Diary vs. News Rewrite

This worksheet helps students in Grades 5, 6, and 7 explore how point of view, tone, and purpose shape written communication. By rewriting the same neutral scene about a community recovering from storm damage as both a personal diary entry and a factual news report, students practice adapting narrative voice, emotional expression, and language choices to fit different audiences and formats.

Learning Goals

• Point of View and Narrative Voice (Grades 5-7) – Rewrite a scene using first-person subjective voice and third-person objective reporting.
• Tone Manipulation and Purposeful Style – Adjust wording, detail, and tone to match personal reflection versus informational reporting.
• Objective vs. Subjective Language – Identify and apply the differences between emotional narration and factual description.
• Writing for Different Audiences and Formats – Tailor content to fit diary writing and news-style reporting conventions.

Instructional Benefits

• Teacher-Created Resource – Designed by educators to support narrative and informational writing standards.
• Authentic Writing Comparison – Side-by-side rewrites highlight how purpose changes style and tone.
• Flexible Classroom Use – Ideal for writing workshops, small groups, independent practice, or assessment.
• Supports Revision and Style Awareness – Encourages intentional choices rather than surface-level edits.

This printable worksheet helps students understand that the same events can be communicated in very different ways depending on voice, tone, and purpose. By rewriting one scene as both a diary entry and a news report, learners build confidence in perspective shifts, tone control, and audience awareness. It is a practical, no-prep resource for classroom and homeschool settings that strengthens narrative craft and purposeful writing.

This worksheet is part of our Narrative Voice and Tone Worksheets collection.