.
(Grammar lesson: in constructing the slang dictionary, we will need to scaffold parts of
speech and defining words in our own language. Also, the students will need to cite how
the word is used in The Outsiders, just like a real dictionary, so we will need to scaffold
how to cite properly to avoid plagiarism)
Homework: Read Chapter 1
Week 1, Day 2: Characters
(Students have read Chapter 1)
(1- 10 minutes) Tuff Time: Who was your favorite character from Chapter One. Why?
(2- 5 minutes) Short discussion:What are reputations? Going back to Grease, what are the TBirds’ reputations and how does their reputation affect how they act? (Think about Danny and
Sandy) (using context clues)
(3- 5 minutes) Characteristic Worksheet- Go over student’s ideas on the characteristics of the
Greasers
(4- 10 minutes) On the board briefly go through the characters: Pony, Darry, Sodapop, Steve,
Two-Bit, Dally, Johnny
(5- 20 minutes) Wanted Poster Activity
http://education.library.ubc.ca/files/2011/06/08Sabrina-Block-Outsiders.pdf (assesment features
and worksheets start on page 29)



Break into small groups. Assign each group a character (groups can be selected by who
wants to look at each character).
Each group will make a Wanted Poster of their character.
o The Wanted Poster must include an image of the character (very important
because of Hinton’s emphasis on description), a brief character profile (what they
are like, what they like to do, prized possessions), their reputation, and a crime
that they committed.
For the remainder of class on the reverse side of the poster, each group will write a letter
from the character describing why they committed their crime or why they are innocent,
(i.e. Dally stole a carton of cigarettes because he didn’t have the money for them and he
wanted to give some to the other Greasers.)
Homework: Read Chapter 2
Week 1, Day 3: The Socs and the Greasers
(Students have read Chapters 1-2)
(1-10 minutes) Tuff Time Journal: What are the reputations/ stereotypes of the Socs? Are Cherry
and Marcia like this?
(2-10 minutes) Short Discussion: We talked about reputations yesterday. In what ways are
reputations good things (tuff, Dally)? What ways are they bad?
(3- 20 minutes) Venn Diagram of the Greasers and the Socs, how are they similar, how are the
different?
(4- 10 minutes) Bring up the idea of “cliques.” Discuss cliques in the book as we reviewed them
in the Venn diagram. How can a clique keep different groups together? Apart?
Week 1, Day 4: Reputations, Cliques, and Stereotypes
(Students have read Chapters 1-3)
(1-5 minutes) Reading Check: Quiz
(2-5 minutes) What does Cherry say the main difference between the Greasers and the Socs is?
Mean girls—tribes?
(3-5 minutes) Review cliques from previous day.
(4-30 minutes) Show Mean Girls video—“Cafeteria Tribes”



Briefly discuss different cliques, reputations, and the forming of stereotypes.
Hand out map from the video of Mean Girls. Focus on reputation to clique to stereotype:
fill out flowchart.
How are the different groups represented? What are their reputations and
stereotypes? Are they fair? Why or why not?

(5- 10 minutes) Tuff Talk: Do you think cliques and reputations are a big deal? Why or why
not?
Week 1, Day 5: Wrong place/Wrong time?
(Students have read chapters 1-4)
(1- 10 minutes) Tuff Talk: Johnny and Pony are the quiet, sensitive ones and they still get pulled
into the mess. Was the murder their fault? Why or why not?
(2- 10 minutes) Talk about Johnny and Pony—review from the last few chapters and move into
the idea of social justice (or injustice)
(3-5 minutes) Introduce theme of social justice. What does it mean to have justice? Did Johnny
receive justice? Why?
(Remember what made Dally so mean, that whatever he does doesn’t really change
anything)
(4- Rest of Class) Spend some time talking about Pony and Johnny. So far they have been pretty
passive characters and now they are thrust into the forefront of the action.
Role Playing activity: Break into small groups and work on worksheet
What you have done differently if you were Johnny? Pony?
How does their environment pull Johnny and Pony into trouble? It is their fault?
Homework read Chapter 5 and work on Slang Dictionary
Week 2, Day 1: Nothing Gold Can Stay (In-context Grammar Lesson)
(Students have read chapters 1-5)
(1- 5 minutes) Slang Dictionary Check
(2- 5 minutes) Show clip from The Outsiders of “Nothing Gold Can Stay” recitation.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwJ-ppxCGPk) Clip is 1:17 minutes
(3- 35 minutes) As a class, analyze the poem “Nothing Gold Can Stay” by Robert Frost



Read three times, once to warm up, once to comprehend, once to notice important words
As a class, extract words you don’t know, the adjectives, verbs and nouns or “strong”
words (Save this list for later)
As a class, create list of other descriptive adjectives to use
(4-5 minutes) Wrap up for the day and remind students to save the list of words compiled in class
that day.
Week 2, Day 2: Poetry and Strong Adjectives
(Students have read chapters 1-5)
(1- 5 minutes) Tuff Talk- Re-cap yesterday’s lesson on “Nothing Gold Can Stay.”
(2-15 minutes) As a class, discuss the meaning of the poem.




