Lesson 12: The Outsiders, Chapter 4, Part 1

Turn and Talk

Say these Directions: Share your response to the homework reflection prompt with a partner before sharing in whole-class discussion.

• Ask: What do people do when they are scared, and how does experiencing a major event with others build bonds?

  • Some people panic and look to others for help when they are scared; other people try to appear strong and not show fear. I think experiencing a major event with others can help build bonds because people may feel that no one else can really understand what they’ve been through.

Guide students in using morphology to determine the meanings of apprehensive and premonition. Support students in applying these words to character emotions and motivations using text-based evidence and discussion.

Introduce New Words Using Morphology

Target words: apprehensive, premonition

Say these Directions: We’re learning about the words apprehensive and premonition today. Let’s explore these words more deeply.

Introduce the Word: Present the word apprehensive to students and pronounce it.

• Ask: Have you seen the word apprehensive before? Where?

Identify the Root: Underline the root prehens in apprehensive.

• Say: Prehens comes from the Latin prehendere, meaning “to seize,” “to take hold of,” or “to grasp.”

• Ask: Do you know any other words with the root prehens?

• Say: The word comprehend, which you may have seen before, has the same root and means “understand.” When you comprehend an idea, you grasp or take hold of it with your mind.

Identify Affixes: Circle the affixes ap- and -ive in apprehensive.

• Say: Ap- comes from Latin ad-, meaning “to” or “toward.”

• Ask: What do you think the suffix -ive might mean based on words you know, like creative, active, sensitive, or inventive?

  • capable of, able to, likely to

Sound Spelling:

• Say: Before we determine the meaning, let’s say the word aloud, one syllable at a time: “ap / pre / hens / ive.” The final syllable is the suffix -ive that we just discussed, spelled i-v-e. Connecting the spelling to the suffix -ive (relating to, having a tendency to) can help you recognize this pattern in other words.

Determine Meaning:

• Ask: Using what we know about ap-, prehens, and -ive, what do you think apprehensive might mean?

  • to be able to come closer to grasping or taking hold of something, or to understanding something

• Say: The word apprehensive is used today to mean being nervous, anxious, and fearful that something bad will happen in the future. This meaning relates to the morphological roots. If you are apprehensive, you come closer to grasping or understanding that something might be bad or dangerous.

Language Connection: The Spanish cognate aprensivo/a and Italian cognate apprensivo/a have a similar meaning and root.

Build Word Relationships: Present apprehensively next to apprehensive to students.

• Ask: Based on your knowledge of the suffix -ly, what do you think apprehensively means?

  • in a way that is nervous about something bad happening

Repeat the routine with premonition.

Introduce the Word: Present the word premonition to students and pronounce it.

• Ask: Have you seen the word premonition before? Where?

Identify the Root: Underline the base moni in premonition.

Say: Moni comes from Latin monere, meaning “to warn or advise beforehand.”

• Ask: Do you know any other words with the root moni?

Identify Affixes: Circle pre- and -tion in premonition.

• Ask: What do you think the prefix pre- might mean based on words you know, like prepare or predict?

  • before

Sound Spelling:

• Say: Before we determine the meaning, let’s say the word aloud, one syllable at a time: “pre / mo / nit / ion.” The first syllable is the prefix -pre that we just discussed, spelled p-r-e. The final syllable is the suffix -ion, spelled i-o-n. Connecting the spelling to the prefix -pre (before) and suffix -ion (a state or process) can help you recognize this pattern in other words.

Determine Meaning:

• Ask: Using what we know about pre-, moni, and -tion, what do you think premonition means?

  • the state or condition of warning about something before it happens

• Say: Premonition means “a strong feeling that something bad is going to happen.” It refers to a feeling or state and not an action.

Build Word Relationships: Present apprehensive next to premonition to students.

• Ask: If you had a premonition about something, would you be apprehensive about it? Why?

  • If you had a feeling something bad would happen, you would be nervous and fearful.

Connection to Today’s Learning

• Say: As you read Chapter 4, you will encounter many plot events that make characters nervous, fearful, or anxious about the future. Pay attention to how events cause, or are caused by, characters’ fears and anxieties.

Part A: Prepare to Read: The Outsiders, beginning of Chapter 4 (RL.7.3) (5 minutes)

How Conflict Reveals Identity

Transition by pointing out ideas from the class discussion that show how fear reveals what matters to people. (Ex. When people are scared, they trust each other/they protect others/they look out for themselves first.)

