This is a unit I created for a course for my masters.  I hope you find it useful.  Elizebeth 

Synopsis:

The Outsiders

 

The Outsiders, a novel written in the first person, is narrated by 14 year old Ponyboy.  It describes the last few weeks of his life as a Greaser in Tulsa.  During this period of time his best friend murders a member of a rival gang, the Socs.  He then dies from injuries sustained while rescuing young children from a burning church.  Another member of Ponyboy’s gang, Dally, is gunned-down by police after robbing a store.       

During the narration we discover that Ponyboy’s parents had been killed in an accident, which left the eldest brother, Darry, responsible for caring for Ponyboy and his other brother, Soda.  While the novel is set against a backdrop of gang violence, it is primarily about the relationships between the three brothers.  An ancillary theme is the relationship between the brothers and their gang.  Integral to the theme is each character’s quest for acceptance.  Indeed, the two characters from the rival gang whom the reader gets to know, Randy and Cherry, also share this need for acceptance.

Task Analysis

1.  Reading Comprehension: 

            a)  Vocabulary:    

                        i)   difficult words.

      ii)  slang.

b)      Story analysis:

i)   description of events.

ii)  statement of character motivation:

1)  Ponyboy.

2)  Johnny.

3)  Randy.

4)      Sodapop.

iii)                 inference of character motivation:

2.    Writing:

a)      description of setting.

b)      speculation about Bob’s home-life.

3.   Attitudinal:

a)   compare and contrast how the Greasers and Socs seek acceptance from their peer group.

b)      defend the actions of either Johnny or Bob at the time of the fight or explain Dally’s actions from the time he leaves Johnny’s hospital room.

c)      choose (and defend the choice) the most admirable character.

4.   Evaluate:

a)        will the rivalry between the Greasers and the Socs end after the rumble?

b)        what could Ponyboy do to ensure it ends? 

Media Selection

Coppola, F.F. dir.  (1983). The Outsiders.

Hinton, S.E.  (1967). The Outsiders.  New York:  Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc.

 

Instructional Analysis/ Instructional Objectives

Reading Comprehension: Students must demonstrate comprehension of the novel on several levels.  At the most basic level they must define a series of difficult words taken from the novel.  These words will be chosen from the ones that students falter over when reading orally.   The next level of comprehension will be demonstrated in a description of the events and the factors that motivate important characters.  Evidence of the highest level of comprehension will be the inference of factors that motivate selected characters.

Writing: Student writing will be primarily in the form of reflective journal entries.  Within this context, the use of the standard sentence structure is required and, therefore, constitutes entry level skills.  Because large differences in skill levels are generally present in every class, some students will not possess these entry-level skills and will require remedial coaching.

Attitude:  Students will demonstrate empathy for the characters.  They will give examples of how characters seek acceptance from their peer group.  They will defend the actions of one of a select list of characters.  They will justify their choice of the character they deem most admirable.  Students will apply this insight to an evaluation of their interactions with their peers, explaining what they do in their quest for acceptance and describing why a person they know is an admirable individual.

Evaluation:  Students will articulate the reasons for rivalry between groups.  They will compare the factors that cause the rivalry between the Greasers and the Socs and apply these to their own lives.  Examples of acceptable topics for student analysis include, but are not limited to, rivalries between cliques and between athletes and non-athletes.     

Instructional Techniques/ Unit Flow-Chart

Lesson 1:Film: The Outsiders

 

1.  Written Assignment:  Story synopsis

2.  Group presentation:  Motivating factors that explain the actions of  one of:

A)    Ponyboy

B)     Johnny

C)    Randy

D)    Sodapop

Lesson 2: Novel:  The Outsiders Chapter 1

 