Is Robert Frost just talking about nature?
Is he using it to talk about something that is applicable to our lives?
Discussion on what changes in the poem, nature and students lives.
What is change? As a class brainstorm things that change
(3- 20 minutes) Create a poem that describes change (if possible, rent portable computer lab)
(4-10 minutes) Review proper peer workshopping techniques



Being respectful
“Two stars and a wish” technique
What is constructive criticism?
Week 2, Day 3: Peer Workshopping
(Students have read chapters 1-6)
(1- 5 minutes) Tuff Talk- What does constructive criticism look like in a peer workshop?
(2- 30 minutes) Anonymously workshop 2 peers’ poems



Add “strong” words to class list
Give at least 3 word suggestions for “weak” words
“Two stars and a wish” technique
(3- 15 minutes) Work, edit, change own poem (if possible, on portable laptops)
Homework: Read Chapter 6
Week 2, Day 4: Good vs. Bad
(Students have read chapter 1-6)
(1-5 minutes) Reading Check: Quiz over chapter 6
(2- 25 minutes) Decision grid activity in center floor. Teacher tapes down four connecting
squares, big enough for a group of students to stand in. He/she labels each one as shown below:
Good
Person
Bad Person
Makes
Good
Choices
Makes Bad
Choices
Teacher then gives students a variety of scenarios in which they must decide the following about
the main character in each scenario and move to the coordinating box

Good person/Makes good choices; Good person/Makes bad choices; Bad person/Makes
good choices; Bad person/Makes bad choices
(3- 20 minutes) Class Discussion

What makes a good/bad person? What happens when a “good person makes bad
decisions”? What happens when a “bad person makes a good decision”?
Homework: Read Chapter 7
Week 2, Day 5: Walk a Mile in Another’s Shoes
(Students have read chapters 1-7)
(1- 5 minutes) Tuff Time Journal- What does it mean to “walk a mile in another’s shoe?”
(2- 15 minutes) Explore pre-prepared text and quotes showing Ponyboy’s moments of reflection
on seeing others’ problems-What are the consequences?
(3- 10 minutes) Jigsaw activity-Read different news articles about bullying and create a four
sentence summary
(4- 15 minutes) Complete jigsaw groups and tell each group member summary of article
(5- 5 minutes) Closing-How would your news articles be different if someone had walked a mile
in someone else’s shoe?
Homework- Read chapter 8
Week 3, Day 1: Tolerance and Social Justice in our School
(Students have read chapters 1-8)
(1- 5 minutes) Tuff Talk - Re-cap yesterday’s lesson on walking a mile in someone else’s shoes.
(2- 10 minutes) Explore the following passage:
“Greaser didn’t have anything to do with it. May buddy over there
wouldn’t have done it. Maybe you would have done the same thing,
maybe a friend of yours wouldn’t have. It’s the individual” (102).



How doesn’t being a Greaser have anything to do with it?
What does being an individual mean?
Can one person make a difference?
(3-10 minutes) Read article on the “Mix it Up” initiative. (http://www.tolerance.org/blog/dailymix-it-lunch-yields-big-shares)
(4- 10 minutes) In small groups, come up with 3 ways to mix it up at our school.
o
o
o
o
Classes
Lunch
Recess
Hallways
(5- 10 minutes) Compile list as a class of how to mix it up at our school
(6- 5 minutes) Closing-Challenge students to mix it up throughout the day
Homework-Read chapter 9
Week 3, Day 2: The Rumble
(Students have read chapters 1-9)
Objectives:
1. Students will understand what a rumble is and its significance in the novel.
2. Student will understand how to categorize the differences and similarities between
multiple inner-city gangs from the 1960s.
Materials Needed:
1. Copy of West Side Story DVD
2. DVD player, TV
3. “Venn Diagram/West Side Story Vs. The Outsiders” worksheet, one for each student
Plan:
(1- 10 minutes) Tuff Talk: Have students turn to their neighbor and explain 1) what happened in
Chapter 9. The teacher will then ask for volunteers to share what their small group talked about
after 5 minutes of collaboration. The class will make a list of the features of the Outsiders rumble
on the board to be used later during the “Venn Diagram/ West Side Story vs. The Outsiders”
activity.
(2- 5 minutes) Set up: Explain the basic concept of West Side Story (WSS), including characters,
plot lines, and setting.
(3- 15-25 minutes) Handout the “Venn Diagram/ West Side Story vs. The Outsiders”
worksheet. Have students take notes on what they see as they watch WSS on the margins of the
sheet. Then, watch selected scenes from WSS, including:



Chapter 2, Prologue (~6:00-16:45) [10 minutes, 45 seconds] *This section can be cut out
or cut down, but I think it gives a good set up for the rivalry between the Sharks and the
Jets without going too deep into the storyline.
Chapter 15, The War Council (~1:10:00 -1:15:15) [5 minutes, 15 seconds]
Chapter 21, The Rumble (1:36:15 – 1:44:15) [8 minutes, 0 seconds]
Total viewing of West Side Story: 24 minutes
(4- 10 minutes) As a class, complete the Venn Diagram worksheet, focusing on the differences
and similarities between the Sharks/Jets and the Greasers/Socs. Encourage students to look for:







