Activity Overview
Parodies, satires, and modern day adaptations are rich with literary elements. Moreover, they are valuable assets for teaching students about literature. Through creative writing, students learn to use literary elements in context, committing mastery of these terms to memory. It also allows students to connect to the themes in the book in a more creative way, as their adaptation will have to draw from the novel.
Students will enjoy creating their own modern day adaptation, and this is a valuable assignment to help students connect to the themes presented in the story. Have students rewrite the ending by choosing a more contemporary setting, or by choosing a current event that is closely related to the plot of The Outsiders.
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a plot diagram for an original story that takes ideas from The Outsiders.
- Plan out an original story using Exposition, Conflict, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution.
- Create an image that represents an important moment or set of events for each of the story components. This is YOUR story, so get creative!
- Write a description of each of the steps in the plot diagram.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient 25 Points | Emerging 21 Points | Beginning 17 Points | Try Again 13 Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Descriptive and Visual Elements | Cells have many descriptive elements, and provide the reader with a vivid representation. | Cells have many descriptive elements, but flow of cells may have been hard to understand. | Cells have few descriptive elements, or have visuals that make the work confusing. | Cells have few or no descriptive elements. |
| Grammar/Spelling | Textables have three or fewer spelling/grammar errors. | Textables have four or fewer spelling/grammar errors. | Textables have five or fewer spelling/grammar errors. | Textables have six or more spelling/grammar errors. |
| Evidence of Effort | Work is well written and carefully thought out. Student has done both peer and teacher editing. | Work is well written and carefully thought out. Student has either teacher or peer editing, but not both. | Student has done neither peer, nor teacher editing. | Work shows no evidence of any effort. |
| Plot | All parts of the plot are included in the diagram. | All parts of the plot are included in the diagram, but one or more is confusing. | Parts of the plot are missing from the diagram, and/or some aspects of the diagram make the plot difficult to follow. | Almost all of the parts of the plot are missing from the diagram, and/or some aspects of the diagram make the plot very difficult to follow. |
How To Adapt a Story to a Modern Setting
Thoroughly Understand the Original
In order to modernize a story, students need to thoroughly understand the original. Take some time with students to discuss the story overall, paying careful attention to the theme and the way the characters interact.
Pay Careful Attention to Theme
The theme is the lesson the reader learns about life after reading a story, and is played out through the characters' interactions, the plot, and the conflict. Scaffold with students to ensure their understanding of theme, making sure they realize there can be more than one theme.
Create and Explore the Modern Plot Line
Students will have fun modernizing the story, and they can storyboard a modern story line using dialogue, pictures, and an adaption of the theme.
Frequently Asked Questions about Modernizing Ponyboy & The Outsiders
How does a modern day adaption relate to the theme?
The theme of a story is what the reader learns about life after reading a story. Themes are universal and transcend time and space. When students create a modern day adaption, they use the same themes but modernize language, dress, transportation, etc.
How can creativity lead to mastery?
When students use their creativity to create a modern day adaption of a story such as The Outsiders, they must thoroughly understand the original in order to do so. Having a firm grasp on the characters, how they relate, the themes, and the overall plot line will offer students the basis for their creativity.
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Outsiders, The
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