Students are reading Freedom Writers, and then watching the movie.  Today, we are finishing the movie. Use the graphic organizer in this document to keep notes on the characters: Freedom Writers Video worksheet.doc

After the movie, get into small groups (3-5). On a large sheet of paper, answer the following questions:

1. What is the main message of this movie?
   1. Write down the main message.
   2. Each group will briefly discuss if they agree, and why or why not?
2. Who was your favorite character in the movie? Why?
3. Each group will do a character analysis on one person from the movie.
   1. This will discuss how this character changed from the beginning to the end.
   2. What they overcame.
   3. Why did they change?
   4. What was one important event that made a difference?

Curriculum Expectations

Reading: Making Inferences/Interpreting Texts

1.5 develop and explain interpretations of increasingly complex or difficult texts using stated and implied ideas from the texts to support their interpretations,

Extending Understanding

1.6 extend understanding of texts, including increasingly complex or difficult texts, by connecting the ideas in them to their own knowledge, experience, and insights, to other texts, and to the world around them

Listening

Making Inferences/Interpreting Texts

1.5 develop and explain interpretations of oral texts using the language of the text and oral and visual cues to support their interpretations

Teacher prompt: “Why might different audiences interpret the same oral text in different ways? Give examples to support your opinion.”

Extending Understanding

1.6 extend understanding of oral texts, including increasingly complex or difficult texts, by connecting, comparing, and contrasting the ideas and information in them to their own knowledge, experience, and insights; to other texts, including print and visual texts; and to the world around them

• (e.g., respond in role as a character from an oral text while being interviewed by another student;
• discuss similarities and differences between oral and print texts on the same topic, focusing on specific elements such as the accuracy and relevance of information;
• debate the wisdom of the choices made by a character depicted in an oral biography, based on ideas about what their own choices might have been)

About Freedom Writers

http://www.learn360.com/ShowVideo.aspx?ID=639922 Run Time: [02:02:00]

A young teacher (Swank) inspires her class of at-risk students to learn tolerance, apply themselves, and pursue education beyond high school.©2007, PARAMOUNT.