The characteristics of the gang members (race, age, clothing, etc)..
The police involvement.
Characters who want to fight/Characters who do not want to fight.
How each gang fights its enemies (i.e. fighting style, weapons, do the members fight or
watch on the sidelines?)
How the fight starts.
What the fight is over.
The outcome of the fight.
(5- end of class) Today we focused on the preamble to a fight and the sometimes serious
consequences of physical violence. After the dust settles, how does regret factor into a crisis?
Does Tony regret that Riff and Bernardo died in the fight? Do Ponyboy and Dally regret that
Johnny dies as a result of his actions?
Homework: Read chapters 10 & 11 (16 pages), continue work on Slang Dictionary
Week 3, Day 3: Crisis and Help
(Students have read chapters 1-11)
Objectives:
1. Students will identify the different character’s reactions to Johnny’s death.
2. Students will understand the different ways to handle a crisis and parallel this knowledge
to how the Outsiders handle a crisis.
Materials Needed:
1. Copy of Quiz week 3, one for each student
2. Copy of “Crisis and Help” worksheet, one for each student
Plan:
(1- 10 minutes) Reading Check: Quiz
(2- 10 minutes) Focusing activity: Read p. 152-154 aloud for the class (from Ponyboy walking
into the Curtis’ house, bringing the news of Johnny’s death, to Dally’s death scene in the vacant
lot). Review how Dally, Ponyboy, Soda, and Two-Bit handled Johnny’s death; make a list on the
board.




Dally—slammed fist on the wall, yelled, begged Johnny not to go, ran out of the hospital;
robbed a grocery store, hid from police, pulled an unloaded gun on the police, and was
killed for his actions.
Ponyboy—walked around town in a daze without realizing he was hurt and bleeding, fell
ill because of his injuries/the shock of the evening’s events, woke up feeling guilty
because Johnny and Dally’s deaths, remained passive and depressed in bed. Thinks that
Johnny is not dead and that he (Ponyboy) killed Bob.
Soda—made a funny noise and looked like he was going to cry.
Two-Bit—closed his eyes and clenched his teeth.
(3- 5 minutes) Discussion (Chapters 9 (end)-10):




Why does Dally handle the situation the way he does?
How do Ponyboy and the other Greasers deal with the pressures of Johnny’s/Dally’s
deaths? The trial?
How do you handle a crisis?
Where could Dally have gone for help?
(4- 10 minutes) In groups of two, have students brainstorm a list of community resources where
they can go if they need help (i.e. Think: Pair: Share discussion). After 5 minutes of
brainstorming time, students will come together and make a class list of resources.


Community resources: hotlines, guidance counselors/teachers, community centers
specific to towns/regions
Family/Friend resources: parents/guardians, grandparents/aunts/uncles, older
siblings/cousins, trusted friends, trusted adults
(5- 10 minutes) Discussion (Chapters 10-11):








What should have the Greasers done at the death of their friend?
Who is to blame for Dally’s death? The Socs? The Greasers? Johnny? Dally himself?
Should Ponyboy have taken part in the rumble? (sick, fever, concussion, nervous over the
outcome/uselessness of fighting, etc.)
Let’s look at the letter Johnny left for Ponyboy. Why did Johnny leave Gone with the
Wind for his friend?
What significance does Gone with the Wind have for Johnny? (i.e. being gallant)
Why does Randy come to see Ponyboy? Does he feel guilty? Does he feel sorry for
Ponyboy/Johnny/Dally?
Why does Ponyboy say that he had the knife and killed Bob?
Why does Ponyboy think that Johnny is not dead? Do you think he really believes this?
(6- 5 minutes) Closure: What is the best thing to do in a crisis? Who would be a good person to
talk to if you are involved in something you don’t think you can handle? Tomorrow, we’ll take a
look at two friends who help each other through a crisis (through the analysis of The Fray’s
“How to Save a Life”).
Homework: Complete “Crisis and Help” worksheet, to be handed in tomorrow.
Week 3, Day 4: Take my Advice!
(Students have read Chapters 1-11)
Objectives:
1. Students will be able to analyze song lyrics to draw out important themes.
2. Students will understand how to relate The Fray’s “How to Save a Life” to themes in The
Outsiders.
Materials Needed:
1. Copy of “How to Save a Life” by The Fray, CD or MP3
2. Appropriate device to play the song—CD player or computer with speakers
3. Copy of “How to Save a Life” worksheet (double sided) for each student
Plan:
(1- 10 minutes) Slang Dictionary Check: For bell work, students will take out their Slang
Dictionary and find 2 new words in the text to add to their dictionaries. We will also review as a
class some of the words we have found and work through any questions the students may have.
(2- 5 minutes) Highlight it: Put important words from “How to Save a Life” on the board and
discuss their meaning. These words have been selected because their meaning is crucial to
understanding the theme of the song; in addition, the words transfer well to the theme of the
novel and the lessons students can learn from the actions of the Outsiders. Before playing the
song, discuss what these words mean to the students and how they are related.
Have students highlight or circle the words while listening to the first playing of the song. (*Can
also have students raise their hand (briefly) when they hear the words in the song to show
understanding and to cue other learners.)

