In this project, students will work collaboratively to produce a high-end product that could rival professionals in looks and

quality. At first glance, no one should be able to tell that middle school students produced this work! That’s our goal. Students

will use career readiness skills to make important decisions regarding content, layout and design, and presentation. This pro-

ject is a spinoff from a class novel study of S. E. Hinton’s, The Outsiders. To prove students have read and comprehended the

text, they will utilize what they’ve learned while supporting and extending upon it. Just like many professionals, creative

license will be employed by our 7th graders as needed. Why, you may ask? It opens up a world of possibilities! Come join us

on our journey of imagining, connecting with the real world, and accomplishing MORE!

First, students must select teams. It is advisable that a unique yet productive combination is put together. I think a tech-

nology master, writer, spokesperson, and an artist should be considered. Any combination of these, or others you like, will

do. Next, you should record the names of each team and identify the spokesperson. Now, the teams are ready for planning.

What are you making? ___ Mini-magazine ( 8 pp. OR 12 pp.) ___ Photo journal w/ strong textual support

There are some fundamentals that all products must share:

All must have a front cover and a back cover. The front cover must be extraordinary! It must command attention and

make a powerful statement, or it can have an understated flair. The back must convey a sense of satisfaction and closure.

All products must include at least one (1) two-page spread.

All products must have a TITLE that is timeless and all inclusive. The title must not limit your publishing potential. This

title is always relevant.

All products must be well-written and demonstrate a mature command of the English language. That includes a variety of

sentence types and purposes. The writing process must be utilized throughout!

Students must aware of their target audience for the entire assignment. They have to identify their purpose for writing.

This applies to the overall magazine as well as individual assignments within it.

Your product must have one or two(2) ads. They can be retro, modern, or both.

All products must feature five(5) vocabulary words from the unit. They can appear anywhere and must be used correctly.

That includes spelling!

All products will be a mixture of literature and media. That means there will be prose, poetry, drama, video, technology,

and/or audio portions.

Summation of Special Assignment

Make sure you know your REACH!

Your work will influence many!

Make a difference!

Know your purpose, audience and content!

PLAN, PLAN, PLAN!

Be persistent, focused, and clear!

Document your sources!

Strive to do your best, for brilliance is in your hands!

Photo is from Shutterstock.com

Characterization— All students must do an article that features characters from this book. You will have to decide how to

present them to your target audience. The article must have a genuine purpose. Will you write to persuade, or will you

write to inform or entertain? Will you create a thumbnail sketch of the gang? Will you focus upon the Socs and/or Greas-

ers? Will you create an article with a creative slant such as one entitled, “What’s Under the Hood”? Will you do a full arti-

cle on one character, or will you do a side by side comparison? Whatever you decide to do, make sure it is well-planned.

Text features such as graphics, photos with captions, italicized or boldfaced vocabulary are highly encouraged. [Two-page

spread] [RL 7.6]

Poetry— The novel features a poem by Robert Frost entitled, “Nothing Gold Can Stay.” Write a poem on a topic of your

choice. It must be approved by the teacher, and it cannot be too dark! Before you begin, make sure you have a target au-

dience, a purpose for writing, and a message. Please create a poem that uses some of the poetic devices we’ve studied so

far in class—including theme. If you need help, your teachers are available during CAT as well as during class time to assist

you. All poems should have at least 20 lines unless otherwise approved. [W 7.4]

Past & Present Societal Issues— Students must find and agree on an issue from the past that took place during the 1960’s.

They will take notes, paraphrase the information, and mold the information into a new report. You may elect to run the

original article if you can find one, and run a similar article from today. That way your audience can witness your expertise

with comparison and contrasting. Remember, Cherry told Ponyboy, “Things are rough all over.” Is that still true? Create

an article that supports your conclusion and don’t forget to document your sources! [Two-page spread] [W 7.4 –W 7.10]

Lighthearted Choices

Advertisements (Ads)—One must be retro. There are some products that were mega-popular in the past! Do you know

any of them? Have you ever heard of Big Wheels? Rockem’ Sockem’ Robots? Trix cereal? Boo Berry cereal? Count

Chocula? M & M’s? McDonald’s—Ronald McDonald, the Hamburglar, Officer Big Mac? There are so many more. This

would be something you could ask your parents about. If you dare, you could create an ad of your own that you think

would appeal to the gang! The second ad must be modern. What would you like to advertise to your target audience?

