Speech Rewrite

This worksheet supports students in Grades 5 and 6 as they build reading comprehension, paraphrasing skills, tone analysis, and historical understanding by working with a Reconstruction-era speech by Frederick Douglass. Students read a historical excerpt, identify the speaker’s purpose and attitude, and then rewrite the passage using modern, accessible language while preserving the original meaning and message.

Learning Goals

• Paraphrasing Historical Texts (Grades 5-6) – Students translate complex, older language into clear modern wording.
• Identifying Author’s Purpose – Learners determine the speaker’s goal and intended impact on the audience.
• Tone & Attitude Analysis – Students analyze emotional tone and select words that describe the speaker’s perspective.
• Understanding Reconstruction-Era Advocacy – The activity deepens comprehension of civil rights arguments and persuasive language.

Instructional Benefits

• Teacher-Created Resource – Designed by educators to align with upper-elementary ELA and social studies standards.
• Primary Source Skill Building – Helps students engage confidently with historical speeches and documents.
• Supports Close Reading – Requires careful attention to meaning, word choice, and intent.
• Flexible Classroom Use – Ideal for literacy lessons, social studies integration, assessments, or discussion starters.
• Low-Prep Printable – Ready for classroom or homeschool use with minimal preparation.

This Speech Rewrite worksheet helps students connect powerful historical messages to present-day understanding. By rewriting Frederick Douglass’s words in modern language and analyzing tone and purpose, learners strengthen paraphrasing, interpretation, and critical reading skills while gaining deeper insight into Reconstruction-era civil rights advocacy.