Words from the song: Save, Wrong, Right, Defense, Lost, Choice, Friend.
(3- 4.5 minutes) Play “How to Save a Life,” with students focusing on the important words listed
above.
(4- 5.5 minutes) Play “How to Save a Life” again. This time, students will focus on what parts of
the song are like the events in The Outsiders. Model with an example using one of the key
words, such as “save.” Dally feels guilty of Johnny’s death because Dally believes he could have
saved Johnny if he had only made Johnny more tough; Johnny wouldn’t have gone into the
burning church to save the kids if he was rough like Dally.
(5- 5 minutes) Question it: Have students recreate the song, mapping what happened to the singer
and his friend and filling in the gaps of questionable lyrics if need be. Students can also use this
time to ask questions over specific song lines/topics/characters.
(6- 10 minutes) Focus: Together as a class, take a close look at the following lines from “How to
Save a Life.” First establish meaning in relationship to the song, and then relate the line to The
Outsiders. Students will map the conversation on the “How to Save a Life” worksheet



“Grant him one last choice/ Drive until you lose the road/ Or break with the ones you’ve
followed”
“He goes left and you stay right”
“I would have stayed up with you all night/ Had I known how to save a life”
(7- 10 minutes) Discuss: The song and Chapters 10-11)
Which character from The Outsiders reminds you of the singer? Of the singer’s friend?
What parts of the song are similar to the book? Different?
What did the singer do for his friend that Ponyboy or the other Greasers could have done for
Dally?
(8- end of class) Closure: Have students make a prediction on how the book will end. Will
Ponyboy’s family help him get through this crisis? Will the Curtis’ get to stay together? Can
Ponyboy stay gold?
Homework: read Chapter 12 (13 pages)
Week 3, Day 5: The Family Factor
(Students have read Chapters 1-12)
Objectives:
1. Students will understand the different facets, dynamics, and composition of the family
unit.
2. Students will understand the idea of belonging to multiple families.
3. Students will understand the importance of familial connections.
Materials Needed:
1. Tuff Time journaling materials
2. “Role Playing” worksheet, one for each group of 3 (or 4) students
3. “Chapters 10-12 Discussion” worksheet, one for each student
Plan:
(1- 10 minutes) Tuff Time: Journal prompts--How is each member of your family, including
yourself, unique and different? How do these differences contribute to a stronger family? How
does your family influence you?
(4- 20 minutes) Discussion (Chapters 1-12):



How is Johnny’s family different than Ponyboy’s? How are the Greaser’s famiies
different from Bob’s family?
What did Ponyboy learn about his family throughout the book?
How is the gang (Steve, Two-Bit, Dally, Johnny, etc) family?
(2- 15 minutes) Role Play: Each student is given a role on a card. In groups of 3 (4 if necessary),
students will discuss attitudes and beliefs of characters and possible reactions to situations. After
discussing their character’s reactions to the given situation, students will create a short (1-2
minute) skit to perform for the class. Students may use information and dialogue from any part
of the book.
(5- 5 minutes) Closure: What are 5 ways a family can influence a person? (Have students write
on an exit slip and make a class list of influential family factors.)
Homework: Complete “Chapters 10-12 Discussion” worksheet, to be handed in tomorrow.
Week 4, Day 1: The Colon and the Semicolon
(In-Context Grammar Lesson)
Objectives:
1. Students will understand that colons and semicolons can connect ideas to make their
writing interesting and more concise.
2. Students will understand that colons and semicolons are used in specific situations when
writing.
3. Students will use colons and semicolons to gain a greater understanding of the family
dynamics present in The Outsiders.
Materials Needed:
1. Pencil and paper for note taking and practice.
2. “Chapters 10-12 Discussion” worksheet from yesterday, completed by students
overnight.
Context:
As semicolons require the knowledge of dependant clauses, independent clauses, and
conjunctions, this lesson is most effective after these concepts have been mastered.
Rationale:
The lessons directly preceding and following this in-context grammar lesson deal
exclusively with family relationships and dynamics. As a result of this narrowed topic, the
writing students completed with the “Chapter 10-12 Discussion” worksheet will naturally lend
itself towards focused, connected ideas. Therefore, students can benefit from learning about
colons and semicolons as a lesson on how to edit and more fully develop their writing. By using
samples of their own writing and examples taken from S.E. Hinton’s text, students will have an
authentic experience and a unique attachment to the material.
Plan:
(1- 5 minutes) Opening activity: Pull out “Chapter 10-12 Discussion” worksheet and go over
answers.
(2- 25 minutes) Introduce rules of colons, and present accompanying examples either directly
from Hinton’s writing or using concepts/characters from The Outsiders.




