Two Records, One Question
A 50-minute Grade 4 lesson on assembling evidence from several records to answer one compelling question.
Two Records, One Question is a free 50-minute Grade 3 to Grade 5 social studies lesson plan for Common Core standard D3.3.3-5 — pull evidence from several sources to answer the big question. 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:
- 50 minutes
- Standard:
- D3.3.3-5
Grade 3 to Grade 5 · Evaluating Sources and Using Evidence
D3.3.3-5
Identify evidence that draws information from multiple sources in response to compelling questions.
Objective
Students will be able to assemble evidence from two or more sources and handle a source that disagrees.
Students are successful when they can
- Chooses sources that each add something.
- Takes one piece of evidence from each.
- Says what to do when a source disagrees.
What you need
- One compelling question written large
- All eight sources and an evidence board
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up — one source, one answer
5 min- Answer 'was the 1893 cut justified?' from the mill notice alone.
- Ask how confident anybody is, and why not more.
Teach — build the board
17 min- Post the question and pin the notice's reason beneath it.
- Pin the circular's profit figure beside it. Ask what the board now shows.
- Ask what a third source could add: the census, showing how many hands were affected.
- Say the test for adding a source: what does it supply that the others cannot?
- Ask what agreement is worth: more confidence in that particular point.
- Ask what disagreement requires: saying so, and explaining how you weigh them.
- Say why several sources beat one: a weakness in one is unlikely to be shared by all.
“What does this source add that the last one could not?”
Guided practice — three boards
15 min- Groups take a question each and pin evidence from two sources.
- They mark whether their sources agree or disagree.
- Groups present a board where the sources disagreed and say how they weighed them.
Independent practice
10 min- Students complete the 'Two Records, One Question' page.
- Check both sources genuinely bear on the question.
Close
3 min- Ask which question the eight sources answer best.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Uses two sources that say the same thing.
Why: Agreement feels like strength.
Fix: Ask what the second adds. Two copies of one fact is still one fact.
Drops the source that disagrees.
Why: It complicates the answer.
Fix: Keep it and say why you weigh it as you do. Dropping it is choosing your evidence.
Counts sources rather than weighing them.
Why: Numbers feel decisive.
Fix: Ask who made each. One well-placed source can outweigh three repeating each other.
If they are not there yet
- Two sources and a question with the first piece pinned.
- Choose which of three sources bears on the question.
If they finish early
- Assemble evidence from three sources with one dissenting.
- Say what a fourth source would have to show to change the board.
- Find a question the board cannot answer at all.
Exit ticket
For 'was the region growing by migration?', name two sources and what each contributes.
What to look for: The census abstract and the ledger, each contributing something the other does not. Two sources saying the same thing means the adds test needs another run.
Printable practice for D3.3.3-5
Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.
- Two Records, One QuestionCircle the best answer.
Questions about Two Records, One Question
How long does the Two Records, One Question lesson take?
50 minutes, split across 5 timed sections: warm-up 5 min, teach 17 min, guided practice 15 min, independent practice 10 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 Two Records, One Question teach?
D3.3.3-5 — D3.3.3-5, Evaluating Sources and Using Evidence for Grade 3 to Grade 5: “Identify evidence that draws information from multiple sources in response to compelling questions.” In plain terms, pull evidence from several sources to answer the big question.
What do I need to teach this lesson?
One compelling question written large, all eight sources and an evidence board 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: uses two sources that say the same thing; drops the source that disagrees and counts sources rather than weighing them. 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: “For 'was the region growing by migration?', name two sources and what each contributes.” The census abstract and the ledger, each contributing something the other does not. Two sources saying the same thing means the adds test 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 Two Records, One Question?
Yes — 1 printable D3.3.3-5 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 Two Records, One Question 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 D3.3.3-5 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.