Speech Rewrite

This worksheet is designed for students in Grades 5 and 6 to strengthen historical literacy and advanced language skills through close reading and paraphrasing. Students read an excerpt from a 1773 speech by Samuel Adams and rewrite it in modern language while preserving the original meaning and tone. This requires careful interpretation of older vocabulary, sentence structure, and persuasive intent.

After completing the rewrite, students respond to a reflection prompt explaining why preserving meaning matters when adapting historical speeches for modern audiences. This encourages deeper thinking about accuracy, context, and respect for historical ideas.

Skills Reinforced

• Paraphrasing & Modernizing Text (Grades 5-6) – Translate older formal language into clear, contemporary wording.
• Understanding Revolutionary Leaders & Ideas – Analyze the beliefs and arguments expressed by colonial leaders.
• Interpreting Historical Language – Decode complex or outdated phrasing without changing intent.
• Critical Thinking: Meaning Across Contexts – Reflect on how messages travel across time and why accuracy matters.

Instructional Support

• Teacher-Created Resource – Designed by educators to integrate English language arts with social studies.
• Meaning-Preservation Focus – Emphasizes fidelity to original ideas rather than simplification.
• Structured Reflection Component – Promotes metacognition about language, history, and interpretation.
• Supports Historical Empathy – Helps students appreciate how people communicated in the past.
• Flexible Use – Ideal for social studies units, literacy blocks, assessments, or enrichment.
• No-Prep Format – Print-and-go worksheet for classroom or homeschool settings.

This printable worksheet helps students bridge past and present by thoughtfully rewriting a historical speech. By preserving meaning while updating language, learners strengthen paraphrasing skills, deepen understanding of revolutionary ideas, and gain insight into how powerful messages endure across generations.

This worksheet is part of our The Boston Tea Party Worksheets collection.