Students will launch the investigation by connecting personal ideas about belonging to early evidence from The Outsiders, hearing a community perspective, and identifying the character-change questions they will pursue in the next phase.

Students will refine an investigable question about Ponyboy’s character change, build a text-evidence collection method for tracing loyalty, identity, and belonging, and complete a peer-reviewed plan for the notebook and found-poem work that will later connect to the community roundtable and Open Mic performance.

Students will present their evidence-based interpretation of Ponyboy’s coming-of-age arc through an Outsiders Open Mic performance, connect their analysis to a community perspective on belonging, and complete a final evaluated showcase product for an authentic audience.