"Outsiders Odyssey: Characters & Plot Unraveled"

8th Grade Project 4 weeks

"Outsiders Odyssey: Characters & Plot Unraveled"

Hannah Phelps

C.8.3

L.8.3

L.8.5

RL.8.2

RL.8.4

+ 4 more

1-pager

Purpose

The purpose of this project is to engage 8th-grade students in a comprehensive exploration of 'The Outsiders' by connecting its themes and characters to contemporary societal issues and personal experiences. Through interactive and multimedia activities, students will deepen their understanding of narrative techniques, character development, and thematic analysis. This project fosters critical thinking, empathy, and communication skills by encouraging students to draw parallels between the novel and real-world contexts.

Learning goals

Students will explore and analyze the themes and character development in 'The Outsiders', drawing connections to contemporary societal issues. They will utilize narrative techniques and textual evidence to create a multimedia presentation that compares a character's journey to personal or societal experiences. Through collaboration with a community youth center, students will engage in discussions that deepen their understanding of empathy and real-world dynamics. By developing a digital interactive timeline, students will visually map plot and character arcs, linking them to modern themes, while peer critique sessions will refine their analytical and presentation skills.

Standards

C.8.3 - Use narratives strategically in other modes of writing, utilizing effective technique, well-chosen details and well-structured sequences for an intended purpose.
L.8.3 - Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading or listening.
L.8.5 - Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships and nuances in word meanings.
RL.8.2 - Determine themes of a text, and analyze how they are developed through relationships of characters, setting and plot, citing textual evidence, paraphrasing or summarizing.
RL.8.4 - Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including but not limited to analogies or allusions to other texts.
RL.8.3 - Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character or provoke a decision.
RL.8.6 - Analyze characters' and readers' perspectives and how the differences create effects, including but not limited to suspense, humor and empathy.
RL.8.7 - Analyze the extent to which a filmed/live production of a story or drama stays faithful to or departs from the text or script, evaluating choices made by the director or actors.
RL.8.9 - Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events or character types from myths, traditional stories or religious works, including describing how the material is rendered new.

Products

Students will create a digital interactive timeline that maps the plot and character development of 'The Outsiders', incorporating multimedia elements to explore thematic connections to contemporary issues. Additionally, they will produce a multimedia presentation that draws parallels between a character's journey in the novel and a personal experience or societal issue, utilizing narrative techniques and textual evidence. These projects will be showcased during an exhibition at the community youth center, where students will engage in discussions and activities linking the novel's themes to real-life experiences.

Launch

Kick off the project with an 'Interactive Plot Walkthrough' where students physically move through different stations representing significant plot points from 'The Outsiders.' At each station, students will engage in activities that encourage them to analyze character development and thematic elements, fostering a deeper understanding of the narrative. This immersive experience sets the stage for the project by allowing students to actively explore the novel's intricacies and draw connections to real-world themes.

Exhibition

The 8th-grade students will host a community exhibition at the local youth center, showcasing their digital interactive timelines and multimedia presentations. This event will feature stations where attendees can engage with students' projects, exploring thematic connections between 'The Outsiders' and contemporary societal issues. Students will facilitate discussions, encouraging visitors to reflect on character empathy maps and share their own perspectives on the novel's relevance today.

Plan

Week 1	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Activities	Interactive Plot Walkthrough Launch - Students participate in the 'Interactive Plot Walkthrough', moving through stations representing key plot points of 'The Outsiders' to analyze characters and themes (45 min)	Essential Question Exploration - Students discuss the essential question and brainstorm connections between 'The Outsiders' and current societal issues (20 min) Character Mapping - Begin creating character maps to identify relationships, motivations, and developments using textual evidence from 'The Outsiders' (25 min)	Character Empathy Mapping - Develop character empathy maps to visually represent understanding of character journeys, motivations, and challenges in 'The Outsiders' (30 min) Figurative Language Analysis - Examine figurative language in selected passages to understand its impact on tone and meaning (15 min)	Dialogue and Incident Analysis - Analyze key dialogues and incidents to understand how they propel the action and reveal character traits (25 min) Theme Development Workshop - Collaboratively identify and discuss themes in 'The Outsiders' and how they are developed through plot and character relationships (20 min)	Multimedia Presentation Planning - Outline plans for multimedia presentations comparing character journeys to personal or societal experiences, incorporating narrative techniques and textual evidence (30 min) Peer Review Setup - Organize groups for upcoming peer review sessions, setting criteria for constructive feedback (15 min)
Deliverables	1. Character Empathy Map with a Reflective Paragraph
Preparation	1. Prepare materials for the Interactive Plot Walkthrough, including station prompts and activity sheets. 2. Provide large paper, markers, and other creative supplies for character empathy maps. 3. Compile a list of thematic discussion questions for brainstorming sessions. 4. Create a rubric for evaluating character empathy maps and reflections.