Colon Rule #1: Use a colon (:) to introduce a list or series of items. Capitalize the first
word in the list, even if it isn’t a proper noun.
o Colon example from The Outsiders (page 154):
 “Nobody would write editorials praising Dally. Two friends of mine had
died that night: one a hero, the other a hoodlum.”
Colon Rule #2: Use a colon between the hour and the minute of time.
o Colon example:
 Darry said the rumble would start at 7:00.
Colon Rule #3: Use a colon between a title and a subtitle.
o Example showing usage between a title and a subtitle, such as Pirates of the
Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.
Put the following examples on the board/projector. As a class, have students put colons in
the appropriate places in the following examples:
o The Socs liked to drive tuff cars[:] Mustangs, Sting Rays, and Corvairs.
o Ponyboy hung out with his Greaser friends[:] Steve, Two-Bit, Johnny, and Dally.
o When the movie was done at 3[:]17 pm, Ponyboy stepped out into the bright
sunlight from the darkness of the movie house.
o The concession stand at the drive-in movie theater sold many treats[:] Popcorn,
soda, and candy.
o Because Ponyboy likes movies, he would enjoy watching Sherlock Holmes: A
Game of Shadows.

S.E. Hinton also uses colons to signal Ponyboy’s private thoughts or memories.
o Colon example from The Outsiders (page 7)
 [Sodapop said,] “You’re bleedin’ like a stuck pig.” “I am?” “Look!” He
showed me the handkerchief, reddened as if by magic. “Did they pull a
blade on you?” I remembered the voice: “Need a haircut, greaser?” The
blade must have slipped while he was trying to shut me up. “Yeah.”
o Colon example from The Outsiders (page 153):
 “ …Dally had reached the circle of light under the street lamp, and
skidding to a halt, he turned and jerked a black object from his waistband.
I remembered his voice: I had been carryin’ a heater. It ain’t loaded, but
it sure does help a bluff.”

Semicolon Rule #1: Use a semicolon to join two independent clauses. In this case, a
conjunction is unnecessary. The two independent clauses should be closely related. After
using a colon, the first word in the next sentence is not capitalized.
o Semicolon example from The Outsiders (page 9):
 “…I liked Steve only because he was Soda’s best friend. He didn’t like
me—he thought I was a tagalong and a kid; Soda always took me with
them when they went places if they weren’t taking girls, and that bugged
Steve. It wasn’t my fault; Soda always asked me, I didn’t ask him. Soda
doesn’t think I’m a kid.”
o Semicolon example from The Outsiders (page 151):
“I must have wandered around for hours; sometimes even out into the
street, getting honked at and cussed out. I might have stumbled around all
night except for a man who asked me if I wanted a ride.”
Semicolon Rule #2: Use a semicolon between a compound sentence's clauses that are
joined by certain transitional words. Use a comma after transitional words and phrases
(i.e. in fact, however, instead, for example, consequently, therefore, otherwise).
o Semicolon example:
 The Greasers did not like fighting with heaters; instead, they fought with
switches and broken pop bottles.
Semicolon Rule #3: Use a semicolon between items in a series—if the items in that
series contain commas.
o Semicolon example from The Outsiders (page 154):
 “Nobody would write editorials praising Dally. Two friends of mind had
died that night: one a hero, the other a hoodlum. But I remembered Dally
pulling Johnny through the window of the burning church; Dally giving us
his gun, although it could mean jail for him; Dally risking his life for us,
trying to keep Johnny out of trouble. And now he was a dead juvenile
delinquent and there wouldn’t be any editorials in his favor.”
Put the following examples on the board/projector. As a class, have students identify the
dependent and independent clauses in the following sentences, and replace the
conjunctions with semicolons.
o Even though they looked tuff, the Greasers were good kids and they didn’t like to
fight.
 Change to: Even though they looked tuff, the Greasers were good kids;
they didn’t like to fight.
o Darry wanted to fight in the rumble because he liked anything that took strength,
even if he was proud of being smart, too.
 Change to: Darry wanted to fight in the rumble; he liked anything that
took strength, even if he was proud of being smart, too.




(3- 15 minutes) Practice: Students will apply their knowledge of colons and semicolons to their
completed “Chapter 10-12 Discussion” worksheet, rewriting their answers to include at least two
examples each of semicolons and colons. The teacher will model an example with the class
(using the class-generated discussion responses from yesterday).
(5- 5 minutes) Closure: How can using colons and semicolons help us relate our ideas on the
“Chapters 10-12 Discussion” worksheet?
Week 4, Day 2: The Family Factor, Cont. Through Role Play
(Students will have read chapters 1-12)
Objectives:
1. Students will understand the facets, dynamics, and composition of the family through
role-playing scenarios in The Outsiders.
2. Students will understand how to organize and present their ideas through developing a
role-playing script.
Materials Needed:
1. Script created with group members on Week 3, Day 4
2. Notebook and pencil for taking notes on group presentations
Plan:
(1- 10 minutes) Tuff Talk: Have students turn to their neighbor and explain what happened last
week in class (role playing family dynamics, grammar mini-lesson on colons and semicolons).
The teacher will then ask for volunteers to share what their small group talked about.
(2- 10 minutes) Connect with group members to go over the script produced in yesterday’s
lesson and get ready to perform the skit for the class.
(3- 30 minutes) Groups “perform” their role play in front of class. (2 minutes/group x approx. 9
groups = 18 minutes, plus ~1.5 minutes for discussion/group = ~30 minutes)


