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

Reading Check and Short Answer questions on key points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

Foreword and Freshman Year

Reading Check

1. Who wrote the foreword for The Freedom Writers Diary?

2. What books inspired The Freedom Writers Diary?

3. What was the cause of racial tension in Wilson High School?

4. What does Ms. Gruwell take her students to see in theaters after finding a racist caricature of Sharaud?

5. What bill do the students write about, explaining how it would affect their lives?

6. What novel do the students read that they feel relates to their own lives?

7. Who volunteers to pay for Ms. Gruwell to take her class on a field trip?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. Why was Ms. Gruwell assigned to teach “at-risk” freshmen in Wilson High School?

2. What is the difference between Ms. Gruwell’s class and the other classes in the school according to the diaries?

3. What comparison does Ms. Gruwell draw between Romeo and Juliet and her students’ own experiences?

Paired Resource

Rodney King Riots

• This article describes the Rodney King Riots, what prompted them, and why the event incited violence.