Riding Freedom

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

What is a stagecoach? How was the stagecoach important during the 1800s?

Teaching Suggestion: The historical images in these and similar resources may help students pinpoint and better understand the time period of the novel. Students might, for example, list details they notice as each image is revealed. They might work in small groups to identify any connecting details and label these with a category name, then discuss or note conclusions they draw about stagecoaches and the time period. Alternatively, students could have some time to look through the images independently at their own pace and choose one on which to focus, then share their noted details with the group. Reading the History article or a similar resource may provide additional historical background that directly connects to the protagonist in the novel. Students might annotate the article for any details that stand out to them and questions they have.

• This site from The Henry Ford focuses on art showcasing stagecoaches. For the various pieces included here, additional background and details are included.
• “Meet Stagecoach Mary, the Daring Black Pioneer Who Protected Wild West Stagecoaches” from History explores the life of Mary Fields, who became the first African American woman to serve as a mail carrier, protecting and delivering mail via stagecoach. The resource also includes brief videos about other influential women. (Content Warning: The article mentions the use of alcohol.)

Short Activity

Societal roles traditionally associated with gender (e.g., jobs, duties, and obligations typically thought of as proper for men or women) have changed over time. Research Gender Roles in 19th-Century America. Create a bulleted list of 6-8 pieces of information on the topic to display on posterboard or on a shared virtual bulletin board. Briefly present your new knowledge to the class.

Teaching Suggestion: It might benefit students to find and compile resources, take notes and list additional questions, then research in small groups. Alternatively, the class might brainstorm a list of questions together for further research. After researching, students might discuss how traditional gender roles impact individuals and society, which could happen in their small groups or as a whole class. During reading, the class could identify aspects of the novel that connect to the history they uncovered.

• “Women in Nineteenth-Century America” from Virginia Commonwealth University’s Social Welfare History Project summarizes the social movements and historical events that influenced the changes to gender roles in the 19th century.
• “Women’s Participation in Public Life in the Early 1800s” from ThoughtCo includes sections about slavery, work, education, and those fighting for change.

Differentiation Suggestion: Students who benefit from reading comprehension strategies might find it helpful to read the articles in pairs and complete a 2-column graphic organizer with specific questions in the first column and space for answers in the second column. Alternatively, students could write a resource quote on the left side of the organizer and explain what the quote reveals about gender roles in the 1800s on the right side.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the text.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time? Do you pursue an activity, hobby, or pastime that you feel passionate about? How might this passion connect to dreams or goals you have for your future? How would you react if someone told you that you could not follow that passion?

Teaching Suggestion: Charlotte loves riding horses and faces a dilemma early in the novel when she is told she cannot be around horses anymore. Reflecting on this challenge before reading can help students relate to Charlotte’s conflict. Additionally, it may be beneficial to read and briefly discuss Langston Hughes’s “Harlem” before or after students have a chance to respond to the prompt. Studying Hughes’s poem provides an opportunity for poetry analysis and offers a short but dense text to reference in connection during the reading of the novel. Students might sketch the poem’s images that represent the “deferred” dream. When Charlotte encounters threats to her dreams, students might discuss which of the images in the poem seem to best capture her experience. Then, they can explore the power of her refusal to give in.

• Langston Hughes’s “Harlem” explores putting aside one’s dreams.

Differentiation Suggestion: Advanced learners might complete an alternative or extension activity in which they write a dialogue for the dilemma outlined in the prompt. Incorporating strong argument strategies, they can explain why they should be able to continue their activity.