Unit Overview

We read The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton our students focused on character development and the theme of loyalty.

These were our focus questions as we developed the unit:  
    *What is loyalty?
   *What are the beliefs and values of loyalty?
   *How does loyalty affect behavior?
   *How do authors portray loyalty?

    As result of reading the novel students have developed a general sense of the theme of loyalty and have been able to internalize this concept by making a personal connection to the novel.  Students are able to discuss situations in novels and real life where loyalty cannot be easily defined or interpreted.  It is our hope that by exploring this theme, student's behavior will in turn model the beliefs and values of loyalty.

    To begin the unit we started with "The Road to Reading."  They used a "reading map" and showed how they visualize themselves reading.  This allowed them to discuss and practice how to read before, during, and after a selected text.

Students learning about "The Road to Reading."

    Before reading The Outsiders, it was necessary for students to gain background knowledge about the 1960's.  We spent one class period learning about the people, events, and culture that occurred during that decade.  Students engaged in a series of multi-sensory experiences through video, music, writing, and an Internet scavenger hunt.

Learning about fashion and hair styles in the 1960's on the Internet.

    Reading was completed in class with the audio adaptation of the novel, so students would be able to make a more thorough connection. Throughout the reading process students completed a response journal, character maps, a plot diagram, and engaged in a class discussion after each chapter.  This preparatory work was utilized in the website that each student created after we completed the novel.

This was an opportunity to get comfortable and enjoy a good book.

    The website, using Microsoft Publisher, was a culmination of their experience reading The Outsiders.  It included the following pages:  Main Page, Plot Diagram, Loyalty, New or Slang Words, Favorite Character, and Their Topic Choice.

We spent a week in the computer lab to allow the students enough time to complete their websites.

    To conclude the unit, students were given an opportunity to reflect on their experience.  After watching the movie version of The Outsiders, they wrote a reflection letter to me explaining their favorite and least favorite parts of the unit.  Finally, they wrote a personal letter to the author, S.E. Hinton, discussing the movie and book, a personal connection they made while reading, and an overall evaluation of the novel.