1.  Reading Comprehension:  Vocabulary Predict-o-gram:  See Appendix 1 for the generic model or 1a for examples.

 2.  Writing Assignment:  Description of setting.

Chapters 1 & 2 Discussion Questions

1. Why do you think Ponyboy loves going to the movies? What do movies do for him?

2. What does Ponyboy mean when he says that he does well in school but he doesn’t “use  his head”?

3. What are some of the reasons Ponyboy gives for Darry’s strict rules?

4. Why doesn’t Ponyboy think Darry loves him?

5. What is Johnny’s life at home like? What do the Greaser’s give Johnny that he doesn’t get at home?

6. How does Ponyboy feel when the Soc’s tease him?

7. Who does Ponyboy think looks like a movie star?

8. What is Two-Bit Matthews famous for?

9. Why doesn’t Ponyboy live with his mom and dad?

10. Who is Sodapop’s girlfriend?

11. Who was the captain of the football team in high school?

12. Which of the Greasers was in jail at 10 years of age?

Chapters 2 and 3

 1.  Small Group Discussion:  The groups will create a comparison chart of how Socs girls such as Cherry and Marcia expect to be treated and behave compared with what we are told about the Greaser girls.

2.  Journal entry:  How does the author foreshadow the murder of Bob by Johnny?

3.  Oral reading of the chapter.  An anecdotal record will be kept.

4.   Compare Johnny’s and Ponyboy’s home-life.  This may be done as a small or large group exercise.  Each group will create a wall-chart of their observations and inferences.  The Venn Diagram in Appendix 2 may also be used for this exercise.

Chapter 4

 

1.  Vocabulary Predict-o-gram after oral reading.

2.  Debate:  Defend the actions of both Randy and Bob or Johnny and Ponyboy at the time of the fight.

 3.  Written assignment:  What should Johnny and Ponyboy do after Bob is killed?  Present at least three reasons to justify your choice.

Chapters 3 & 4 Discussion Questions

1. Why does Ponyboy dream about the country?

2. Why does Ponyboy think that Dally could never love anyone or anything?

3. Why does Ponyboy feel bad when he talks about his unhappy home life to Johnny?

4. Why would a Soc like Cherry Valence be attracted to a Greaser like Dally?

5. When he is talking to Cherry, what does Ponyboy say separates Greasers from Socs?

6. According to Cherry, what is the main difference between Greasers and Socs?

7. According to Bob, what is a Greaser?

8. Who helps Johnny and Ponyboy escape after the murder?

10. Where do Ponyboy and Johnny hide out after the murder?

Chapters 5 and 6

 

1.  Use a Venn Diagram from Appendix 2a to compare Johnny and Dally.

 2.  Debate:  Should the boys have rescued the children from the burning church?  Why or why not?

 Chapter 5 & 6 Questions

1. What do the boys do to their hair the day after they arrive at the church? Why?

2. Why can’t Ponyboy tell anyone but Johnny about the “sunrise and clouds and stuff”?

3. How does Ponyboy feel about hunting? Why do you think he is afraid to tell Dally he feels this way?

4. How does Johnny feel when he finds out his parents weren’t looking for him?

5. What is the reason Dallas gives for not wanting to see Johnny go to jail?

6. Why do you think Johnny looks happy when he’s in the burning church?

7. What makes Johnny think of Dallas as “gallant”?

8. Who writes Ponyboy a letter when they are hiding out?

9. Where do the police think Johnny and Pony have gone to after the murder?

10. What does Ponyboy find most scary about Dallas?

11. Who is the “spy” for the greasers?

Chapters 7 and 8

 

1.  Summarize:  What changes have occurred in the lives of each of the main characters?

 2.  Film/role play the scene of the three brothers waiting in the hospital.

 3.  Written Assignment:  Both Cherry and Randy tell Ponyboy that “Things are rough all  over.”  Why does Ponyboy not believe the statement until Randy says it?

