Chapter 4

Chapter 4 Activities

Task 1: 

While reading the chapter, compile notes on the following quotations concerning the:

• Context of each quotation (action in the plot surrounding the quotation)
• Significance of each quotation (why is this moment interesting or important?)

a. "I couldn't have gotten much cooler without turning into a popsicle. (53)

b. "He was as white as a ghost and his eyes were wild-looking, like the eyes of an animal in a trap" (54)

c.  "...he was watching the moonlight glint off Bob's rings with huge eyes" (55)

d. "...trying to figure out what there was about this tough-looking hood that a girl like Cherry Valance could love" (59)

e. "...He still reminded me of a lost puppy who had been kicked too often" (63)

f. ""Shoot," Johnny said with a grin, "you are too." (64)

g. "It was a small church, real old and spooky and spiderwebby." (66) 

be prepared for a quote quiz on a selection of these quotations

Task 2: 

This week's writing task is to compose a story in which the following line can be found. You can use these words as the first sentence, or include them as part of the body of your story. 

"The dawn was coming. It was lightening the sky in the east and a ray of gold touched the hills."

Step 1: Produce a prewriting plan that details:

1. The beginning, middle and ending sections of your story
2. Details relating to the setting
3. Details relating to the character and point of view

Step 2: Edit your first draft such that you include a selection of:

1. Good vocabulary terms
2. Sentence starters (adv, pp, sub.clause, -ing, however, nevertheless etc...)
3. Sentence enhancers (vss, metaphor, simile, parallelism, personification, onomatopoeia etc...)
4. Sentence Enhancers

Task 3:

Step I

Examine the poem below. What ideas does the poem convey to you? Summarize your ideas as a "Sometimes people... " theme statement. Then, produce a SEE paragraph that describes how this theme is found within the poem.

Step II

Examine the theme you used for Step I. Produce a second SEE paragraph in which you describe how this same message can be discovered in our novel. Be sure to utilize specific evidence from the text.

Plan and edit your work to ensure that is up to your highest standards (include elements of structure and style)

Nothing Gold Can Stay

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.

Robert Frost

Step III. Post the paragraphs you produced in Steps I and II on the comment board.

Chapter 3

Task 1

For this section, we'll be reciprocal reading. In your small groups, you will nominate someone to serve as:

1. A Chairperson (who identifies the reading goals, timelines and keeps things moving)
2. A Reader (who reads the assigned section)
3. A Speaker (who summarizes the reading section, and identifies key lines)

The roles of Reader and Speaker should alternate during each class. All members of the group should serve as a Chairperson at least once during the week.

Step 1: Set reading goals for each of the three reading sessions.

Step 2: Group members will create SQ3P notes at the completion of each reading session. These sheets will be available in class.

Note: This means that each group member will have three SQ3P reports completed by the end of the third reading class.

Task 2

Step 1

Read the section of Barack Obama's Inauguration Address. Identify as many of the following writing techniques as you can in the selection:

• parallelism
• metaphor 
• simile
• allusion
• strong adverb
• vocabulary terms
• symbolism
• other

Step 2

What ideas or theme do you think the speech is developing? Use a web to gather your ideas. Select your favorite idea, and write it as a thesis statement.

Step 3

Examine the image above (also available on your speech sheet). Use the words you find to help you write a poem that develops the thesis statement you identified in step 2. (minimum of 8 lines). Try to utilize one of the techniques you found in Step 1.

Step 4

In what way(s) does your poem relate to the novel The Outsiders? Write your ideas in a paragraph.

Step 5

Post Steps 3 and 4 on this comment page.

Chapter 2

During Chapter 2 Ponyboy describes his interactions with his peer group. He describes himself as he "...chased two junior-high kids across a field for a few minutes" (pg 20), and later relates Dally's efforts to bully Cherry Valance. Clearly, bullies play a large role in Ponyboy's social environment. 

Construct a note (worthy of submission) for the following tasks:

Task 1

Read the message below. Then visit the website that follows. Summarize what you learn in a precis.

http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2005-2009/2008OTP0041-000246.htm

Task 2

Visit the following site:

http://kidshealth.org/kid/grow/school_stuff/bullies.html

Build notes on the following headings:

1. Why Bullying is a Big Deal
2. Why Bullies Act That Way
3. How to Handle Bullies
4. What Happens to Bullies

Task 3

Use your knowledge of bullies to complete the following writing task:

• Write a paragraph that details the five most important things you learned about bullies and bullying.
• Write a paragraph in which you describe the role of bullies and bullying in our novel thus far? Are some characters bullies? What motivates them? How do characters react to bullies? Predict what will happen to these bullies as the novel progresses.

Task 4

Posting:

• Read several of your classmate's postings
• Build your own posting in which you discuss something you liked in one of your peer's comments, then publish your own compositions for Task 3

Chapter 1 Photo Summary

Activity 1:

Select five of the pictures from above. Copy them onto a Word document and match each with a quotation from the novel. Explain the context and significance of this quotation to the novel thus far.

Activity 2:

Select three of the quotations below. Add them to your Word document, labeling the page number. Explain the context and significance for your selection.

a. "Darry's always rough with me without meaning to be." (6)

b. "he doesn't need to. He gets drunk on just plain living" (8)

c. "And you can't win against them no matter how hard you try" (11)

d. "He had been a real popular guy in school" (16)

e. "He's just got more worries than somebody his age ought to" (17)

f. "I lie to myself all the time. But I never believe me" (18)

Activity 3:

Make a list of the qualities associated with a good parent. Is Darry a good parent? Compose a persuasive paragraph in which you support your statement with direct evidence.

Post your paragraph on the comment board. Be sure to use your best, most appropriate writing style. Place your first name in the comment only.