Journaling —ask students to journal their reactions to the following prompts:

1. Brainstorm definitions of tolerance. What is it? What does it look like? What does it look like when some does not show tolerance? Potentials definitions for discussion—respect, acceptance, power to change, freedom, unity, character, transcending, encouragement, focus, triumph, passion, empathy, walk a day in my shoes, enduring hardship, patience, fortitude, stamina, overcoming obstacles, recognizing others beliefs that are different than yours, allowing deviation from a standard, compassion, empathizing, good listener, respect, journey, acceptance, building relationships, understanding
2. What does this mean—“Don’t judge a book by its cover” or “Don’t judge a peanut by its shell”.
3. What does it mean to walk a day in someone’s shoes? Whose shoes do you think it would be difficult to walk in? What obstacles do you face everyday? What might it be like if you were one of the following people—

1. Ask the media center to do a library talk of books that promote tolerance.
2. Show clips of the movie to your class; ask them to journal about a specific scene.
3. Create book clubs within your classroom. Have students share their favorite passages and what it means to them.
4. Encourage students to start journaling.
5. Encourage students to be creative! Have students draw or write on the shoe handout what it means to “walk a day” in their shoes. We will line the hallways with shoes. Copy on to multi-colored paper.
6. Ask students to write a letter to a business that could sponsor the Freedom Writers project.
7. Give extra credit if students read the Freedom Writers Diary and show evidence by participating in the attached book projects.

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Grant Krieger