After each skit, discuss why they chose this skit and why characters may have reacted in
certain ways.
What is the influence of family in each skit?
(4- end of class) Closure: Tomorrow we’re going to finish our discussion on The Outsiders.
Think back to what we did a couple weeks ago with “staying gold”--what do you think that
means? Did Ponyboy stay gold?
Homework: Finish Slang Dictionary, to be handed in tomorrow.
Week 4, Day 3: Nothing Gold Can Stay
(Students have read chapters 1-12)
Objectives:
1. Students will understand how Robert Frost’s poem “Nothing Gold Can Stay” relates to
the theme of the book.
2. Students will understand that “staying gold” has multiple meanings.
3. Students will understand how to “stay gold” in their lives.
Materials Needed:
1. YouTube clip from The Outsiders
2. Paper, pencil for “silent discussion” activity
Plan:
(1- 10 minutes) Tuff Time: Journal prompts--What does Johnny mean when he tells Ponyboy to
“stay gold”? Did he stay gold to his friends? To his family? To himself?
*The Slang Dictionary is due this day, so students will hand this in after finishing their journal
prompt.
(2- 15 minutes) Show YouTube clip from The Outsiders movie (the scene where Ponyboy is
reading Johnny’s letter). Discuss Johnny’s dying wishes for Ponyboy:






What changes Johnny’s outlook on death?
Is he happy to die? Proud?
What is his advice to Ponyboy?
“you’re gold when you’re a kid, like green” – What is Johnny saying?
What is the significance of sunsets? It is discussed a few times throughout the novel,
what could it symbolize?
What does the novel Gone With The Wind have to do with the theme of the novel? The
poem?
(3- 20 minutes) Silent Discussion: Have students sit in a circle, giving each a blank piece of
paper. The students then write out two questions about the text, specifically Johnny’s dying
wishes for Ponyboy and “staying gold.” One of the questions may be a literal question about the
text, but at least one must be a question that will promote discussion (open-ended, not factbased). When finished, students pass their paper to the right; then, have each student write an
answer to one question and add a new question to promote further discussion. When finished,
students pass their paper to the right again. Students continue in this fashion four or five times.
At the conclusion of the turns, students report one interesting thing from the paper they have in
their hands.
(4- 5 minutes) Closure: What can you do to “stay gold”?
Homework/Agenda: Week 4 Days 3-5+ will center on the final “You vs. Who?” project.
Introduction of the project will start on Week 4 Day 4, and continue on throughout the rest of the
week.
Assessment and Evaluation:
Informal Assessments: 3 form rotations
Informal assessments will be given every day at the beginning of class. There are three
forms of informal assessment that will be utilized in this unit. The first is a Reading
Comprehension Quiz which will ask students to make connections with characters and themes.
These quizzes will be graded on a 10 point-scale and with three Reading Comprehension
Quizzes, will total 30 points at the end of the unit. The second form of informal assessment
utilized in this unit is called “Tuff Talk,” where students are asked to turn to a neighbor and
engage in discourse about what was discussed the previous day, what was read in the previous
night’s chapter or to answer a prompt given by the teacher. The third form of informal
assessment is titled “Tuff Time” which is a journaling opportunity for students where they will
be asked to respond to a prompt. These “Tuff Time” journals will be turned in at the end of the
unit and graded on completion.
Furthermore, students will also engage in assorted projects that will be informally graded
on a smaller scale than the final big project. Students be completing both a “slang dictionary”
and a short poem on change that will be assessed and graded on content, idea development and
word content at the end of the unit. They will also complete various comprehension worksheets
that will be graded on completion.
“You vs. Who” Final Assessment
Throughout the course of the 4 week lesson, students will be completing two Venn
Diagrams, one asking them to compare and contrast the Greasers and Socs and the other asking
them to compare and contrast the West Side Story and The Outsiders rumble scenes. Introducing
students to comparison and contrasting throughout the unit with Venn Diagrams will help
scaffold them to be able to create a comparison/contrasting final essay.
Furthermore, throughout the unit, students will be asked to create a slang dictionary,
based on both their own speech tendencies and also those of the characters in “The Outsiders.”
Students will be asked to include the words they’ve discovered through the slang dictionary in
the comparison/contrasting final assessment. In Week 2, students will explore “strong” and
“weak” adjectives and words and will spend time workshopping each other’s work in order to
not only help peers’ writing but also to begin to recognize what “strong” and “weak” adjectives
are. In Week 3, students will be exploring the correct usage of semi-colons and colons as seen in
the original text. These three grammatical elements, alongside the new compare/contrast
knowledge will be essential to the final assessment.
At the completion of “The Outsiders,” students will be asked to complete two-page
compare/contrast essay titled “You vs. Who.” For this assessment, students will be asked to
compare and contrast themselves to one other character (Greaser or Soc) from “The Outsiders.”
They will be asked to determine similarities and differences in personality traits, looks, familial
status, friend status, values, beliefs, motivation, etc. They will need to provide textual support
and personal experiences.
Rubric for “You vs. Who” Final Assessment
Exceeds (5)
Mechanics
Student’s writing has
minimal mistakes (3-5
erros) and editing/
proofreading is obvious
Meets (3-4)
Student’s writing has a
few mechanical
mistakes (5-10 errors)
that could have been
Lacks (0-2)
Score
Student’s writing has
many mechanical
mistakes (10 or more
mistakes) and no
eliminated with more
thorough editing
evidence of editing is
obvious
Organization
Student’s writing is clearly
organized according to
compare/contrast form.
There are clear
introductions, body and
conclusions.
Student’s writing lacks
some organization.
Structure does not
follow a clear path.
Student’s writing has
no apparent
organization and does
not meet requirement
of compare/contrast
writing.
Content
Student’s writing clearly
addresses the prompt in its
entirety and is creative.
Student’s writing lacks
some of the focus
needed to address the
prompt. Evidence of
repetition and ideas are
underdeveloped.
Student’s writing does
not answer prompt and
does not include
original ideas.
Comparison
and Contrast
Student’s writing makes it
evident that student grasps
comparison/
contrasting purpose
(Presents both sides with
supporting details)
Student’s
writing lacks some of
the comparison/
contrasting elements
(Supports both sides
but is missing some
details)
Student’s writing has
no apparent
comparison/
contrasting focus
(Supports only one
side and is missing
many details)
Appendix