• Say: When people face danger, their actions may reveal what matters most to them, such as staying safe, protecting or being with family, or showing loyalty.

Say these Directions: Based on what you know about the characters in The Outsiders, what do you think matters most to Ponyboy? What matters most to Johnny? What evidence supports your inference?

As needed, provide a word/phrase bank of potential values, such as loyalty, safety, family, belonging, showing courage, protecting others, being true to yourself, being understood.

• I think what matters most to Ponyboy is being understood by others. In the text, he mentions that he is closest to Soda because he feels that Soda understands him in a way that others don’t. I think safety matters most to Johnny because he is always anxious and prepared with his switchblade to defend himself against attacks.

• Say: Part of the unit’s Essential Question is: How do our relationships shape our belonging and identity?

• Say: The section of Chapter 4 you will read today includes a major conflict in the plot. The conflict shapes and reveals details about the characters’ identities and about their important relationships.

• Say: One important way that an author shows details about a character is through narration. Pay attention to what Ponyboy reveals in his first-person narration, both what he says and how he says it.

Part B: Read, Discuss, and Analyze: The Outsiders (RL.7.3) (25 minutes)

Guide students in reading and analyzing a key conflict to understand how it shapes character identity. Facilitate discussion using evidence, focusing on character responses, motivations, and cause-and-effect relationships.

Say these Directions: Read page 58 beginning with “Where can we find him?” until “…this afternoon.” Pay attention to these details as we read:

• What Ponyboy reveals in first-person narration

• How Ponyboy and Johnny respond to events

Have students take turns reading aloud. Provide pronunciation guidance as needed.

Think-Pair-Share

Say these Directions: Follow the Think-Pair-Share routine to discuss the answers to the questions below. First, independently annotate the text and form your own ideas. Then, join your partner and discuss your ideas. Listen carefully to your partner’s ideas. Before sharing a new idea, show you understand by repeating it in your own words or asking a question. Think about what your partner said and be open to improving your own ideas based on their input.

You may select one or more of the following questions for stronger focus, or you might want to add a question of your own to add to the discussion.

• Ask: What does the conflict reveal about Ponyboy? How do you think it changes him?

  • The conflict reveals that Ponyboy is unafraid to stand up to the Socs and that his reputation matters to him; he reacts strongly to being called “white trash.” It changes him because he realizes how high the stakes can be in the group’s conflict, and he is more afraid of consequences than he was before.

• Ask: What does the conflict reveal about Johnny? How do you think it affects him?

  • The conflict reveals that Johnny is willing to stand up for and save his friends at great cost. It affects him because he is forced to be more mature and self-sufficient; previously he seemed nervous and reliant on the gang to protect him.

• Ask: Why do you think the author chose to have these characters experience this event in the plot?

  • I think the author wanted to focus on Ponyboy and Johnny’s relationship and how their friendship will change under extreme stress. Ponyboy and Johnny are the youngest and most vulnerable members of the gang, and surviving an event like this might be more difficult for them than it would be for others.

• Ask: Think about how Ponyboy repeats the phrases “This can’t be happening” and “I want a cigarette” in his narration. What does this repetition reveal about his feelings?

  • The repetition suggests that Ponyboy is in shock. It indicates that his brain is focusing on a single thought or sensation, such as wanting a cigarette, to avoid thinking about what to do next. It also indicates that Ponyboy may be in denial about the reality of events.

Have students write a brief response using text evidence to explain how narration reveals Ponyboy’s feelings and identity. Use responses to assess understanding of point of view.

Quick Write

Say these Directions: Write one or two sentences to answer the question. Support your answer with evidence from the text.

• How does Ponyboy’s first-person narration of the scene help the reader understand his feelings and his identity?

  • Optional Sentence Starter:

    • “Ponyboy tells readers that ____. This detail helps me understand that he feels ______ and that he is _______.”

      • Ponyboy tells readers that although he and Johnny were scared, they tried not to give the Socs “the satisfaction of knowing it.” This detail helps me understand that he feels anxious but wants to stand up for himself, and that appearing brave and tough is important to his identity.

Instruct students to read the rest of Chapter 4 of The Outsiders and take notes in their Journal as they annotate the text in response to the following prompt.

• How does Ponyboy feel about the events that are unfolding? How do his feelings affect his actions?