Freedom Writers (2007) Instructions: As you watch the video, please answer each

question. The answers are in chronological order.

1. How many murders occurred in Long Beach in the

months following the Rodney King riots?

2. What is Ms. Gruwell's first year as a teacher?

3. Who gave Ms. Gruwell the pearl necklace?

4. What is the name of the school?

5. Describe Ms. Gruwell's first day of class.

Real Quotes from the Freedom Writers

“I guess it’s never too late to change in life. If I did it, others should be
able to as well. It really depends on how badly one wants to change.
6. How much money does Ms. Gruwell make per year
I’m lucky to have another opportunity at a clean start.” – Diary 32
(according to her dad)?
“When I was born, the doctor must have stamped ‘National
Spokesperson for the Plight of the Black People’ on my forehead; a
stamp visible only to my teachers.” – Diary 54
7. Which rap artist's music does Ms. Gruwell use to try to teach
students about internal rhymes?
“The morning of our eviction, a hard knock on the door woke me. The
sheriff was here to do his job. We were moving all our stuff out as fast
as we could. I started to look up to the sky, waiting for something to
happen…” – Diary 24 8. What is the name of the principal at Wilson High School?

“I was only twelve years old when my grandmother died from severe
burns that were allegedly inflicted upon her by my father. She was 9. The drawing passed around the class is a drawing of which
burnt from head to toe. Allegedly my father had poured kerosene on student?
her and lit the kitchen stove. She caught on fire immediately.”
– Diary 55
10. Which group of people does Eva say she hates?
11. How many students in Ms. Gruwell's class know what the
holocaust is? 21. Making connections: Why do you think Eva told the truth in
the courtroom?

12. Stop and Reflect: Why do you think it is important for

teachers to make emotional connections with students? Have you
ever had a teacher that you have had a good connection with? 22. What is the name of the group who traveled by bus through
Explain. the South to challenge segregation?

23. What happens between Ms. Gruwell and her husband?

13. What is the name of the "game" Ms. Gruwell plays with her
students?
24. What do Ms. Gruwell's student want her to do?

14. What does Scott Casey, Ms. Gruwell's husband, do for a

living? 25. What grade does Andre give himself on the self-evaluation?

15. Why does Ms. Gruwell get a second job? 26. How many computers were donated to Ms. Gruwell's class?

27. What is the title of the students' diaries?

16. To what museum does Ms. Gruwell take her students?

17. What does Ms. Gruwell plan for her students on the first day of 28. What does the Board of Education decide regarding Ms.
their sophomore year? Gruwell's class?

18. What book (about a young girl during the holocaust) do the
students read during their sophomore year?
29. Making connections: Describe a teacher that has had an
19. What is the name of the woman who helped shelter Anne impact in your life. Why did this teacher do that left an impact on
Frank? your life?

20. What does Marcus tell his mom?

 3. Was Woodrow Wilson High School actually as bad as it
was portrayed in the film?
Not really. The school is situated near million-dollar homes
and many critics say that the movie oversimplified the
community. Ms. Gruwell said that her classes were made up
predominantly of African Americans, Latinos, and Asians.
She said the white, middle-class students, that are there
today, came after word spread about her teaching methods.

Fact Fiction 4. Did Erin Gruwell really work two part time jobs so that
she could buy her students books.
This is partially true. She did work two jobs, but it was
mostly because she was a student teacher and needed to
pay tuition at California State University, Long Beach.
However, she did use some of her money to purchase copies
of Anne Frank for her students.

