🎯 WALT (We Are Learning To)

Compare and contrast gangs from the 1960s (like in The Outsiders) with modern gangs today.

Success Criteria:

✓ I can identify key differences between past and present gangs
✓ I can explain how society has changed gang behaviour
✓ I can use evidence from texts to support my ideas

📚 Reading Passages - Choose Your Level

🟢 Emerging Reader

Gangs have changed a lot since the 1960s.

In the 1960s, gangs like the Greasers and Socs in The Outsiders fought with fists and knives. They wore leather jackets and had different hairstyles. These gangs were about being loyal to friends and protecting their area.

Today's gangs are very different. They use guns and mobile phones. They make money from selling drugs. Modern gangs are more dangerous and violent than old gangs.

🟡 Developing Reader

The nature of gangs has transformed significantly from the 1960s to today.

In S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders, gangs like the Greasers represented working-class youth who formed tight-knit groups for protection and belonging. Their conflicts were typically physical confrontations using basic weapons like switchblades. These gangs had clear territories and were identified by clothing styles, hairstyles, and social class.

Contemporary gangs operate differently. Technology has changed how they communicate and organise criminal activities. Modern gangs are often involved in sophisticated drug trafficking networks and use firearms regularly. The violence has escalated, and the focus has shifted from neighbourhood loyalty to profit-making enterprises.

🔴 Extending Reader

The evolution of gang culture from the 1960s to the present day reflects broader societal changes.

The romanticised gang culture depicted in The Outsiders emerged from post-war social tensions and class divisions. These groups functioned as surrogate families for disenfranchised youth, with conflicts rooted in territorial disputes and social hierarchies rather than economic gain. The violence, whilst present, was largely ritualistic and governed by unwritten codes of honour.

Contemporary gang structures have been fundamentally altered by globalisation, technological advancement, and the war on drugs. Modern gangs operate as criminal enterprises with sophisticated hierarchies, international connections, and diversified revenue streams. The proliferation of firearms, social media recruitment, and the lucrative illegal drug market have transformed gangs from neighbourhood groups into complex criminal organisations with devastating community impacts.

💭 Reflection Activity

Dyslexia-Friendly Options:
• Ask your teacher for audio versions of these passages
• Use coloured overlays if helpful
• Work with a partner to discuss answers before writing