The Outsiders Lesson Plan

Lesson: Getting Inside The Outsiders through Music
By: Kevin Weber
Primary Subject: Language Arts
Grade Level: 7-8

OBJECTIVES: Students will be better able to:

• Recognize themes in The Outsiders and popular music.

• Recognize social ostracism in their own lives.

• Recognize different genres of popular music.

AUDIENCE: This lesson is designed for middle school students (seventh and eighth grade) reading S.E. Hinton’s novel The Outsiders. However, it could be used with younger or older students reading a similar text.

TIME FRAME: In order to promote healthy class discussion, this lesson should be completed in roughly three fifty-minute class periods.

MATERIALS:

1. The lyrics and recordings of selected recordings
2. Copies of S.E. Hinton’s novel The Outsiders

BACKGROUND: For this lesson to be most effective, students should have read nearly half of the novel. At that point, they will be able to recognize the themes of forbidden love, friendship, and social ostracism. Biographical information from the Rock and Roll HaIl of Fame website (http://www.rockhall.com) should be shared on Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Hank Williams, Sr., Bob Dylan, and The Who. Also, the phrase “social ostracism” should be defined and discussed with students.

PROCEDURES:

1. “Heartbreak Hotel”: Discuss this song using the modified Rock Window. Discuss how this song relates to the theme of forbidden love in The Outsiders, specifically concerning Cherry and Ponyboy. Discuss why the Greasers might relate to Elvis Presley.
2. “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away”: Discuss this song using the modified Rock Window. Discuss how this song might relate to the theme of forbidden love in The Outsiders, specifically concerning Cherry and Ponyboy. Discuss why the Socs might relate to The Beatles.
3. “I’m So Lonesome, I Could Cry”: Discuss this song using the modified Rock Window. Discuss how this song might relate to the theme of social ostracism in The Outsiders, specifically concerning the Greasers. Discuss why the Greasers might relate to Hank Williams, Sr.
4. “Two of Us”: Discuss this song using the modified Rock Window. Discuss how this song might relate to the theme of friendship in The Outsiders, specifically concerning Ponyboy and Johnny.
5. "A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall”: Discuss this song using the modified Rock Window. Discuss this song in relation to The Outsiders. Would the Socs or the Greasers relate to this song?
6. "My Generation”: Discuss this song using the modified Rock Window. Discuss this song in relation to The Outsiders. Would the Socs or the Greasers relate to this song?

EVALUATION: In small groups, students are to select three modern songs. One of these three songs must relate to the theme of forbidden love, another to the theme of social ostracism, and a third to the theme of friendship. Lyrics to these songs are to be submitted with an essay explaining how the songs relate to the themes and to The Outsiders. If class time is available, students could present their songs and rationale to the class. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I really like the ideas Weber presented in this lesson!

What was GOOD about Weber's lesson?

• Weber ties in a real-world connection to the novel. This is beneficial to students; it helps them better understand the novel.
  
• Weber makes students apply what they have learned in class to find a modern day example of a song. Brilliant!
  
• Weber allows students to do this assignment in a group, which makes the task seem less daunting.
  

What would I do to IMPROVE Weber's lesson?

• If time allowed, I would provide more examples of these artists' music.
  
• While listening to the songs presented in class, I would show the students images of the artists because I think this would help them get a better picture in their heads.
• I would give students an example of a modern-day song, such as the one in the video below, and tell the students its theme; I believe this will help them better understand the requirements for the assignment.
  
  
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