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ENGLISH III
Discussion points and activities for the film
Freedom Writers
CLEAR LEARNING TARGETS:
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Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text (or film) and analyze their development
over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a
complex account; provide an objective summary of text
Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a
story or drama (e.g. where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are
introduced and developed)
Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text (e.g. the
choice where to begin or end a story, the choice to provide a comic or tragic resolution)
contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact
Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid
reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective techniques,
well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences
Representation of cultures and teachers:
How are these representations of different cultural groups and teachers challenging or stereotypical?
Significance of the plot and themes:
Which elements of Freedom Writers did you find most interesting or significant? Why?
HEROISM
Miep Gies, the daughter of the family that sheltered Anne Frank is the “hero” of one of the students. She
says that all the kids are “heroes.”
Discussion questions:
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Why does she say this?
What qualities make a “hero”?
Who is the “hero” of the film?
What qualities do you expect a film hero to have?
Are the qualities that make a real-life hero different from a film hero? Explain.
What other ideas of a “hero” does the film present?
Who are your “heroes” – why?
(Over, Please)
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DIARY ENTRY/MONOLOGUE
In Freedom Writers, the students write diary entries to express what they are feeling and the problems that
they are facing. We only get to hear some of these diary entries.
Diary Entry Activity:
Choose one of the following characters:
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Eva
One of the boys in the class
Erin Gruwell (Hilary Swank)
Margaret Campbell (Imelda Staunton)
Or another character that you liked or wanted to know more about
Then write a diary entry about Erin Gruwell’s first day at school. What do you think about her?
What assumptions do you make? Do you want her to succeed or not? If you are writing as
Erin, what are your ambitions and how do you think you’ll make them happen?
Staying as the same character, now write an entry for:
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the day the students go to see the Holocaust Exhibition
the day Miep Gies comes to the school
the day you hear that Erin will continue to teach the same class
MORAL RESPONSIBILITY
Freedom Writers explores what might be called the issue of “moral responsibility.” This could be
described as the responsibility of every person to “do the right thing.”
Discussion questions:
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What practical responsibilities do you have?
What moral responsibilities do you think you have?
Many of the characters in the film show “moral courage” and do the right thing even when it will cost
them something, such as Eva when she tells the court the truth, and Miep, who protected Anne Frank at
risk to herself. What other situations can you think of where someone can show moral courage? Write
down your ideas.