Estimated Time: 45 minutes

Questions to Ponder

1. Booker T. Washington experienced a great deal of hardship in his childhood. How do you think that hardship affected him?
2. What did Washington desire to accomplish above everything else? How did he go about achieving this goal?
3. After he completed his education, to what did he devote himself?
4. Washington wrote, "I think I began learning that those who are happiest are those who do the most for others." Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not?

Freewriting

After you have pondered and discussed these questions with your teacher, choose one to complete a freewrite. If you are unfamiliar with freewriting, here are a few tips:

• Keep your pencil moving. Don’t stop. Just brain dump onto your paper.
• Have a set amount of time. Set a timer and write for the full amount of time.
• Ignore all grammar and spelling. Don’t let editing slow down the process. The goal is to get thoughts on paper. Spelling and grammar are not important in this instance.
• Pen and paper aren’t the only ways to freewrite. Feel free to type on the computer. Not only does this accomplish the task, but it builds typing skills.

Share your freewrite in the comments below.