Lesson 28: The Outsiders, Chapter 8, Part 1

Turn and Talk

Present the following to students:

Say these Directions: Brainstorm ways in which these two family relationships are similar and different.

Invite students to share characteristics of each family. As you record their answers, write an up arrow in front of the ways they are similar and a down arrow in front of the ways they are different. Make sure to save this chart for a future discussion.

• Say: Turn to a partner to discuss which character (Ponyboy or Johnny) you believe has a stronger support system at home.

  • Even though his parents have died and he’s living with his brothers, Ponyboy still has a stronger support system at home. On page 45, Ponyboy says, “Johnny’s parents were always beating him up or ignoring him. I had at least a big brother who cared. Johnny didn’t have anyone.” Ponyboy still felt loved and cared for with this siblings.

Connection to Today’s Learning

• Say: We will continue to compare and contrast these two families in an upcoming discussion.

Word Associations

Target Words: loyalty, division

Say these Directions: We’re going to talk a lot about the words loyalty and division today. These themes show up in this chapter of The Outsiders. Let’s explore both words more deeply.

Part A: Loyalty

Present the word loyalty to students and invite one student to pronounce it.

Say these Directions: Discuss with partners the associations that come to mind when you hear the word loyalty. Be prepared to share as a large group.

Prompt Student Thinking

• Ask: When you hear the word loyalty, what images come to mind?

  • A person who is committed to another person or a cause; Being loyal means that you always show up for another person. It means that you are a person they can count on, no matter what.

• Ask: What kind of relationships are often strengthened because of loyalty?

  • Close friendships and family relationships are stronger because of loyalty. People know they can trust and count on someone who is loyal. That’s almost expected from the people who know you best.

• Ask: If loyalty is about a strong commitment or dedication to someone, what might be the opposite?

  • The literal answer is disloyal. But betrayal is also the opposite of loyalty—so are inconsistency and undependability. Division could be the opposite, too.

Part B: Division

Present the word division near the word loyalty to students and invite one student to pronounce it.

Say these Directions: Discuss with partners the associations that come to mind when you hear the word division. Be prepared to share your answers as a large group.

Prompt Student Thinking

• Ask: When you hear the word division, what images come to mind?

  • I think of math and long division problems. That’s literally cutting numbers apart. When it’s between people, it’s kind of the same way. Relationships are broken and people are separated.

• Ask: What kind of relationships are often hurt because of division?

  • Every kind of relationship could be hurt because of division. Whole towns or even countries can be divided. But being divided from the people closest to you, like best friends or family, would hurt the most.

• Ask: What are some other words that mean the same to you as division?

  • A lot of the words that were the opposite of loyalty could apply here. But you could also add breaking or dissolution.

• Say: Explain to a partner what the words loyalty and division mean to you and how they are related.

  • Loyalty means always showing up for someone, no matter what. Division means breaking up something that was once important. They are opposites. They could also impact each other. People who are super loyal to each other probably can’t be divided.

Connection to Today’s Learning

• Say: The theme of loyalty shows up a lot in this part of The Outsiders, as Johnny wrestles with loyalty to both his birth family and his chosen family—his friends. Keep that theme in mind as we work through a few discussions about the text.

Part A: Discussion Practice (SL.7.1.c, SL.7.1.d) (10 minutes)

Transition by inviting students into a discussion about how loyalty can lead to connection. This will serve as a model for a larger discussion later in the lesson.

Discussion Warmup

Have students work in pairs to generate answers to questions that they will continue to explore in the Fishbowl Conversation in Part B.

Say these Directions: In order to practice for an upcoming discussion, discuss the following questions:

1. What connects us?

2. What divides us?

3. Who acts as the bridge between those divides?

Use the following sentence stems to aid in your discussion:

1. We are connected by _____. I think this because _____.

2. We are divided by _____. I think this because_____.

3. I think _____ acts as a bridge between these divides. I think this because: _____.

Model for students how to use sentence stems to answer each question:

1. We are connected by love. I think this because people do great things for each other when they love each other, and this brings them closer together.

2. We are divided by fear. I think this because when people are afraid, it’s hard to think about anything else.

3. I think understanding acts as a bridge between these divides. I think this because when people understand each other, they are no longer afraid of “the other.” It helps them lead with love instead.

Say these Directions: Work in partners or in small groups to take turns answering each question. Use the sentence stems as a guide.

Have students repeat this exercise in partners or in small groups as often as time allows. Instruct students to choose different factors that connect and divide with each new discussion.

• Ask: What were some of the common themes of the bridges that connect us? What are some common themes of the barriers that divide us? Is there a relationship between these two extremes?