Vocabulary List to be used with the “Slang Dictionary” activity on Week 1, Day 1
“Tuff Time” writing prompts
Worksheets used in various lessons
The Outsiders-specific Vocabulary List:
Greaser--p. 2-3
Soc--p. 2
Corvair/Sting Ray/Mustang--p. 4/p. 85/+
Mugged--p. 5
Cowlick--p. 6
“Bleeding like a stuck pig”--p. 7
Tagalong--p. 9
Hood--p. 11
Tough/tuff--p. 12
“Carry a blade”--p. 13
Switchblade/Switch--p. 15
Madras shirt--p. 17
The fuzz--p. 20
Hoodlum--p. 23
Chessy Cat--p. 27
Chains/heaters/pool sticks--p. 29/p. 140
Rumble--p. 29+
Rep--p. 39
“Making ends meat”--p. 40
“Beer blasts”--p.
“Chips are always down”--p. 43
“Soused”--p. 46
Towheaded--p. 59
Murder rap--p. 61
Pansy--p. 72
Gallant--p. 76
Cancer stick--p. 80
Bewilderment--p. 88
Beffeed-p. 88
JD’s--p. 95
“Didn’t give a hang”--p. 98
Heroizing--p. 148
Possible “Tuff Time” Writing Prompts:
-Would you rather be a Greaser or a Soc? Who are you most like? (p. 2)
-How do you get a reputation? Is a reputation a good or bad thing to have? Do you make it or is
it made for you? (p. 11)
-The Greasers have “rules” for what is OK to do in their gang and what is not OK. What are
some rules you have with your friends? What are your values? (p. 29/p. 38)
-Cherry Valance says that “things are rough all over.” What are some rough things you have had
to deal with in your life? (p. 35/p. 43)
-There’s a saying that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. What do you
think this means? Write about a place you would rather be. Then write about why that place
might not be as good as you think.
-Dally is Johnny’s hero because Dally’s tuff and always stands up for his friends. Who is your
hero? What would they do for you? What would you do for them? (p. 76)
-Darry’s silent fear is losing Soda or Ponyboy. What are your silent fears? (p. 98)
-What are some things you learned how to do for yourself? What are some things you need help
with? (p. 102)
Name: ___________ Date: _____________
Block: ___________
1960s Background: (LESSON 2)
Language:
A Gas
A lot of fun.
All show and no go.
Referenced to a car that had all the pretty chrome goodies, but
wouldn't get out of its own way.
Bad
Awesome.
Badass
A tough guy. A guy you really don't want to mess with.
Bag
To Steal. Example: Who bagged my towel? ; also see Score
Also; "What's your bag" meaning what's your problem or where are
you coming from.
Blitzed
Drunk
Cruising
Driving up and down the same street looking for races, girls, guys, etc.
Deuce
A 1932 Ford. As in, "She's my Little Deuce Coupe, you don't know
what I got".
Dude
In the 60's, a dude was a geek or a panty waist.
Pad
Someone's house. Example: There wasn't much to do so we all hung
out at John's pad, drank Cokes and listened to records.
Thongs
In the 60's, thongs were something you wore on your feet.
Music:
Beatles
Elvis Presley
Chubby Checker
The Everly Brothers
Frank Sinatra
http://education.library.ubc.ca/files/2011/06/08Sabrina-Block-Outsiders.pdf
Answer the questions by using the information from the discussions in class. Provide evidence
with page numbers and quotes. Answer in complete sentences.
Name:______________________________
Date:_______________________________
A crisis can come at the most unexpected time. They can be big or small, but the best advice is…
Who can we turn to when we encounter a crisis?
What community services can help you during a crisis?
Would you tell an adult about a problem that you are unable to resolve or attempt to fix? Why or
why not?
How would you help a friend in need? Would you seek an adult for help?
“How to Save a Life” worksheet
7th Grade Language Arts
Week 3, Day 4
Name:______________________________
Date:_______________________________
Let’s take a look at the following lines. As we discuss them as a class, write your responses here:
-“He goes left and you stay right”
-“Grant him one last choice:/ Drive until you lose the road/ Or break with the ones you’ve
followed”
-“I would have stayed up with you all night/ Had I known how to save a life”
Chapters 10-12 Discussion worksheet
7th Grade Language Arts
Week 3, Day 5
Answer the questions by using the novel. You may also use information from the discussions in
class. Provide evidence with page numbers and quotes. Answer in complete sentences.
Name:______________________________
Date:_______________________________
What did Ponyboy learn about his family throughout the book?
How are the brothers similar? How are they different? In what ways can they help each other so
that they can live happily together?
How is the gang a family?
What does the gang (Steve, Two-Bit, Johnny, Dally, etc) do for each other? How do they protect
each other? What does the do for each other that their blood family does not?
Chapters 10-12 Discussion worksheet
Name:______________________________
7th Grade Language Arts
Date:_______________________________