Pick a product and create an ad of your own! Make sure you include a disclaimer, too. [Disclaimers state that we have no

intention of stealing or misrepresenting anyone’s product. This is strictly for educational purposes only! Please check with

your teachers about this.] [W 7.4]

Food Recommendations for Sodapop & the Gang— Today, we know that certain foods are just not good for us. Use this

platform as a way of teaching Sodapop and the boys about healthier eating. You could offer them a meal that is inexpen-

sive to make, yet it’s healthy. You may elect to share a few options we have today, especially if you have a delicious family

recipe! [Two –page spread] [W 7.4 –W 7.10]

Guy Things or Girl Things— This can be what you want it to be as long as the team supports and agrees. Use this space for

a little fun! Feature things adolescents love! They can be an item from the past or present. Hair, makeup, clothing, shoes,

nails, toys, activities, sports, jobs, or something else that appeals to youth. You may include fashion modeling as well.

(Caveat: Remember, you must agree. One person may be writing it, but it will affect the entire flow of the magazine, so it

must be approved by everyone. That includes your teacher!) [W 7.4 –W 7.10]

Cars from the Past/Cars Today— If you dig cars the way Steve and Sodapop do, you may want to choose this! You have

many perspectives you could choose from. You could highlight one of the old cars mentioned in the book. You could high-

light a different car that was driven by either a Greaser or a Soc. You could highlight a hot car from today. Another way to

go would be do a comparison/contrast of the safety features that have been added to cars since that time period. Cars

back then were not as safe as they are today. [W 7.4 –W 7.10]

Music— Music was an important outlet for America during the 1960’s. Newspapers, radio and television were the only

media available during that time. How will you highlight music? What genre(s) will you choose? Have you ever heard of

Casey Kasem and America’s Top 40? Have you ever heard of Dick Clark and American Bandstand? Have you ever heard of

Don Cornelius and Soul Train? What about the Jackson Five, the Osmonds, and the Sylvers? Let’s not forget the Beatles

and Elvis Presley. If you love music, research and find out about some of these groups. Decide how you feel about them,

and what music means to you. What do you want your audience to know about music from the past? Or, what would you

like the gang to appreciate about music from today? [One and a half or two-page spread.] [W 7.4 –W 7.10]

A Need for Change

Choosing to Thrive— Some members of the gang needed strong alternatives to violence and dying, but it seemed that

none were available. Let’s head in a positive direction by talking about TALENTED TEENS instead. This may give you an

inkling as to why today’s teens are so busy. No one wants teens idle and loitering about. This novel captured the possibili-

ties of what could happen if they do; teens could end up in gangs or worse. Share a talent/passion that a friend of yours

has. Get your friend’s permission, first! Interview your friend and write an article about him or her. The favor may be re-

turned! [W 7.4 –W 7.10]

Programs that Help Teens—What programs do we have today that might have been a help to these troubled teens? In

order to be true to the storyline, these are options that may have helped the other boys cope after all the tragedy. What

happened to The Dingo and The Way Out? Feel free to use your creative license to bring improvement to this area. Will

they go voluntarily to seek this help, or will they allow their parents or friends to guide them there? Remember, religion

was stronger in America back then. Use it as an option if you see fit. [W 7.4 –W 7.10]

Video— To complement your article, create a short clip to accompany it. Your article may be about the novel or about

something else. Use the video feature to highlight that. [SL 7.2, 7.5, 7.6]

Audio Entries

Phone Call—Transcript Required—This feature will be based on old technology—the answering machine. Your team will

create a dialogue between two characters. First, the person tries to call, but the answering machine picks up on the sec-

ond or third ring. The person is leaving a message, but gets interrupted by the person picking up the phone. They talk for

a specified period of time. This feature could be used by anyone. Please think outside the box. Which character would

you have call another one? What would that character say? Make sure that it stays with language from the time period

and it sounds like something the character would actually say. You can’t be YOURSELF while doing this; you must pretend

to be that character! Help your audience understand the characters better through this dialogue. Will the dialogue be Soc

to Soc, Greaser to Greaser, or Soc to Greaser? Mmm hmm… This could be deep and insightful! Make sure you get the

characters right and capture an extraordinary moment! [SL 7.2, 7.5, 7.6]

Call-in Show— Here is a chance to hear from concerned parents. They don’t know what to do to help their sons and

daughters. They are seeking outside help from a professional. What are their concerns? What does this sound like?

