Lesson Title: Nothing Gold Will Stay

Date: September 27, 2017

Subject: Humanities
Grade: 8
Teachers: Ms.Perry, Mr.Virgin and Mr. Willgress

Rationale: The central theme for The Outsiders is about the loss of innocence. Robert Frosts
Nothing Gold Can Stay is one of the best literary texts concerning the subject. Discussing the
connection between the two texts will help the students understanding of the theme.
Curriculum Connections: https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/
Curriculum Competency: Recognize how literary elements, techniques, and devices enhance
and shape meaning, Assess and refine texts to improve their clarity, effectiveness, and impact
according to purpose, audience, and message,
Content: Nothing Gold can Stay by Robert Frost, The Outsiders

Learning Intentions Activity Assessment

Have the students Have the students discuss first in pairs then Discussion
understand the theme of as a group the meaning of the poem.
Nothing Gold can Stay

Connect Nothing Gold can Have the students write a paragraph in their Paragraphs
Stay to the experience of journals about how the poem relates to the written in
Ponyboy, Johnny, and the lives of the characters journals
other characters.

Prerequisite Concepts and Skill:

Familiarity with characters from The Outsiders
Ability to bridge connections between two different texts

Materials and Resources with References/Sources:

The Outsiders Text

For Teacher For Students

Outsiders Text Outsiders Text

Outsiders video/ Projector and Computer Journals

https://ed.ted.com/on/SJiwytLu#digdeeper

Markers for whiteboard Writing utensils

 Copied Worksheets Worksheet

Differentiated Instruction (DI) (Accommodations): Have students discuss their ideas about the
poem with each other and then have the class share ideas. If one of the students is having a
hard time with the lesson, hopefully this will help them with writing the paragraph.

Possible Aboriginal Connections/First Peoples Principles of Learning:

Lesson Activities:

Teacher Activities Student Activities Pacing

Set up Projector and Clip before class Watch movie: 2min

https://ed.ted.com/on/SJiwytLu#w
atch

Read Page 68 to 84 of the Outsiders Read Along w/Class set of books 10min

'Nature's first green is gold,

her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
but only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
so dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.'

Discussion Discussion, Pair and Share, then 7min

- loss of innocence
-Temp. nature of beauty
- What happened in Eden?
Possible Discussion Questions:
to full class
Worksheet with Discussion
Questions and write some notes
on what you talked about.

What is your favourite part of the poem?

What kind of mood is this poem expressing:

happiness, sadness, fear, anxiety, etc?

Identify which words from the poem that you

feel contribute to the creation of this mood?

What do you think is happening in the story

that made Ponyboy think of this poem?

Can you think of something in your life that

lost its newness and beauty? How did that
make you feel? Similar to the speaker? And
how does the speaker feel, anyway?

Eden was perfect and then Adam and Eve

went into knowledge and dawn shows
promise and beauty but with the light of day
is responsibility and work.

Write Nothing Gold can Stay on the board
Hand out the students journals
In The Outsiders, Robert Frosts Nothing
Gold Can Stay represents the fragility of
innocence and goodness. The poem speaks
to the temporary nature of beauty and we
see this reflected in characters like Dally,
whose innocence has been lost.
Write a paragraph explaining how 8min
the theme of this poem (the
fleeting nature of the ideal and
the perfect) is reflected in the
events of the novel
Write in Journal

Does anyone want to share what they wrote Discussion 5min

in their paragraphs? If not, draw names with
popsicle sticks
-Share out ideas of the poem
-Hint will have more meaning later in the
book
Nothing Gold Can Stay and The Outsiders Discussion Questions

Nature's first green is gold,

Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

Discuss two of the following with a partner or in a small group.

Discussion Questions:

What is your favourite part of the poem?

What kind of mood is this poem expressing: happiness, sadness, fear, anxiety,
etc?

Identify which words from the poem that you feel contribute to the creation of this
mood?

What do you think is happening in the story that made Ponyboy think of this
poem?

Can you think of something in your life that lost its newness and beauty? How did
that make you feel? Similar to the speaker? And how does the speaker feel,
anyway?

Type your discussion notes below: