Hello O. L. Smith Community,

Students are starting this week with a review of Chapters 5 and 6. Tomorrow, we will be reading Chapter 7. Thursday and Friday we will be reading Chapters 8 and 9, as well as completing some in class activities.

For homework this week, students are being asked to create a timeline that shows how they’ve grown into the people they are today, just as Ponyboy is growing up in “The Outsiders.” The project will be due Monday, January 25th. The assignment sheet is below.

Growing Up Timeline Assignment Sheet

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to contact me.

Ms. Timpf

Hello O. L. Smith Community,

This is a reminder. There will be a short quiz on Chapters 5 & 6 from “The Outsiders” on Tuesday, January 19th. Students are expected to finish reading these chapters this weekend. These chapters were assigned on Tuesday, January 12th, so all students should be aware of the assignment. The online PDF and audio book links are below. Students who do not have internet access were asked to check out the novel from me.

The Outsiders Online PDF

The Outsiders Audiobook

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to contact me.

Ms. Timpf

Hello O. L. Smith Community,

Students are completing their NWEA for Reading and Language Usage this week. They are doing a phenomenal job with staying focused and doing their best on the assessment.

Students do have a bit of homework this week. They are expected to complete their argumentative essays at home and turn them in by 1/14. Also, students are expected to read Chapters 5 & 6 of “The Outsiders” on their own by Tuesday, 1/19. There will be a summative quiz on these chapters next Tuesday, which is purely content-based, as well as some activities to explore the chapters more deeply.

Students have been informed that I have “The Outsiders” PDF posted on the Resources Tab as well as the audiobook. Any student who does not like reading on electronics or does not have internet may borrow a book from me. However, if they do not return the book, they will be responsible for purchasing a new one.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to contact me.

Ms. Timpf

Hello O. L. Smith Community,

Below is a list of the materials you may need to complete your argumentative essay. Remember, our last in-class work day is on Monday, 1/11, and the final essay is due on Thursday, 1/14.

If you have any questions, please e-mail me over the weekend. I’d be happy to help!

Ms. Timpf

Materials

The Outsiders Argumentative Essay Assignment Sheet

The Outsiders Argumentative Essay Rubric

The Outsiders Argumentative Essay Checklist

The Outsiders Online PDF

The Outsiders Audiobook

Hello O. L. Smith Community,

Here is the assignment sheet for “The Outsiders Argumentative Essay.” Tomorrow, we will review thesis statements and transition words. The rubric will be posted after you complete the pre-writing, which is due by the end of the hour on Friday, 01/07.

If the link above does not work, inform me of the broken link by emailing me at timpfm1@dearbornschools.org and I will correct the error ASAP.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to contact me.

Ms. Timpf

Hello O. L. Smith Community,

This week, students started with an open book/open note test about Chapters 1 & 2. The test was graded in class by a peer. Students were told if they did not like their grade, they could take it home and make corrections for homework.

The rest of this week, students will read Chapters 3 & 4. After reading, students will be assigned an informal argumentative essay to complete. It will be due on Monday, January 11th. I will post the assignment sheet once students are given the assignment in class.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to contact me.

Megan Timpf

P. S. For students who need to complete/correct their answers, the questions are below.

1. How are Darry, Soda, and Ponyboy related?
2. How are Greasers different from Socs?
3. Who were other members of Pony’s gang?
4. What happened to Pony on his way home from the movies?
5. Who did Dally, Johnny, and Ponyboy meet at the Nightly Double?
6. How was Dally’s approach to Cherry and Marcia different than Pony’s? How was Cherry and Marcia’s reaction to Pony different than their reaction to Dally?
7. Why were Cherry and Marcia alone at the drive-in?
8. Pony was somewhat surprised that he was getting along with Cherry and Marcia. Why?
9. What had happened to Johnny prior to the time of this story? List two important details of the Socs involved.
10. What does Pony learn at the very end of Chapter 2?

Hello O. L. Smith Community,

If your child is absent one day, please have them go to the “Resources” page of my blog. I have an online link to a free PDF of “The Outsiders” as well as links to the audio. Help your child keep up on their schoolwork by using these links!

By the end of this week, we will have finished Chapter 2.

Megan Timpf

Hello O. L. Smith Community,

This week, students will be reading the first two chapters of “The Outsiders” and completing a characterization assignment to help further understand the characters in the novel.

Today, I spoke with the students about the changes to the late work policy. Due to the immense amount of late work I have been receiving, students will be penalized one half grade for each day their assignments are late. This does not affect students who are absent. Also, I have informed the students that I understand things happen. If the parent or guardian of any student writes a note explaining the circumstances in which a student was unable to complete their work and it is given to me the day the assignment is due, I will grant an extension.

Finally, I have a very strict movie policy. During the last week of the card marking, students will be watching the film, “The Outsiders.” I have informed students that there are two ways they will not be allowed to watch the movie. First, if a student ruins the novel for another student, they will not be allowed to watch the movie. We want those that are reading the book for the first time to enjoy experiencing it and many students do not want the ending to be ruined for them. Second, students with any missing assignments will not be allowed to watch the film. Instead, they will be expected to complete their missing assignments with Ms. Greenbaum. The movie is a special treat and in order to earn it, they mustnot have any missing assignments. Once they complete their missing work, the student will be allowed to watch the film from that point forward with their classmates.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to contact me.

Megan Timpf

Hello O. L. Smith Community,

I wanted to inform you and your students that “The Outsiders” class set was found!

The students were told they were missing, however, they were found in the book room today. Another school had borrowed them and they were put back in a different spot when they were returned.

Students will begin reading “The Outsiders” on Monday and we look forward to jumping into this young adult classic!

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to contact me.

Megan Timpf

Hello O. L. Smith Community,

Students spent this week learning about the parts of an argumentative essay. Each group of 2-5 students, depending on the class, became an expert in one part of an argumentative essay and created a PowerPoint slide. These slides will be used to teach each other the parts of an argumentative essay and I will be using them to create the rubric for their essays, which will be assigned after break.

Argumentative essays are taught hand-in-hand with “The Outsiders.” We spent today discussing some of the 1950s and 1960s slang vocabulary that we will be seeing as we read. The students were very excited about the vocabulary and are even more excited to jump into a fantastic novel.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to contact me.

Megan Timpf