Whose parents decided to make this call? Does this sound like something that could actually occur? How many parents

choose to call in? Write this transcript and show your expertise with dialoguing! [Make sure the show has an established

purpose that allows for this. Also, make sure you keep track of the tone of the show. Variety is key. Make sure the host/

hostess has the right personality for dealing with this. Anyone could be listening!] [SL 7.2, 7.5, 7.6]

You may suggest something that interests you, but you have to be serious about it! It has to reflect the standards we

are currently working on. The standard include but are not limited to writing using standard English, superior presenta-

tion skills, researching for information, citing textual evidence to support your perspectives, and/or providing insightful

analyses of character.

These standard were chosen because they occur naturally without

overreaching.

Tentative Standards Covered by This Project

Reading Literature

RL 7.1: Cite textual evidence to support analysis of text, both infer-

ential and explicit.

RL 7.2: Determine theme/central idea of text and analyze its devel-

opment throughout text.

RL 7.5: Analyze how a poem’s form and structure contribute to its

meaning.

RL 7.6: Explain author’s development of point of view of characters

or narrators in a text.

Reading Informational Text

RI 7.3: Analyze how interactions between individuals/events/ideas

influence each other in text.

RI 7.4: Analyze impact of word choice on meaning and tone in text.

RI 7.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases in text, includ-

ing figurative and connotative meanings.

RI 7.9: Analyze presentations of two or more authors about same

topic focusing on their emphasis of different evidence or interpreta-

tions of facts.

Language & Vocabulary

L 7.1b: Know and use simple, compound, complex, and compound-

complex sentences.

L 7.2b: Spell correctly.

L 7.3a: Choose language that expresses ideas precisely and concise-

ly. Eliminate wordiness and redundancy.

L 7.5: Interpret figures of speech in context.

L 7.6: Acquire and use grade appropriate words and phrases.

Speaking & Listening

SL 7.1: Come to discussions prepared, having read/studied material

and able to reflect/probe on issues.

SL 7.1: Follow rules for collegial discussions, set/track specific goals /

deadlines, and define individual roles.

SL 7.1: Pose/Respond to questions and comments with detail and

relevancy.

SL 7.1: Acknowledge new information expressed by others and

modify own views when warranted.

SL 7.2: Analyze the main ideas and supporting details in diverse me-

dia and formats.

SL 7.2: Explain how main ideas and supporting details clarify a topic,

text, or issue under study.

SL 7.4: Use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear

pronunciation.

SL 7.5: Include multimedia components and visual displays to clarify

information and emphasize salient points.

SL 7.6: Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demon-

strating command of formal English.

Writing

W 7.1d: Establish and maintain a formal style

W 7.2: EXPLANATORY: Write informative/explanatory texts to ex-

amine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through

the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.

A: Introduce a topic clearly; organize ideas using definition, classifi-

cation, comparison/contrast, cause/effect; include headings, charts,

tables, and multimedia to aid comprehension.

B: Develop topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details,

quotations, or other information/examples.

C: Use appropriate transitions.

D: Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform

about or explain the topic.

E: Establish and maintain a formal style.

F: Provide a concluding statement or section that supports the in-

formation or explanation presented.

W 7.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the develop-

ment, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and

audience.

W 7.5: Write with some guidance from peers/adults.

W 7.5: Develop and strengthen writing by planning, revising, ed-

iting, rewriting, or trying a new approach.

W 7.5: Focus on purpose and audience.

W 7.6: Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish,

cite sources, and collaborate with others.

W 7.7: Conduct short research projects to answer a question, draw-

ing on several sources, and generating additional related questions

for further research.

W 7.8: Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital

sources, using search terms effectively.

W 7.8: Quote/paraphrase the data while avoiding plagiarism and

following standard citation formatting

W 7.10: Write routinely over extended time frames (as for research,

reflection, and revision) for a range of purposes and audiences.

W 7.10: Write routinely for shorter time frames (a single sitting or a

day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and

audiences.