The Woman Who Disguised Herself
to Ride Into History
A complete cross-curricular novel study for Riding Freedom by Pam Muñoz Ryan, blending literature, 19th-century women's history, geography, and STEM engineering for grades 3–12.
A Story Worth Telling All Month Long
Charlotte Parkhurst was an orphan who refused to accept the life that was handed to her. Disguising herself as a man, she became one of California's most celebrated stagecoach drivers, voted in a U.S. election decades before women had the legal right, and built a life on sheer grit and determination.
Pam Muñoz Ryan's Riding Freedom tells that story with warmth and detail. This study guide gives your students the tools to go deeper, connecting one woman's remarkable journey to the broader sweep of 19th-century America and the world she navigated with courage and determination.
This isn't a packet of comprehension questions. It's a guided investigation that asks students to think, build, map, and discuss, connecting Charlotte's life to history, science, and the kinds of questions that stay with kids long after the last page.
What's Inside the 45-Page Guide
Historical Context & Pre-Reading
Background on 1800s America and the historical context of the era so students understand the world Charlotte stepped into before they ever open the book.
25 Vocabulary Words
Presented in context with novel quotes, plus literary theme words like perseverance, disguise, and independence.
Themes & US History Parallels
Structured discussion connecting Charlotte's story to 19th-century American society and the era of Westward Expansion.
Character Development
Charlotte's timeline from orphan to trailblazer, plus analysis of supporting characters and their roles in her journey.
STEM Lab: Stagecoach Science
Students engineer a shock-absorbent wagon model and calculate real travel times using horse gaits and historical routes.
Geography + Hands-On Projects
Map the Overland Trail, explore frontier music, and use field trip ideas to bring the 1800s to life beyond the page.
A Good Fit For...
Homeschool families studying women's history, the 1800s, or Westward Expansion, especially with multi-age groups who need one resource that scales.
Classroom teachers pairing literature with social studies and looking for built-in STEM integration without extra planning.
Kids who love horses, adventure, and engineering and need a book study that actually holds their attention.
Girl Scout groups and book clubs looking for a meaningful Women's History Month read with built-in discussion and activity guides.