Answer the questions by using the novel. You may also use information from the discussions in
class. Provide evidence with page numbers and quotes. Answer in complete sentences.
How is family portrayed in The Outsiders?
Pick TWO family different family dynamics and explain how they interact with each other:
-Ponyboy’s family
-Johnny’s family
-The Greaser’s gang family
-Bob’s family
Role Play—The Family Factor worksheet
7th Grade Language Arts
Week 3, Day 5
In groups of 3 (4 if necessary), role-play the given situations—in other words, think of how each
character would react to the situation. Your group will then create your own role-play scene
about the situation. You may use information and dialogue from the novel.
*NOTE: Ideally, each group would get their own worksheet page with only their prompt (to
discourage confusion) and extra space to write out ideas and the script for the role-play scene.
For the sake of space, however, one document has been created with the prompts for all groups.
Name:______________________________
Date:_______________________________
Group 1
Discuss the following situation: Johnny kills Bob during a fight in the vacant lot.
Characters:
Ponyboy
Darry
Sodapop
Group 2
Characters:
Discuss the following situation: Johnny kills Bob during a fight in the vacant lot.
Johnny
Johnny's mother
Johnny's father
Group 3
Discuss the following situation: Cherry's father is driving around town and sees her with Dally,
Johnny, and Ponyboy after the movies.
Characters:
Cherry Valence
Cherry’s Father
Bob
Group 4
Discuss the following situation: Johnny's family is his parents vs. Johnny's family is the gang.
Characters:
Johnny
Johnny’s mother
Dally
Group 5
Discuss the following situation: Ponyboy and Johnny run away after killing Bob.
Characters:
Ponyboy
Darry
Sodapop
Group 6
Discuss the following situation: Being at home is hard because of all of the tension.
Characters:
Ponyboy
Johnny
Dally
Group 7
Discuss the following situation: Two Greasers from the city just saved the children from the
church fire.
Characters:
Mother of a rescued child
Johnny
Ponyboy.
Group 8
Discuss the following situation: Randy's involvement in the fight and the killing of Bob.
Characters:
Randy (the Soc)
Randy's father
Ponyboy
Group 9
Discuss the following situation: The future of the Curtis family is in jeopardy if the court
decides to put Ponyboy and Sodapop in a boys’ home
Characters:
Ponyboy
Darry
Juvenile Court Judge
West Side Story Vs. The Outsiders
7th Grade Language Arts
“How to Save a Life” worksheet
7th Grade Language Arts
Week 3, Day 4
Name:______________________________
Date:_______________________________
Directions:
Listen to “How to Save a Life” by The Fray.
First, mark a circle on your paper every time you see the words SAVE, WRONG, RIGHT,
DEFENSE,
LOST, CHOICE, or FRIEND.
Second, listen to song again for any clues that help you relate “How to Save a Life” to The
Outsiders.
"How to Save a Life"
by The Fray
Step one you say we need to talk
He walks you say sit down it's just a talk
He smiles politely back at you
You stare politely right on through
Some sort of window to your right
As he goes left and you stay right
Between the lines of fear and blame
And you begin to wonder why you came
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
Had I known how to save a life
Let him know that you know best
Cause after all you do know best
Try to slip past his defense
Without granting innocence
Lay down a list of what is wrong
The things you've told him all along
And pray to God, he hears you
And pray to God, he hears you
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
Had I known how to save a life
You lower yours and grant him one last choice
Drive until you lose the road
Or break with the ones you've followed
He will do one of two things
He will admit to everything
Or he'll say he's just not the same
And you begin to wonder why you came
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
How to save a life
How to save a life
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
As he begins to raise his voice
Name__________________________
Slang Dictionary
tough
[tuhf] Show IPA ,adjective, tough·er,tough·est, adverb, noun, verb
adjective
1. strong and durable; not easily broken or cut.
2. not brittle or tender.
3. difficult to masticate, as food: a tough steak.
4. of viscous consistency, as liquid or semiliquid matter: toughmolasses.
5. capable of great endurance; sturdy; hardy: tough troops.
Related forms
tough·ly, adverb
tough·ness, noun
su·per·tough, adjective
un·tough, adjective
un·tough·ly, adverb
EXPAND
Synonyms
1. firm, hard. 5. durable. 6. inflexible.
Antonyms
1. fragile. 5. feeble, weak.
Above is an example of a complete dictionary entry. The entry has more than one definition,
related forms, synonyms, and antonyms. In your slang dictionary project, you will include all
of these.
Definitions
Related forms
Synonyms
Antonyms