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Literature Unit 3: Novels Literature Circles

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

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Objectives:

• Explore the characteristics of the novel and the genre of realistic fiction

• Apply knowledge of literary elements (plot, setting, POV, etc) to the reading of a novel in order to deepen understanding of what is read

• Utilize reading strategies like inferring, predicting, connecting, summarizing, and questioning before, during, and after reading

• Participate in group discussions and individual activities that enrich the reading experience

Process:

Students will read The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton as a class, alternately using whole-class, small group, and independent reading. Classes will read 2 chapters each week and meet in small groups (literature circles) 1-2 times per week to discuss the readings and complete extension and enrichment activities. Students will record all group and independent activities in the Outsiders Journal, which will be supplied to each student by the teacher. At the end of the reading process, students will participate in a graded small-group discussion and turn in their Outsiders journals for a test grade.

Literature Circles:

Literature circle groups will consist of six students, each with a unique job to complete before, during, and after reading. For each two-chapter section of the novel, students will receive a new job, so that every student will have a chance to try each job. Jobs for literature circles are as follows:

• The Discussion Leader: Uses questioning strategies to highlight important parts of the text; leads literature circle group in discussing these and other questions; facilitates the sharing of information from other jobs by keeping other students on task and directing the sharing process

• The Summarizer: Takes notes of important events, details, changes during the reading; creates a 2-3 paragraph summary of the text that was read; shares this summary with the group and edits his/her information to include other important information brought to light by group members

• The Illustrator: Uses creative abilities to draw a picture, symbol, or scene that represents the text that was read; shares picture with group members, explains the significance of the picture/symbol, and connects their drawing to the text

• The Vocabulary Enricher: Takes notes of any important or new words found in the text that was read; uses a dictionary to define each new word and learn how to effectively use it in a sentence; relays new words and their definitions to group members

• The Connector: Takes notes on important/significant events in the text that was read; makes text-text, text-world, and text-self connections with the text that was read; shares connections with group members and records any further connective ideas shared by group members

• The Literary Luminary: Chooses one or two important passages from the text that was read; records the passages and writes a brief synopsis of their importance; shares information with his/her group and explains why these passages are important in understanding key themes presented by the text

The Journal:

The Outsiders Journal will consist of one 2-pocket folder (provided by the teacher) filled with activities designed to enrich the student’s reading experience. Each reading section will be accompanied by a “job handout” to help students complete their role in the literature circle, a comprehension check, vocabulary builders, and other auxiliary activities that encourage students to apply their knowledge of reading strategies and literary elements to the reading of the text. For each chapter, student groups will also complete a focus activity (teacher-designed) and an extension activity (chosen by groups – can be independent or group activity). Teacher-designed focus activities are listed in the timeline.

The (Tentative) Timeline:

Week of 10/31: Pre-reading activities; reading Ch. 1-2; groups complete Character Caricature activityf; students complete all Ch. 1-2 worksheets independently

Week of 11/7: Reading Ch. 3-4; groups complete webquests and group papers (“You Be The Jury” or “1960s Culture”); students complete Ch. 3-4 worksheets

Week of 11/14: Reading Ch. 5-6; study of letter writing/ Ponybody’s letter from Soda; students complete Ch. 4-5 worksheets

Week of 11/21: Reading Ch. 7-8; activity for the poem “Nothing Gold Can Stay” by Robert Frost; students complete Ch. 7-8 worksheets

Week of 11/28: Reading Ch. 9-10; analysis of gang violence and its effects on children; students complete Ch. 9-10 worksheets

Week of 12/5: Reading Ch. 11-12; groups participate in “The Exchange” discussion (What can life teach us that school can’t?); students complete Ch. 11-12 worksheets

Week of 12/12-12/19: Viewing The Outsiders film; drafting, editing, and publishing Outsiders problem-solution essays; students turn in completed Outsiders journals no later than 12/16.

The Outsiders: A Brief Synopsis

The Outsiders is a novel written by S.E. Hinton, which tells the fictional account of three brothers – Darry, Sodapop, and Ponyboy Curtis, who, along with their gang of friends, belong to a class of miscreant teens known as “Greasers.” Set in the 1960s, the novel draws on Hinton’s own experiences of the social class wars between the “Greasers,” and their preppy rivals, called “Socs.” These two rival groups clash frequently and violently, but when one turf rumble goes too far, the lives of the Curtis boys are changed forever. Told from the point of view of Ponyboy, the youngest Curtis boy, the novel follows this narrator as he learns important life lessons about friendship, humanity, and personal strength.

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***Please note that I will attempt to put AS MUCH of the Outsiders Journal and other supplementary materials online as I can; unfortunately, some activities or worksheets may be copyrighted, meaning that I will not be able to share them on the web. If you miss a literature circle meeting, you will need to meet with your group AND the teacher before the next literature circle has met, or you will not be able to participate. Failure to complete missed activities in the Outsiders journal will result in a lowered grade, which you DO NOT want for this activity.

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