Name ______________________________ Date _______________________ Homeroom _____________________

The OUTSIDERS
Literature Circles
DIRECTIONS: As we read The Outsiders, on Fridays we will have Literature
Circles, which are group discussions. Carefully read and follow the instructions
below.
A. The novel will be divided into four parts.
Pages
Part
Part
Part
Part

One
Two
Three
Four

1-36
37-84
85-130
131-180

Lit Circle Date

10/18/2013
10/25/2013
11/1/2013
11/7/2013

After you Read:

A. Literature Circle Roles: Read the descriptions of the different roles for a
literature circle. Each member of the group will take turns completing each
role. Record responsibilities for each member in the chart below.
o Theme Critic: Think critically about the story and identify the theme or the
main message the author is trying to communicate to the reader. Critique
how interesting the story is.
o Character Psychologist: Analyze the main characters of the story. Identify
and describe each of the characters.
o Plot Cartoonist: Create a cartoon of the main events of the story. Pick
important quotes from the story to include in your cartoon.
o Set designer: Identify the setting of the story. Describe and illustrate the
time and place of the story in detail.
o
Role
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Theme Critic
Character
Psychologist
Plot Cartoonist
Set designer
B. Group Discussion Two: Share your literature circle role with the rest of the
group. Discuss and ask each other questions.
C. Evaluation: Your journal entry will include an evaluation of yourself and
your group.

EVALUATION OF THIS WEEKS LIT CIRCLE

Date of Lit Circle ___________________________
_____________________________

Your Name

SELF-EVALUATION
Yes

Somewh No
at

I read and understood the main events of the story.

I did my best work on the literature circle role.
I actively participated in the group discussions.
I listened to what others had to say about the story.
Give yourself an overall rating for the week and explain why you deserve that
rating.
Wasted Time (F)
Needs Improvement (D)
Satisfactory (C)
Very Good (B)
Excellent (A)
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
GROUP EVALUATION
How did each of your
groupmates do with Lit
Circles and your reading
throughout the whole week?
Name
____________________________
______
Name
____________________________
______
Name
____________________________

Wasted
Time
(F)

Needs
Satisfactor
Improve y (C)
ment
(D)

Very
Good
(B)

Excelle
nt (A)

______
Think about how well your group worked together. Give your group an overall
rating and explain why your group deserves that rating. Group Grade:
__________Explain your answer:
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
What can you do to improve how your group works together next week?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________

JOURNAL ENTRY
LITERATURE CIRCLES: PART ONE

Directions: Write a journal response for the entry. Your response should take up
at least of a page.
*Note: you do NOT need to answer ALL of the questions inside the entry. Just use
those questions to get you thinking and to write a DETAILED journal response.
Your answer should take up of a page on a separate sheet of notebook paper.
What does it mean to be part of a group, and is it a good thing to be a part of a
particular group? Why is group membership so important to us? How does group
membership affect our perception of ourselves and others? Why are there conflicts
between people of different socioeconomic classes? Are there shared experiences that
cross these lines? Thinking back to Absolutely True Diary and other texts you have
read, how has group (or tribe) membership affected character relationships and
themes? How do you think group membership will affect the characters in The
Outsiders and what are you already learning from their group conflicts?