The Process

1, You will read The Outsiders through the middle of chapter 4 up to the part where a murder takes place. Immediately after the murder, you must make describe the murder scene and make a prediction about what you think will happen next. Do this individually through an entry in your journal.

            You should answer these questions:
                a.   What happened in the murder scene? Use specific words and phrases along with page numbers to describe the murder.

b.   What do you think Pony and Johnny will do at this point?  How will it affect Ponyboy's family?  Johnny's family?

2. Continue reading chapters 4 and 5 in The Outsiders to find out what happens after the murder.  Discuss with your group what you had predicted and what actually happened in the story.           

3. Now that you have read through chapter 5, the fate of Johnny is in your hands. Each member of your group will take on one role of a member of the jury. You must follow all of the directions specified in your role. It is your responsibility as a group to fill all roles. As a jury, you will be responsible for making a verdict of whether or not Johnny is guilty of murder. The roles are as follows:

Juror #1
Juror #2
Juror #3
Juror #4

4. Write an entry in your journal about your role and how it is relevant to Johnny’s case. Write whether or not you think Johnny should be convicted of murder based on what you have researched during your role. Be sure to include evidence that supports your decision - either from your research or from the book itself.

5. Come together as a group and share what you have written. Be sure to explain to your group why you feel the way you do. At the end of your conference, your entire group must agree on the fate of Johnny. You must deliver the verdict of guilty or not guilty.

6. Once you have decided on Johnny’s verdict, as a group you will write a two-page paper using Microsoft Word arguing why you came to the conclusion you did. Back your decision with as much evidence from your research and the book as possible.  Make sure to include a paragraph that argues against evidence for the opposing side.  Your paper must have a title, introduction, body, and conclusion and must be free of grammatical and spelling errors.