The Outsiders
Layered Curriculum
Ms. Lucas
General Requirements for all activities:
Every activity should be neat! I want to see that you have given the time and effort to make your project the best it can be. Do NOT use notebook paper for anything. ALL written work needs to be typed.
C Layer: Knowledge: Choose the activities you want to do for a total of 40 points.
___C1: Cut pictures out of magazines to create a collage of items representing the book. You may use words and names as well as pictures (15-20). Put on a full-sized poster board and be sure to include a title. (15 points)
___C2: Create a quality colored illustration of one important scene. (15 points)
___C3: Make a Venn diagram that shows the similarities and differences between the Greasers and the Socs. Include at least 6-10 items in each section. Then, devise a “Rules of Conduct” (about 5) telling exactly what both Greasers and Socs need to do to live peacefully together. The finished product should be posted on a full-sized poster board. (20 points)
___C4: Make a character “Acrostic Poem”. Start by writing the character’s name down the page, vertically, in large, bold letters. Next, use each letter in the character’s name as the first letter in a line of poetry (not just one word). Each line should make a statement about the character. It does not have to rhyme. The finished product should be neat and colorful. (10 points)
___C5: Make a Glogster selecting one character from the novel. Be sure to include things associated with the character you have selected. Make it interesting. You may show me the Glogster on-line or print out a copy of it to turn in on the due date. (20 points)
B Layer: Application: Choose the activities you want to do for 30 points.
___B1: Record an original soundtrack for the novel. Choose 10-15 songs purposefully (ones that go along with different scenes/themes from the book). Include at least one song by Elvis Presley (for the Greasers) one by the Beatles (for the Socs), and one by Hank Williams (for Buck Merril). Create the cover design, a track listing and actually MAKE the CD. On a separate sheet of paper, give reasons why you chose each of these songs. (20 points)
___B2: Ponyboy and Cherry realize that all people can enjoy the same sunsets. Use your hands to create a sunset out of textured art materials such as colored sand, small beads, spices, colored pasta, fabric scraps, clay, yarn, wrapping paper, glitter, salt, etc. Then, type up the poem “Nothing Gold Can Stay” by Robert Frost. Paste the poem onto your sunset page. (20 points)
___B3: Pick out 12 significant incidents in the book. Make a timeline with the incidents and a two-sentence explanation of why they are significant. (10 points)
___B4: Design your idea of the perfect place, like Ponyboy talks about. Include details about what you see, hear, smell, taste, and touch there. Include photos or illustrations. Compare your perfect place to Ponyboy’s. This should be 1-2 pages typed. (10 points)
___B5: Create a website based upon the characters and events of the story. Include sections including the following: Characters, Setting, Plot, Climax, and author section. Use www.wix.com to create website. You will present website to class on Promethean. (30 points)
A Layer: Evaluation: Choose ONE activity that you want to do for 30 points.
___A1: The teenagers in this novel face realistic teenage problems. Brainstorm a list of ten critical problems facing teenagers today. Narrow the list down to three or four, and then write a 2-3 page essay defining the phrase “teenage problems”. Each problem will become a main idea (and therefore a body paragraph) of your essay. Your thesis might be something like,”Three critical problems facing teenagers today include______, _____, and ______.” Don’t forget to include an introduction and conclusion as well.
___A2: There are many types of heroes. What constitutes a hero? Who is your hero? Focusing on one famous (or unknown) hero, write a 2-3 page essay defining the word hero and informing us about your own hero. Main ideas (and therefore body paragraphs) might include qualities of that person. Include an introduction and a conclusion as well.
___A3: Choose three of the following topics and write a full paragraph for each one. Be sure to back up your opinion with thoughtful arguments, evidence, and discussion.
· What makes people mean?
· Is a college education worth the cost?
· Which character is most like you?
· Should you be content with what you have, or should you want to change?
· Does social rank define a person?
· Is it better to have someone’s hate or their pity? How does our society react to this statement?
· How can parents love too much or too little?
· Are things ‘rough all over’? Defend your opinion.
___A4: Create the next chapter for The Outsiders. The new chapter should be at least four pages in length.
___A5: Choose three quotations from the handout that you feel are in some way representative of The Outsiders. Explain how/why the quotes relate to the story. Use text evidence to justify your reasons.