THE OUTSIDERS TEENS AND LIFE CHOICES

Based on the novel by S.E. Hinton

INTRODUCTION

The feud between the Greasers and Socs must end! You have been selected to represent either the Socs or the Greasers at a summer camp. Help these gangs from The Outsiders to resolve their differences and develop a plan for the future.

"Nothing Gold Can Stay" by Robert Frost
Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

In part one, you will become part of a group of five Greasers and Socs who will plan a week of activities and guidelines for getting along in a camp setting. You will create a chart showing the objectives, the skills being learned, and the activities.

In part two, you will select a job or a career for your character based on his/her traits.

 

You are all being sent to camp to work out your differences and learn to get along. Together, the Socs and the Greasers need to plan a set of guidelines for working together, getting along, accepting others' differences, and the specific activities they will be involved in. The activities must promote teamwork and decision-making.

1. You will be assigned to a group of five students to work with on this webquest.
   
2. Take a look at the rubric for how your group will be graded before you complete any of the work.
   
3. Each of you should choose a character from the novel. At least two group members must pick Greasers and two must pick Socs. The fifth group member can pick either way.

   Socs	Cherry	Randy	Marcia	Bob	Buck
   Greasers	Ponyboy	Soda	Two-Bit	Dally	Darry

4. As you read The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton, pay close attention to the characters and what makes them act the way they do. Use post-its to mark passages in your novel where the character's personality traits are shown. Mark these four things about your character that demonstrate his/her personality:

   • Actions by the character
   • Words spoken by the character
   • Words spoken by other character's in the novel about yours
   • Thoughts and emotions the author lets you know about by your character
     

5. Organize this information into a cluster to use as reference (sample cluster). Share your clusters within the group and adjust as necessary to reach consensus on the personality of each character. 

1. Research the various camp opportunities. Take notes on what you find using this Notetaking Guide.

   • What kind of water sports would work well at your camp?
   • What activities on land will you use?
   • What team-building activities does your camp need?
   • How will the layout of your camp help you resolve conflicts?
   • What will you organize for eating meals together?
   • In addition to ordinary rules that you find at camp, what are the guidelines you will give the campers to abide by to help keep the peace?
   •  What will a daily schedule look like at your camp?
     

2. Discuss the pros and cons of various programs within the group. Use this Decision Organizer Chart to facilitate your discussion.
   
    
3. Using the results of your discussion, plan a week long program (Five days) for the Greasers and Socs. Include:
   
   

   a daily schedule for each of the five days. (Each group member is responsible for scheduling one of the days.) the activities location what is needed who does what camp layout Mealtime organization (once each day)

 

1. Create a set of six guidelines for everyone to follow. Remember that the Greasers and Socs have been enemies for a long time. Keep in mind their different backgrounds and lifestyles. Your guidelines should be designed with the purpose of bringing the two groups together and moving them toward accepting each others' differences. Create a poster to display your guidelines.
   
2. The group will present the chart and guidelines to the class. Responsibility for the presentation must be divided equally among the group members. Provide thorough explanations throughout the presentation.

Now go on to Part 2 to choose a career for your character! 



Make an education and career plan for your character. Create a flow chart showing the steps and requirements in preparing for the career. Then write a letter of recommendation for your character that he/she could use to get a job or begin a career.
 

1. Research how to get a job or career. This University of Buffalo site has more information about how to get a job.Take notes on what you find and learn through the use of this Job Notes Guide. 2. Choose a possible career for your character to pursue at this School Finder website. Answer the questions at the quiz link as though you were the character you are portraying! The career must fit the personality, skills, and interests of your character. Read over the sheets you worked on in Part 1 about the character's personality traits.

3. Apply your "how to get a job" notes to your career. Circle anything in your notes that someone must do to pursue the career you have chosen. Then number the circled items in the order those things need to be completed. 4.Create a flow chart which shows the steps needed to get into the chosen career. Be sure to include education and training as well as experience. Take a look at this sample flowchart to get an idea of how to create one.

