Questions for an Old Cutting
A 40-minute Grade 1 lesson on generating questions a particular local source could help answer.
Questions for an Old Cutting is a free 40-minute Kindergarten to Grade 2 social studies lesson plan for Common Core standard D2.His.12.K-2 — ask questions about a source and the event it comes from. 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:
- Kindergarten to Grade 2
- Length:
- 40 minutes
- Standard:
- D2.His.12.K-2
Kindergarten to Grade 2 · History
D2.His.12.K-2
Generate questions about a particular historical source as it relates to a particular historical event or development.
Objective
Students will be able to write a question their source could help with and one it could not.
Students are successful when they can
- Writes a question the source could help with.
- Writes one it could not.
- Says what would answer the second.
What you need
- One local source per group
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up — I wonder
5 min- Take three 'I wonder' sentences about the cutting.
- Write them as questions.
Teach — two piles again, and a next step
13 min- Sort the three questions into 'this source can help' and 'needs another'.
- For the second pile, name what would help.
- Say the Grade 1 addition: the second pile is a research plan.
- Write one new question of each kind.
- Pass a source and its questions to another group.
“That question is not for this source. It is for the next one you find.”
Guided practice — two questions each
12 min- Groups write one answerable and one unanswerable question.
- They name what would answer the second.
- They swap and try to answer another group's first question.
Independent practice
8 min- Students complete the asking-a-source page.
- Read each option aloud.
Close
2 min- Take one question the source answered.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Asks about the present.
Why: The present is what they know.
Fix: Ask when the source was made.
Discards a question the source cannot answer.
Why: It feels like a failure.
Fix: It is the beginning of the next search.
Asks something the source states plainly.
Why: It is safe.
Fix: Ask whether they already know the answer.
If they are not there yet
- Give a question word.
- One question rather than two.
If they finish early
- Ask a question needing two sources.
- Answer another group's unanswerable question.
- Say which source you would look for next.
Exit ticket
Write one question this cutting could help with and one it could not.
What to look for: Both piles used. Only answerable questions means the second pile needs naming as valuable.
Printable practice for D2.His.12.K-2
Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.
- Questions for an Old CuttingCircle the best question to ask.
Questions about Questions for an Old Cutting
How long does the Questions for an Old Cutting lesson take?
40 minutes, split across 5 timed sections: warm-up 5 min, teach 13 min, guided practice 12 min, independent practice 8 min, close 2 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 for an Old Cutting teach?
D2.His.12.K-2 — D2.His.12.K-2, History for Kindergarten to Grade 2: “Generate questions about a particular historical source as it relates to a particular historical event or development.” In plain terms, ask questions about a source and the event it comes from.
What do I need to teach this lesson?
One local source per group 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: asks about the present; discards a question the source cannot answer and asks something the source states plainly. 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 one question this cutting could help with and one it could not.” Both piles used. Only answerable questions means the second pile needs naming as valuable. 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 for an Old Cutting?
Yes — 1 printable D2.His.12.K-2 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 for an Old Cutting 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.K-2 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.