Level 1 • Lesson 31 — Writing a diary entry

Objective

I can write a simple diary entry about my day using the date, I-voice, a small moment, and my feelings.

Materials

Pencil and eraser
Small notebook or a few pages of ruled paper
Primary lines if needed
Tracing Pad (below)

Mini-lesson — What is a diary entry?

A diary (or journal) is a place where you write about your own life.

A diary entry is usually:

about one day or one small moment,
written with I (I went, I felt, I saw),
short and honest,
often written in a notebook.

Many diary entries have these parts:

Date — When did this happen? (Today, or a real date)
Small moment — One thing that happened
Detail — What you saw, heard, or did
Feeling — How you felt about it

Example diary entry:

Today
After school I went to the park with my friend.
We played tag and went down the big slide.
I felt happy and a little tired.

You are mostly writing for yourself about your own day.

Picture strip: "A page from a diary"

Guided Practice — Plan one diary entry

Use the Tracing Pad to warm up with diary words. Then plan and write one diary entry on paper.

Choose your small moment:
Think about one time from today or yesterday. For example:
- a game at recess,
- reading time,
- dinner with your family,
- a walk or a trip.
Warm up on the Tracing Pad:
Trace short words like today, school, friend, happy, tired, or diary.
Say your diary entry out loud:
In I-voice, say:
- When it happened (Today, After school, At night).
- What you did (I played a game. I read a book.).
- One detail (who was there, where you were, or what you used).
- How you felt (I felt proud. I felt calm. I felt excited.).
Write in your notebook:
On your ruled paper or in a small notebook, write:
- Line 1: a date or time line (Today, or a real date)
- Line 2: what happened in one short sentence
- Line 3: a detail sentence
- Line 4: a feeling sentence (how you felt)
Check your diary entry:
Does it tell about one small moment? Does every sentence start with a capital letter and end with a period? Can you read it back smoothly?

The Tracing Pad is only for warm-up. Your real diary entry should be written in your notebook or on paper.

Tracing Pad

Lines Trace

Pen

Drag & Drop — Build diary entries in order

Each set has four lines from one diary entry: a date line, what happened, a detail, and a feeling. Drag the lines into the best order to build one diary page.

On the device:
For each diary page, drag the four lines into the empty boxes on the page. When they are in the right order, they make a neat diary entry in I-voice.

On paper:
Choose two finished diary entries and copy all four lines into your notebook. Keep each line on its own line and use your best handwriting.

March 12, 2025 — After-school park time. I went to the park with my friend. We played on the swings and the slide. I felt happy and a little tired.

March 11, 2025 — Breakfast helper. I woke up early and went to the kitchen. I helped set the table with plates, cups, and spoons. I felt proud that I helped my family.

March 13, 2025 — Library time at school. I went to the school library with my class. I chose a picture book about animals and sat on the rug. I felt calm and curious while I read.

March 14, 2025 — Rainy night at home. I stayed inside and built a tall block tower. I listened to the rain tap on the window. I felt cozy and safe in my room.

March 15, 2025 — Saturday bike ride. I rode my bike around the park path. I rang my bell and saw ducks by the pond. I felt excited and brave on my bike.

Quick Check — Writing a diary entry

Answer each question about diary entries. This is a gentle 10-question check.

What is a diary?

A list of other people's phone numbers A notebook where you write about your own day A book of only math facts

Which is a good way to start a diary sentence?

I went to the park after school. You went to the park after school. They went to the park after school.

What should a diary entry be about?

Every day of your whole life in one page Only what your friend did One small moment from your own day

Why is it helpful to write the date or time at the top?

So you never know when it happened So you remember when this day or moment happened So you can skip writing any sentences

Which sentence is a good detail for a diary entry?

I listened to the rain tap on the window. abcdefg hijklmn The end.

What should you write to show your feelings in a diary?

A list of other people's names Only what time it is A sentence like "I felt happy and proud."

How long should your sentences be in a diary?

Very long with many ideas all together Short and clear so they fit on the lines Only one giant word across the whole page

Why is neat handwriting important in a diary?

So you can read your own diary easily later So nobody can tell what you wrote So you can color over all the words

How can you check if your diary entry makes sense?

Close the notebook without reading it Erase all of the words Read it aloud and listen if it sounds clear

When is a good time to write in your diary?

Only once every ten years After a day or moment you want to remember Only when someone tells you every word to write

Assessment (parent/teacher)

Can explain that a diary is a place to write about their own day Uses I-voice (I did, I went, I felt) in the diary entry Writes about one clear small moment (not many days at once) Includes a time or date idea such as Today, Yesterday, or Tonight Adds at least one detail about what they saw, heard, or did Includes a feeling sentence (happy, proud, calm, excited, etc.) Writes neatly enough that the entry is easy to read aloud

Exit ticket (student)

😀 I can write a diary entry by myself. 🙂 I can write a diary entry, but I want more practice. 😅 Writing diary entries still feels a bit tricky.

Next time I will…

Choose one small moment from my day Use I-voice to tell what I did Add a detail and a feeling sentence Keep my handwriting neat on each line

Lesson 31: Writing a diary entry