Write a letter of recommendation from you to the manager of an organization for your character to apply for this job/career. The Monster Career Website will give you directions on how to write the letter. Your letter should include this information:

• how you know this character
• what the character's qualifications are
• general characteristics about the character that make him/her a good applicant for the job.

Proofread your letter. Have your group members proofread it. Revise. Rewrite. Have a member of you group proofread it again. Type a final copy and turn it in with all drafts and the flowchart attached.

  

Rubric for the Camp Chart and GuidelinesRubric for the Flow Chart and the Letter

Camp Chart and Guidelines	Exemplary 4	Accomplished 3	Developing 2	Beginning 1	Score
Selection of Activities and Graphic Organizers	Activities are especially effective tools for the characters to use to live peacefully with each other. Graphic organizers show insight into conflict resolution.	Activities selected by the group are appropriate for the characters to use to end their feud. Note-taking guides and Decision Organizer Charts are complete.	Most of the activities chosen are appropriate. Some of them lacked valid explanation. Group may not have completed sufficient number of activities. Graphic organizers may be complete.	Presentation includes graphic organizers which may not be complete. Insufficient number of activities are included.
Daily Schedule Completed by Each Group Member	Each group member has completed a detailed schedule which lists activities which go beyond the required items.	Each group member has completed a detailed schedule which lists activities, location, what is needed, a meal organization, and who does what.	Each group member has completed a schedule which lists activities, and other information, but it does not reflect organization or items may be missing.	Not all of the daily schedules are complete. Much information is missing.
Organization of Material	Presentation charts are neat and demonstrate attention to detail and cooperation among the group members.	Presentation charts are neat and demonstrate a well-organized plan.	Charts lack presentability. An attempt at organization is evident.	There is no evidence of organization among the group members. Work is not presentable.
Six Guidelines	Choice of guidelines demonstrates mature, insightful thought.	Guidelines are appropriate choices to achieve peace between the gangs for the week at camp.	Most of the guidelines are effective/appropriate. Some of them are not based on a rationale to resolve conflicts between the gangs.	Many of the guidelines are not based on conflict resolution.
Character Role-Playing	Role-playing demonstrates superior knowledge of character's traits.	Personality of the character is maintained throughout the presentation through content, voice, body language and/or facial expressions	An attempt to role-play the character is evident, but is not maintained throughout the presentation.	The character is mentioned during the presentation, but there is no attempt to role-play him/her.

Flow Chart and the Letter	Exemplary 4	Accomplished 3	Developing 2	Beginning 1	Score
Steps in the Flow Chart	The steps to attain this job/career are clearly outlined, organized and are match the character's traits perfectly.	The steps to attain this job/career are clearly outlined, organized and are feasible for the character.	The steps to attain this job/career are outlined, show an attempt at organization and would be interesting to the character.	The steps to attain this job/career are not clearly outlined. Organization is lacking.
Appropriateness of career choice	The career choice for this character shows insight into his/her strengths and weaknesses.	The career choice for this character matches his/her personality/physical traits.	The career choice is acceptable, but is probably not the best.	The career choice has not been pursued with enough effort.
Organization of Material	Flow chart and Letter of Recommendation are neat and demonstrate attention to detail and cooperation among the group members.	Flow chart and Letter of Recommendation are neat and demonstrate a well-organized plan.	Chart and Letter lack presentability. An attempt at organization is evident.	There is no evidence of organization. Work is not presentable.
Letter of Recommendation	The letter follows the guidelines, has all three paragraphs and demonstrates mature insight.	The letter follows the guidelines and contains all three paragraphs.	The letter attempts to follow the guidelines and proper format.	The letter does not follow guidelines consistently.
Mechanics	Flow Chart and Letter of Recommendation demonstrate an above-grade level knowledge of grammar and mechanics.	The Chart and the Letter have few or no mechanical errors.	The Chart and the Letter contain mechanical errors which detract from the content.	The Chart and the Letter have a significant number of errors which make the documents difficult to read.

This JOB required a great deal of mature thinking on your part, and you should be proud of your accomplishment. Isn't it interesting that no matter what your background, or your circumstances in life, there are ways to live peacefully for everyone? The key is to learn how to get along with, and work with everyone, no matter who he/she may be.