Questions About a Whole Set
A 45-minute Grade 3 lesson on asking questions about how several sources relate to one another and to an event.
Questions About a Whole Set is a free 45-minute Grade 3 to Grade 5 social studies lesson plan for Common Core standard D2.His.12.3-5 — ask questions about several sources and how they relate to an event. It is timed across 5 sections, gives the exact wording to use where the wording carries the mathematics, names 3 misconceptions with the teaching move that addresses each, and ends with an exit ticket and a printable worksheet with its answer key.
- Grade:
- Grade 3 to Grade 5
- Length:
- 45 minutes
- Standard:
- D2.His.12.3-5
Grade 3 to Grade 5 · History
D2.His.12.3-5
Generate questions about multiple historical sources and their relationships to particular historical events and developments.
Objective
Students will be able to write a question that only makes sense across two or more sources.
Students are successful when they can
- Writes a question involving two sources.
- Says why one source alone could not raise it.
- Asks about the relation, not just the content.
What you need
- All eight sources, spread out
- String to link sources on the table
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up — one source, one question
5 min- Ask a question about the directory alone, then about the register alone.
- Then ask what you can only ask with both.
Teach — questions that live between sources
15 min- Link the petition and the newspaper with string. Ask: why do these describe the same railway so differently?
- Link the register and the directory. Ask: do the people admitted match the trades that shrank?
- Say what makes these different: they are about the relation, not the content.
- Link the 1840s sources to the 2015 book. Ask: which of these did the author actually use?
- Add a warning question: do two sources agree because it is true, or because they share an author?
- Point out the time question: what changed in the ten years between 1840 and 1850?
“What can you only ask when you have both of these?”
Guided practice — string three links
13 min- Groups link three pairs and write a question for each.
- They test each question against one source alone.
- Groups present the question that most needed both.
Independent practice
9 min- Students complete the 'Questions About a Whole Set' page.
- Check the question genuinely needs two sources.
Close
3 min- Keep the strongest cross-source question for the enquiry.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Writes a question one source answers.
Why: Single-source questions are the habit.
Fix: Cover one source. If the question survives, it was not a relation question.
Compares sources on presentation.
Why: Neatness and length are visible.
Fix: Ask what the comparison would tell you about 1846. Neatness tells you nothing.
Thinks more sources always means a better question.
Why: More looks thorough.
Fix: Two well-chosen sources beat six. Ask what each one is doing in the question.
If they are not there yet
- Two sources and a starter stem.
- Choose between two questions: which needs both sources?
If they finish early
- Write a question needing three sources.
- Find two sources with no useful question between them, and say why.
- Ask a question about a source that is missing from the set.
Exit ticket
Write a question you could only ask with both the register and the trade directory.
What to look for: A question about whether the people admitted match the trades that shrank. A question one source answers means the relation idea needs another run.
Printable practice for D2.His.12.3-5
Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.
- Questions About a Whole SetCircle the best question.
Questions about Questions About a Whole Set
How long does the Questions About a Whole Set lesson take?
45 minutes, split across 5 timed sections: warm-up 5 min, teach 15 min, guided practice 13 min, independent practice 9 min, close 3 min. The minutes are stated per section and add up to the stated length, so the plan can be cut or extended at a section boundary rather than abandoned halfway.
Which standard does Questions About a Whole Set teach?
D2.His.12.3-5 — D2.His.12.3-5, History for Grade 3 to Grade 5: “Generate questions about multiple historical sources and their relationships to particular historical events and developments.” In plain terms, ask questions about several sources and how they relate to an event.
What do I need to teach this lesson?
All eight sources, spread out, string to link sources on the table and the printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan. Everything listed is either ordinary classroom equipment or a free printable from this site — there is nothing to buy and nothing to prepare beyond photocopying.
What mistakes should I expect in this lesson?
Three, each a reasoning error rather than carelessness: writes a question one source answers; compares sources on presentation and thinks more sources always means a better question. The plan gives the thinking behind each one and the teaching move that addresses the thinking rather than the symptom.
How do I know whether the lesson worked?
The exit ticket asks: “Write a question you could only ask with both the register and the trade directory.” A question about whether the people admitted match the trades that shrank. A question one source answers means the relation idea needs another run. That tells you whether the class needs a reteach or a thirty-second conversation before you plan tomorrow.
Is there a worksheet to go with Questions About a Whole Set?
Yes — 1 printable D2.His.12.3-5 worksheet, linked at the end of the plan and free like the rest of the site. Each one comes with an answer key and 25 versions, so the practice after the lesson can be a different paper on every desk.
Is Questions About a Whole Set free to use?
Yes. The plan, its printables and their answer keys are free to read, print and photocopy for your own class, with no account and no email capture. It was last reviewed on 7 September 2026. Please do not resell it or republish it as your own.
Last reviewed 2026-09-07. Aligned to D2.His.12.3-5 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.