Spoiler Alert: Every teacher uses their money to purchase

materials for their classroom. J
5. Is Erin Gruwell still a teacher at Woodrow Wilson High
School?
No. After teaching at the school from 1993-1998 and
earning her M.Ed from California State University, Long
Beach, she became a professor at the university. Since then,
Ms. Erin Gruwell Hillary Swank she has toured with the Freedom Writers and has stopped
teaching in order to devote all of her energy to The Freedom
1. Did Erin Gruwell get divorced? Writers Foundation.
Yes, this part of the movie is true. Erin Gruwell and her
husband divorced for reasons similar to those presented Sources
during the film.
Source: http://articles.latimes.com/2007/jan/09/entertainment/et-freedom9
2. Does Erin Gruwell still have a close relationship with Source: http://www.chasingthefrog.com/reelfaces/freedomwriters.php
her dad?
Source: http://www.pluggedin.com/movie-reviews/freedomwriters
Unfortunately, her dad passed away three years prior to the
film’s release. “He was my biggest supporter,” she said.
Teacher Key
 Instructions: As you watch the video, please answer each
Freedom Writers (2007) KEY question. The answers are in chronological order.

1. How many murders occurred in Long Beach in the

months following the Rodney King riots? 120 murders

2. What is Ms. Gruwell's first year as a teacher? 1994

3. Who gave Ms. Gruwell the pearl necklace? Her father

4. What is the name of the school? Wilson High School

5. Describe Ms. Gruwell's first day of class. Students make fun of

her, a fight almost breaks out, and the students don’t pay attention
Real Quotes from the Freedom Writers to anything she is saying.
“I guess it’s never too late to change in life. If I did it, others should be
able to as well. It really depends on how badly one wants to change.
6. How much money does Ms. Gruwell make per year
I’m lucky to have another opportunity at a clean start.” – Diary 32
(according to her dad)? 27,000
“When I was born, the doctor must have stamped ‘National
Spokesperson for the Plight of the Black People’ on my forehead; a
stamp visible only to my teachers.” – Diary 54
7. Which rap artist's music does Ms. Gruwell use to try to teach
students about internal rhymes? Tupac
“The morning of our eviction, a hard knock on the door work me. The
sheriff was here to do his job. We were moving all our stuff out as fast
as we could. I started to look up to the sky, waiting for something to
happen…” – Diary 24 8. What is the name of the principal at Wilson High School?
Principal Banning
“I was only twelve years old when my grandmother died from severe
burns that were allegedly inflicted upon her by my father. She was
burnt from head to tow. Allegedly my father had poured kerosene on 9. The drawing passed around the class is a drawing of which
her and lit the kitchen stove. She caught on fire immediately.” – Diary student? Jamal
55
10. Which group of people does Eva say she hates? White people
 20. What does Marcus tell his mom? That he wants to come home;
11. How many students in Ms. Gruwell's class know what the that he needs her
holocaust is? One 21. Making connections: Why do you think Eva told the truth in
the courtroom? She was inspired by the courage and resolve of
Miep Gies
12. Stop and Reflect: Why do you think it is important for
teachers to make emotional connections with students? Have you 22. What is the name of the group who traveled by bus through
ever had a teacher that you have had a good connection with? the South to challenge segregation? Freedom Riders
Explain. Answers will vary
23. What happens between Ms. Gruwell and her husband? They
get divorced

13. What is the name of the "game" Ms. Gruwell plays with her 24. What do Ms. Gruwell's student want her to do? Teach them
students? The line game during their junior year

25. What grade does Andre give himself on the self-evaluation? “F”
14. What does Scott Casey, Ms. Gruwell's husband, do for a
living? He is an architect 26. How many computers were donated to Ms. Gruwell's class? 35

27. What is the title of the students' diaries? The Freedom Writer’s
15. Why does Ms. Gruwell get a second job? In order to get money Diaries
to purchase books for her students
28. What does the Board of Education decide regarding Ms.
16. To what museum does Ms. Gruwell take her students? Museum Gruwell's class? That she can teach them junior and senior
of Tolerance/Holocaust Museum year

29. Making connections: Describe a teacher that has had an

17. What does Ms. Gruwell plan for her students on the first day of impact in your life. Why did this teacher do that left an impact on
their sophomore year? A Toast for Change your life? Answers will vary. This is also a chance for the teacher to
share about a teacher that inspired them. J

18. What book (about a young girl during the holocaust) do the
students read during their sophomore year? The Diary of Anne
Frank

19. What is the name of the woman who helped shelter Anne
Frank? Miep Gies