  • We are connected by love, mutual respect, and shared interests. We are divided by things that are often seen as negative, such as fear, hate, or even strongly held beliefs that differ from others. Often, these are opposites of one another, with more positive emotions or interests connecting us, while the opposing emotions or beliefs divide us.

Provide students with a confidence continuum (i.e., 1–5). As needed, model how to demonstrate a level of confidence using the continuum.

Part B: Fishbowl Conversation (SL.7.1.d) (20 minutes)

Review with students the character-family table they created during the Launch section and the responses they generated to the questions in the previous section. Inform students that they will synthesize both for their upcoming discussion.

Fishbowl Conversation

Say these Directions: Our discussion today is going to be a Fishbowl Conversation. This helps us build meaning together instead of just sharing separate opinions. Here’s how it works: 

• Each of you will be in one of two groups: One group will sit in a circle in the middle of the room, and the other will sit in a circle around the first group.

• Students in the inner circle will have about five minutes to discuss the question prompts.

• While the group in the inner circle is discussing, the group in the outer circle will write questions based on each response.

• After five minutes, the groups will switch places. The new inner circle group will have their turn to discuss the question prompts, while the new outer circle group will take notes silently.

Provide students with the question prompts they will discuss during the Fishbowl Conversation. Then, model a response using discussion stems and examples.

Say these Directions: When you are in the inner circle, respond to the following prompt: How does Ponyboy’s family help him build a bridge to other characters? How do bridges help characters in The Outsiders see things from different perspectives?

Use the following sentence stems to aid in your discussion:

• Darry built a bridge for Ponyboy by _____. This helped him build a bridge to _____ because _____.

• Sodapop built a bridge for Ponyboy by _____. This helped him build a bridge to _____ because _____.

• A bridge that helps a character (or characters) in The Outsiders see things from different perspectives is _____.

  • Darry built a bridge for Ponyboy by being mean to him sometimes. This helped Ponyboy build a bridge to Johnny because he could see that his brother was mean to him because he loved him a lot. It seems like Johnny’s mom was just mean.

  • Sodapop built a bridge for Ponyboy by always standing up for him. This helped him bridge to Darry because it showed him how he wants a brother to act.

  • A bridge that helps the characters in The Outsiders see things from different perspectives is when the people in the town gain empathy and respect for Johnny after the fire. They thought he was just a troublemaker, but then they realized that he acted as a hero.

Say these Directions: When you are in the outer circle, generate questions or things you notice based on the conversation you hear.

• Why do you think Darry was mean? What if Sodapop hadn’t stood up for Ponyboy? I heard someone say that Ponyboy was actually lucky that his brother was raising him. Why did it take such extreme circumstances for the people of the town to show empathy?

Give the inner circle about five minutes to discuss the prompts while the outer circle writes questions. Then, have the groups switch places and roles.

Fishbowl Conversation: Round Two

After each group has had a chance to discuss the prompts and to generate questions, repeat this exercise again, this time with the questions students generated in the first round.

Say these Directions: Now that you have had a chance to share more about the ideas of building bridges and gaining perspective, we are going to have a follow-up conversation in which you can ask the questions you wrote while you were in the outer circle. You can also ask any other questions that come up during the conversation. While you are in the outer circle, listen for any answers to your questions and record any new ones that pop up.

When you are in the inner circle, raise at least one question you had while in the outer circle.

Use the following sentence stems to aid in your discussion:

• I heard someone say _____. I disagree with that because _____.

• I heard someone say _____. I agree with that because _____.

• I still wonder what someone meant by _____.

• You just asked about _____. One answer is _____.

  • heard someone say that Darry was probably a better parent than Ponyboy’s own dad would have been. I don’t think we have enough information to know that for sure, though. There isn’t enough evidence in the text to support that.

  • You just asked about why it took so long for the people of the town to show empathy. One answer is that their perceptions of kids they called “Greasers” were so deep that it took something huge for them to change their minds.

Quick Write

Gather formative data on students’ experiences with the Fishbowl Conversation.

Say these Directions: Share your experiences regarding today’s lesson.

• Ask: Which part of the discussion process was the most useful for improving your speaking skills, and which part of the discussion was most useful for improving your listening skills? Explain your choices.

  • Optional Sentence Starter:

    • The most useful part for improving my speaking skills was _____.

      • The most useful part for improving my listening skills was _____.

      • The most useful part for improving my speaking skills was feeling prepared because of the opening conversation. The most useful part for improving my listening skills was practicing with partners.

Instruct students to reread the second half of Chapter 8 and take notes in their Journal on the following prompt:

• Pick one character from Chapter 8 and write a short paragraph answering: Does this character build a bridge, widen a divide, or both? Cite at least one specific moment from the chapter as evidence.