The Outsiders Webquest

Name _________________________________________ Date _____________ Period ______

Welcome to The Outsiders webquest! You will be gathering information about the setting
and background of this novel before we begin reading.

The Outsiders is set in Oklahoma in 1966. To learn about what the characters faced on a daily
basis, go to the following websites and answer the questions. BE SURE TO ANSWER IN
YOUR OWN WORDS. Have fun!

Facts About Oklahoma

Go to http://www.otrd.state.ok.us/StudentGuide/facts.html
Now answer the questions below.

1. What does the name Oklahoma mean? Where does the name come from?

2. About how many American Indians live in Oklahoma today?

3. Which states boarder Oklahoma?

4. What are Oklahomas two largest cities?

5. Find two other facts you think are interesting and paraphrase them.

Economy in the 1960s

Go to the http://www.auroraontheweb.com/east66/1966/66econ.html
Find out the prices of the following items:

1. A new home ________________________________

2. One first-class stamp __________________________
3. One gallon of milk ____________________________
4. One dozen eggs ______________________________
5. One gallon of gas _____________________________

Now go to http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/
This should take you to a page that says US Inflation Calculator. Find out how
much more goods would cost in 2011 than they did in 1966 by filling in the
information in the boxes and clicking Calculate.

1. If a t-shirt costs $10.00 in 1966, it would cost ___________________________ in 2011.

2. If a car costs $5,000 in 1966, it would cost ______________________________ in 2011
3. If a new house costs $50,000 in 1966, it would cost ______________________ in 2011.

Facts About the Decade: 1960-1969

Go to http://kclibrary.lonestar.edu/decade60.html
Fill in the following facts:

1. Population __________________________
2. Average salary ________________________
3. Minimum wage _______________________
4. Life expectancy for males _______________
5. Life expectancy for females _____________

1960s Fashion
Stay on the website from the section above, and scroll to the section for Fads and
Fashion.
1. List two fads from the 1960s.

2. List three fashion trends from the 1960s.

3. List two or three fads from 2011. How do these compare to those of the 1960s?

4. List two or three fashion trends from 2011. How do these compare to those of the 1960s?

1960s Radio, Film, and Television

Using the same website, scroll to the section Theater, Film, and Television.
1. Why was American Bandstand an important part of television?

2. List four popular television shows from the 1960s. Have you ever seen or heard of these
shows?

1960s Historic Events

Stay on the same website and scroll to the link for Historic Evens and
Technology.
1. Read through the section and list four major events that took place during the 1960s
AND their significance.

Music of the 1960s

Go to http://faculty.smu.edu/dsimon/change-music%2060s.html
Answer the following questions.
1. What was the British Invasion?

2. What band began the British invasion?

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3. When did The Beatles appear on The Ed Sullivan Show?

4. List four other popular bands or artists from the 1960s.

5. Scroll down to Part IV: Message Music. What was the goal of music in the mid-1960s?