This is the book we will be reading, after watching Freedom Writers We will also be watching other related movies, in the classroom, related to this topic. See teaching with movies about copyright issues. Here is a link to a Study Guide for the Freedom Writer's movie. The Study Guide is also available in PDF form below, to download to your computer. For use as a handout, use freedom_writers_study_guide.doc, an image free version of the study guide (check the formatting and page breaks before printing).
freedom_writers_ltf_08.doc | |
File Size: | 55 kb |
File Type: | doc |
There was an assembly schedule on Thursday, November 20th, during which the Freedom Writers "beamed in" two of the original Freedom Writers to Roosevelt Middle School, so that the whole school benefited from the experiences of these famous journal writing students, who were used as the models for the film. These two videoconferences were conducted by Mr. Richard Mellott, Resource Specialist from Roosevelt's English Department, in conjunction with Mr. Glen Cornish of Painted Light Images Educational Corporation, and Ms. Lisa Smith of the Freedom Writers Foundation. As part of this groundbreaking videoconference, we also included Ms. Joy Lewis and 45 of her students in the first assembly. She is an English Instructor at Windsor High School in Binghamton, New York, whose sophomore English classes are also studying the Freedom Writers. Also assisting in the production was the Glendale Unified School District's Technology Specialist Katie Warren. Sponsors were Adobe Software and Mr. Ric Hepburn of Hepburn Financial Group. This promised to be a great motivational opportunity for our students, as well as a fantastic use of 21st Century Skills for the students. While there were a few technical difficulties during the first assembly, the second one went off without a hitch, and students were very attentive. The recorded videos of all the videoconferences will be made available to all teachers at Roosevelt Middle School, as part of the efforts by Mr. Mellott, Mr. Cornish, Mr. Hepburn, and Ms. Warren, to place this experience at the fingertips of all teachers who wish to use this as a Teaching tool, once the Freedom Writers Foundation has approved the use of their images and copyrights.
Mr. Mellott followed up with a visit to the Freedom Writers Foundation in Long Beach, California on Monday, November 24, 2008. He was able to meet with Lisa Smith of the Freedom Writers Foundation, several more Freedom Writers, and Erin Gruwell, the creator and inspiration for so many of us at Roosevelt Middle School. Ms. Gruwell and Mr. Mellott exchanged gifts of books and pictures, and spent time discussing the potential impact of the videoconference. Ms. Smith was also instrumental in helping to bring off the videoconference, and in introducing Mr. Mellott and Ms. Gruwell. Future projects are currently being discussed.
Mr. Mellott also visited the Museum of Tolerance on Wednesday, November 26, 2008. After listening to Holocaust Survivor Mary Natan speak for an hour on her experiences, Mr. Mellott secured an autographed copy of her book, Nightmares and Smiles, and spoke with her about her experiences.
bio-_freedom_writer_alicia_mitchell.doc | |
File Size: | 121 kb |
File Type: | doc |
bio-_freedom_writer_sue_ellen_alpizar.doc | |
File Size: | 121 kb |
File Type: | doc |
fw_info_sheet_10-08.doc | |
File Size: | 1568 kb |
File Type: | doc |
bells_2008-09landscape1.doc | |
File Size: | 31 kb |
File Type: | doc |
freedom_writers_study_guide2.doc | |
File Size: | 77 kb |
File Type: | doc |
freedomwriters.pdf | |
File Size: | 1774 kb |
File Type: |
Page by Page list of words and related activities developed by a middle school instructor, and posted on this site.
English Language Development-Advanced
Narrate and para-phrase events in greater detail by using more extended vocabulary.
Identify the main ideas and points of view and distinguish fact from fiction in broadcast and print media.
Prepare and deliver presentations and reports in various content areas, including a purpose, point of view, introduction, coherent transition, and appropriate conclusions. Prepare and deliver presentations and reports in various content areas, including a purpose, point of view, introduction, coherent transition, and appropriate Comprehension and Organization and Delivery of Oral Communication.
READING
1.0 Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development
Students use their knowledge of word origins and word relationships, as well as histori-
cal and literary context clues, to determine the meaning of specialized vocabulary and to
understand the precise meaning of grade-level-appropriate words.
Vocabulary and Concept Development
1.1 Identify idioms, analogies, metaphors, and similes in prose and poetry.
1.2 Use knowledge of Greek, Latin, and Anglo-Saxon roots and affixes to understand
content-area vocabulary.
1.3 Clarify word meanings through the use of definition, example, restatement, or contrast.
2.0 Reading Comprehension (Focus on Informational Materials)
Students read and understand grade-level-appropriate material. They describe and
connect the essential ideas, arguments, and perspectives of the text by using their
knowledge of text structure, organization, and purpose. The selections in Recommended
Literature, Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve illustrate the quality and complexity of the
materials to be read by students. In addition, by grade eight, students read one million
words annually on their own, including a good representation of grade-level-appropri-
ate narrative and expository text (e.g., classic and contemporary literature, magazines,
newspapers, online information). In grade seven, students make substantial progress
toward this goal.
3.0 Literary Response and Analysis
Students read and respond to historically or culturally significant works of literature
that reflect and enhance their studies of history and social science. They clarify the ideas
and connect them to other literary works. The selections in Recommended Literature,
Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve illustrate the quality and complexity of the materials
to be read by students.
Structural Features of Literature
3.1 Articulate the expressed purposes and characteristics of different forms of prose
(e.g., short story, novel, novella, essay).
Narrative Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text
3.2 Identify events that advance the plot and determine how each event explains past or
present action(s) or foreshadows future action(s).
3.3 Analyze characterization as delineated through a character’s thoughts, words, speech
patterns, and actions; the narrator’s description; and the thoughts, words, and actions
of other characters.
3.4 Identify and analyze recurring themes across works (e.g., the value of bravery, loyalty,
and friendship; the effects of loneliness).
3.5 Contrast points of view (e.g., first and third person, limited and omniscient, subjective
and objective) in narrative text and explain how they affect the overall theme of the work.
Literary Criticism
3.6 Analyze a range of responses to a literary work and determine the extent to which the
literary elements in the work shaped those responses.
WRITING
1.0 Writing Strategies
Students write clear, coherent, and focused essays. The writing exhibits students’
awareness of the audience and purpose. Essays contain formal introductions, supporting
evidence, and conclusions. Students progress through the stages of the writing process
as needed.
Organization and Focus
1.1 Create an organizational structure that balances all aspects of the composition and uses
effective transitions between sentences to unify important ideas.
1.2 Support all statements and claims with anecdotes, descriptions, facts and statistics, and
specific examples.
1.3 Use strategies of notetaking, outlining, and summarizing to impose structure on compo-
sition drafts.
Research and Technology
1.4 Identify topics; ask and evaluate questions; and develop ideas leading to inquiry, investi-
gation, and research.
1.5 Give credit for both quoted and paraphrased information in a bibliography by using a
consistent and sanctioned format and methodology for citations.
1.6 Create documents by using word-processing skills and publishing programs; develop
simple databases and spreadsheets to manage information and prepare reports.
Evaluation and Revision
1.7 Revise writing to improve organization and word choice after checking the logic of the
ideas and the precision of the vocabulary.
Writing will take place once to twice a week, in both the English and Mathematics Courses.