4.  Use a Venn Diagram from Appendix 2a to compare Ponyboy and Randy. 

Chapter 7 & 8 Questions

1. Why do you think most adults in town aren’t aware of the segregation between the greasers and the socs?

2. Why is Darry so worried when Ponyboy tells him he has a dream the other night?

3. Why does Soda’s girlfriend move to Florida with her grandmother?

4. What does Ponyboy realize when he listens to Randy and Cherry talk about Bob?

5. Why isn’t Randy showing up at the rumble that night?

6. How does Ponyboy get into the house after coming home from the hospital?

7. Why does Darry dislike being referred to as “all brawn and no brain”?

8. What does Soda eat for breakfast?

9. What does Dally ask Two-Bit for in the hospital?

10. Why won’t Cherry go see Johnny in the hospital?

Chapter 9

 

1.  Written Assignment:  When is the use of violence justified in settling disputes?    Explain.

 2.  Discuss in large or small groups:  Compare the group rivalries with which they are familiar, for example cliques, athletes and non-athletes.  How is their rivalry similar to that of the Greasers and Socs?  A Venn Diagram from Appendix 2a may help focus the comparison.

Chapter 10

 

1.   Written Assignment:  Do you agree that Dally wanted to die?  Why or why not?

Chapters 11 and 12

 

1.  Use VennD2 to compare the similarities and differences between the three brothers.

 2.  Oral reading; keep an anecdotal record.

 3.  Written assignment:  Choose one of Dally, Cherry or Derry.  Write an explanation for their actions.  Provide at least five examples supporting your analysis.

 4.  Written assignment:  Choose the most admirable character in the novel and compare     the character with someone you know whom you admire.  How are they similar?  How are they different?

 5.  Group presentation:  How does one character attempt to acquire acceptance by his or her peers.  Compare with how you attempt to achieve acceptance.  Once again, a Venn Diagram is a useful tool for making this comparison. 

Chapters 11 & 12 Discussion Questions

1. Why does Randy come to visit Ponyboy before the hearing?

2. Why does Pony feel proud of Soda and Darry for admitting their friendship with Dally?

3. What is significant about Pony threatening the Socs with a broken bottle?

4. What sign of hope is there for Randy?

5. What nickname does Darry call Pony that he usually reserves for Soda?

6. What does the judge ask Pony about at the hearing?

7. What is the outcome of the hearing?

8. How can Pony improve his English grade?

9. What happened with Sandie that has Soda so upset?

“Quotation Activity” – Use important quotations from the book to help students interpret deeper meaning. Divide them into cooperative learning groups and have them interpret and explain the chosen quotes. Here are some examples:

Ponyboy: “I lie to myself all the time. But I never believe me” – pg. 18

Cherry to Pony: “I could fall in love with Dallas Winston. I hope I never see him again or I will.” – pg. 46

to Pony: “Stay Gold Ponyboy” – pg. 148

Pony to Cherry: “It’s okay… We aren’t in the same class. Just don’t forget that some of us watch the sunset too.” – pg. 46

Ponyboy: “Dally was so real he scared me” – pg. 76

Randy to Pony: “Greasers will still be greasers and Socs will still be Socs. Sometimes I think it’s the ones in the middle that are really the lucky stiffs.” – pg. 117

Ponyboy: “We couldn’t get along without him. We needed Johnny as much as he needed the gang. And for the same reason.” – pg 121

Ponyboy: “What kind of a world is it where all I have to be proud of is a reputation for being a hood and greasy hair? I don’t want to be a hood, but even if I don’t steal things and mug people and get boozed up, I’m marked lousy. Why should I be proud of it? Why should I even pretend to be proud of it?” pg. 132

Ponyboy: “It wasn’t only jealousy – Darry had a right to be jealous; he was ashamed to be on our side, ashamed to be seen with the Brumly boys, Shepard’s gang, maybe even us. Nobody realized it but me and Soda. It didn’t matter to anyone but me and Soda.” – pg. 143

Ponyboy: “Did they hate us now? I hoped they hated us, that they weren’t full of that pity-the-victims-of-environment junk the social workers kept handing Curly Shepard every time he got sent off to reform school. I’d rather have anybody’s hate than their pity.” – pg. 162

Ponyboy: “It was too vast a problem to be just a personal thing. There should be some help, someone should tell them before it was too late. Someone should tell their side of the story, and maybe people would understand then, and wouldn’t be so quick to judge a boy by the amount of hair oil he wore.” – pg. 179