Freedom Writers: Written Response Worksheet
Name ___________________________ English I
Teacher _________________________ Fall 2011
Period ___________________________ Outsiders
Date ____________________________
Freedom Writers Written Response Worksheet
Directions: Please answer the following questions as you watch the film. Please use complete sentences.
RESPECT
1. Why do the students initially only trust peers from their own ethnic/racial groups?
2. How does Ms. Gruwell earn the respect of her students?
3. How do the students finally come to respect one another?
TOLERANCE
4. Ms. Gruwell’s father was a civil rights worker when she was growing up. How might that have affected her feelings on tolerance?
5. How does Ms. Gruwell manage to get the students to show tolerance for one another?
COURAGE/PERSEVERANCE
6. Name three roadblocks or obstacles that some of Ms. Gruwell’s students endured in their lives.
7. Why do you think Ms. Gruwell’s coworkers did not support her?
RELATIONSHIPS
8. Describe a difficult family relationship that a student in the film experiences.
9. What do you think caused the breakup of Ms. Gruwell’s marriage?
JOURNAL WRITING
10. Writing in journals helps transform the lives of the students. How does writing “free” the students from their pain?
ANGER
11. Why are the students filled with such anger at the beginning of the story?
12. Do you think their anger is justified?
INEQUALITY
13. Name one inequality among students and classrooms at Wilson High School.
GROWTH AND CHANGE
14. Choose one of these characters: Erin Gruwell, Scott Gruwell, Eva, Marcus (the boy who went back to his mother’s house), Ben (the Caucasian boy). Explain how the character changed from the beginning to the end of the story.
ANNE FRANK
15. Why did the students make such an important connection to the diary of Anne Frank?
16. One student refers to Mipe Gise, the woman who hid Anne Frank, as a hero. Do you agree or disagree? Why? What qualities of a hero does
Teacher _________________________ Fall 2011
Period ___________________________ Outsiders
Date ____________________________
Freedom Writers Written Response Worksheet
Directions: Please answer the following questions as you watch the film. Please use complete sentences.
RESPECT
1. Why do the students initially only trust peers from their own ethnic/racial groups?
2. How does Ms. Gruwell earn the respect of her students?
3. How do the students finally come to respect one another?
TOLERANCE
4. Ms. Gruwell’s father was a civil rights worker when she was growing up. How might that have affected her feelings on tolerance?
5. How does Ms. Gruwell manage to get the students to show tolerance for one another?
COURAGE/PERSEVERANCE
6. Name three roadblocks or obstacles that some of Ms. Gruwell’s students endured in their lives.
7. Why do you think Ms. Gruwell’s coworkers did not support her?
RELATIONSHIPS
8. Describe a difficult family relationship that a student in the film experiences.
9. What do you think caused the breakup of Ms. Gruwell’s marriage?
JOURNAL WRITING
10. Writing in journals helps transform the lives of the students. How does writing “free” the students from their pain?
ANGER
11. Why are the students filled with such anger at the beginning of the story?
12. Do you think their anger is justified?
INEQUALITY
13. Name one inequality among students and classrooms at Wilson High School.
GROWTH AND CHANGE
14. Choose one of these characters: Erin Gruwell, Scott Gruwell, Eva, Marcus (the boy who went back to his mother’s house), Ben (the Caucasian boy). Explain how the character changed from the beginning to the end of the story.
ANNE FRANK
15. Why did the students make such an important connection to the diary of Anne Frank?
16. One student refers to Mipe Gise, the woman who hid Anne Frank, as a hero. Do you agree or disagree? Why? What qualities of a hero does