<em>The Outsiders</em> Lesson 2 Educational Resources K12 Learning, Literary Studies, Reading Lesson Plans, Activities, Experiments, Homeschool Help

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

"The Breakfast Club" is a 1985 movie about five high school students who must spend an entire Saturday together in detention, writing essays about who they are for the principal.

Watch the ending of this movie below and listen to their collective essay.

Think about how you judge others and how others judge you.

Are stereotypes always fair?
Do you think stereotypes are a recent development, or have they plagued teens for generations?

"The Breakfast Club" clip mentioned five types of kids: the brain, athlete, basket case, princess, and criminal.

Can you relate to any of those groups?
When you hear the names of those groups, do any people come to mind? If so, why?

Watch another movie clip below from 2004's "Mean Girls."

New student Cady is given a map to help her fit in and understand the dynamics of the school.

In your opinion, are they helping?
Are the kids giving the advice any better than the groups they label?

Now, think about labeling and stereotyping.

Do you think this is a new (or newer) concept?
Do you think it was easier for kids to fit into a crowd or group, say, back in the 1960s? Why or why not?

The Outsiders is set in 1965. Before you begin reading, learn a bit about the social climate of the time so you can understand its generation — the largest in terms of population.

Following WWII, young soldiers were eager to return home and begin everyday lives, which meant getting married and starting families. And this is precisely what they did.

Due to the quick increase in births between 1945 and 1955, the following generation was named Baby Boomers. This is the generation that formed the new America.

Watch the following video to discover the life and culture of the 60s in America.

Head to the Got It? section and get one step closer to reading The Outsiders!