The Freedom Writers Diary: How a Teacher and 150 Teens Used Writing to Change Themselves and the World Around Them

Foreword and Freshman Year

Reading Check

1. Zlata Filipović (Foreword)

2. Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl & Zlata’s Diary (Foreword)

3. Rodney King Riots (Freshman Year, Fall, Ms. Gruwell)

4. Schindler’s List (Freshman Year, Fall, Ms. Gruwell)

5. California Proposition 187 (Freshman Year, Fall, Student Diaries)

6. Durango Street (Freshman Year, Fall, Student Diaries)

7. John Tu (Freshman Year, Spring, Ms. Gruwell)

Short Answer

1. The school considered Ms. Gruwell to be a liability because of her upstart attitude. (Freshman Year, Fall, Ms. Gruwell)

2. The students indicate that the other classes are for “Distinguished Scholars,” while their class is for those who are troubled and bused in from bad neighborhoods. The students indicate that schools are divided by race, like cities. (Freshman Year, Fall, Student Diaries)

3. Ms. Gruwell compares the Capulet and Montague families’ conflict to a rivalry between a Latino gang and an Asian gang. (Freshman Year, Spring, Student Diaries)

Sophomore Year

Reading Check

1. To the Medieval Times Restaurant (Sophomore Year, Fall, Student Diaries)

2. “Toast for change” (Sophomore Year, Fall, Student Diaries)

3. Zlata (Sophomore Year, Fall, Student Diaries)

4. A money jar (Sophomore Year, Spring, Ms. Gruwell)

5. Gerda Seifer (Sophomore Year, Spring, Ms. Gruwell)

6. Ms. Gruwell’s students (Sophomore Year, Spring, Student Diaries)

7. At the Marriott (Sophomore Year, Spring, Student Diaries)

9. “I am a human being.” (Sophomore Year, Spring, Student Diaries)

10. “Basketball for Bosnia” (Sophomore Year, Spring, Student Diaries)

Short Answer

1. Ms. Gruwell applied for a new position because she was being labeled by the other teachers at the school. She decides to stay when she considers that her students might be disappointed if she leaves. (Sophomore Year, Fall, Ms. Gruwell)

2. The students worry that with all the attention they are getting they might have to split up their English class. They are afraid Ms. Gruwell will not be able to teach them the following year. (Sophomore Year, Spring, Student Diaries)

Junior Year

Reading Check

1. Europe (Junior Year, Fall, Ms. Gruwell)

2. Holden Caulfield (Junior Year, Fall, Student Diaries)

3. Zlata (Junior Year, Spring, Ms. Gruwell)

4. John Tu (Junior Year, Spring, Ms. Gruwell)

5. The students with the highest GPAs (Junior Year, Spring, Mrs. Gruwell)

6. The Freedom Writers (Junior Year, Spring, Student Diaries)

7. To Richard Riley/Secretary of Education (Junior Year, Spring, Student Diaries)

8. Washington, D.C. (Junior Year, Spring, Student Diaries)

Short Answer

1. The students have bad memories they don’t want to explore. (Junior Year, Spring, Student Diaries)

2. The students decide they are relieved to share their writing with others who have had similar experiences. They spend long hours working on their project together. (Junior Year, Spring, Student Diaries)

Senior Year

Reading Check

1. College admissions (Senior Year, Fall, Ms. Gruwell)

2. Student mentors/college students (Senior Year, Fall, Ms. Gruwell)

3. Cheryl Best (Senior Year, Fall, Student Diaries)

4. A Los Angeles Times article (Senior Year, Fall, Student Diaries)

5. Prime Time Live’s Connie Chung (Senior Year, Spring, Ms. Gruwell)

6. The Spirit of Anne Frank award (Senior Year, Spring, Student Diaries)

7. Doubleday (Senior Year, Spring, Student Diaries)

8. In Europe (Epilogue)

Short Answer

1. The students think they may have people on their teams who are like Molly in Animal Farm. Molly is the horse who does not want to work hard on the farm. (Senior Year, Spring, Student Diaries)

2. The students learn that change can come if they are willing to speak out against injustices and do what is right. Through literature, the class learns to reflect on their belief systems, and through writing, they learn how to effect change in the world. (Various sections)