Week 2	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Activities	Character Analysis Deep Dive - Students work in pairs to analyze a key character from 'The Outsiders', using textual evidence to explore motivations and development, and begin drafting character analysis reports (45 min)	Theme Exploration Workshop - Collaboratively identify and discuss how themes in 'The Outsiders' are connected to contemporary societal issues, using textual evidence to support insights (30 min) Multimedia Presentation Storyboarding - Begin creating storyboards for multimedia presentations, mapping out narrative techniques and textual evidence to be used (15 min)	Connotative Language Investigation - Analyze passages from 'The Outsiders' to understand the impact of word choice on tone and meaning, focusing on connotative and figurative language (25 min) Peer Feedback Session - Exchange storyboards with peers to receive feedback on narrative techniques and thematic connections (20 min)	Character Perspective Analysis - Investigate how different perspectives in 'The Outsiders' create suspense, empathy, or humor, using specific incidents and dialogues (25 min) Interactive Timeline Planning - Begin designing a digital interactive timeline to map plot and character development, integrating multimedia elements (20 min)	Digital Interactive Timeline Development - Work on creating digital interactive timelines, incorporating multimedia elements that highlight thematic connections to societal issues (30 min) Reflection and Goal Setting - Reflect on progress made in character analysis and multimedia projects, setting goals for the next phase of development (15 min)
Deliverables	1. Completed character profile with textual evidence. 2. A visual empathy map for the chosen character. 3. Draft multimedia presentation, incorporating narrative techniques and textual evidence.
Preparation	1. Ensure access to copies of 'The Outsiders' for textual analysis. 2. Prepare materials for the empathy map activity (e.g., large paper, markers, etc.). 3. Arrange technology resources for multimedia presentation development (e.g., computers, presentation software). 4. Develop peer review guidelines to facilitate constructive feedback.

Week 3	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Activities	Character Analysis Deep Dive - Collaboratively analyze character motivations and transformations using textual evidence to enhance understanding of 'The Outsiders' (25 min) Societal Issue Connection Workshop - Facilitate discussions connecting themes from 'The Outsiders' to current societal issues, fostering real-world relevance (20 min)	Multimedia Element Creation - Develop multimedia elements (images, audio, video) that will be incorporated into the final presentations, focusing on character journeys and thematic connections (30 min) Peer Feedback Session - Conduct initial peer review sessions to provide feedback on multimedia elements, focusing on narrative techniques and evidence (15 min)	Interactive Timeline Brainstorm - Begin brainstorming ideas for the digital interactive timeline, mapping plot points and character development (25 min) Theme and Character Arc Discussion - Engage in small group discussions to refine understanding of key themes and character arcs in 'The Outsiders' (20 min)	Digital Timeline Development - Start designing the digital interactive timeline using gathered insights and multimedia elements to map out plot and character development (30 min) Director's Choice Analysis - Analyze a filmed production of 'The Outsiders' and evaluate the director's choices compared to the novel, focusing on character portrayal and thematic fidelity (15 min)	Final Multimedia Presentation Refinement - Refine multimedia presentations, incorporating peer feedback and ensuring alignment with narrative techniques and textual evidence (30 min) Reflection and Connection - Reflect on the character empathy maps and discuss parallels between 'The Outsiders' and students' personal experiences or societal issues (15 min)
Deliverables	1. Completed character empathy map, incorporating feedback from peer review. 2. Outline of multimedia presentation, including selected textual evidence and narrative techniques. 3. Initial draft of the digital interactive timeline covering key plot points and character arcs.
Preparation	1. Gather materials for character empathy maps such as large paper, markers, and digital tools like Canva or Google Slides for digital versions. 2. Prepare a feedback form or rubric for peer review sessions to guide constructive feedback. 3. Ensure access to multimedia tools such as video editing software or online platforms for creating digital timelines, like Prezi or Google Sites. 4. Organize thematic discussion prompts and real-life examples that connect with the novel's themes for group activities. 5. Provide students with a checklist for multimedia presentation elements, including narrative techniques, textual evidence, and personal/societal connections.

Week 4	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Activities	Final Multimedia Presentation Preparation - Students finalize multimedia presentations comparing character journeys in 'The Outsiders' to personal experiences or societal issues, ensuring narrative techniques and textual evidence are well integrated (45 min)	Peer Review Session - Students present their multimedia projects to peers, receiving constructive feedback on narrative techniques and thematic connections to enhance their presentations (30 min) Presentation Refinement - Implement peer feedback to refine multimedia presentations, focusing on clarity, coherence, and impact (15 min)	Digital Interactive Timeline Completion - Complete the digital interactive timeline, ensuring plot and character development are effectively mapped with multimedia elements showcasing thematic links (30 min) Exhibition Preparation - Prepare for the exhibition by rehearsing presentation delivery and organizing display materials (15 min)	Community Exhibition Setup - Students collaboratively set up their exhibition stations at the youth center, arranging digital timelines and multimedia presentations for public engagement (20 min) Exhibition Facilitation Training - Practice facilitating discussions and activities that connect 'The Outsiders' themes to real-life stories, enhancing empathy and understanding (25 min)	Community Exhibition Event - Host the exhibition, presenting multimedia projects, engaging attendees in discussions about thematic connections, and reflecting on the novel’s relevance to contemporary issues (45 min)
Deliverables	1. Completed Digital Interactive Timeline 2. Final Multimedia Presentation 3. Peer Review Feedback and Revisions 4. Exhibition Facilitation Plan 5. Successful Community Exhibition
Preparation	1. Ensure access to necessary technology for completing digital timelines and presentations. 2. Coordinate with the community youth center for exhibition logistics, including space setup and technology needs. 3. Prepare discussion prompts and materials for exhibition facilitation. 4. Organize peer review sessions, providing guidelines and criteria for constructive feedback. 5. Practice exhibition facilitation techniques with students, focusing on engagement and communication skills.