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Two Sources Side by Side

A 45-minute Grade 3 lesson on comparing what two sources say about the same past, including where they clash.

Two Sources Side by Side is a free 45-minute Grade 3 to Grade 5 social studies lesson plan for Common Core standard D2.His.10.3-5 — compare what different sources say about the same past. 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.10.3-5

Grade 3 to Grade 5 · History

D2.His.10.3-5

Compare information provided by different historical sources about the past.

Objective

Students will be able to compare two sources and say what their agreement or disagreement is worth.

Students are successful when they can

  • Says where two sources agree.
  • Says where they disagree and why.
  • Explains what agreement between two sources adds.

What you need

  • Pairs of sources laid out for comparison
  • A three-column sheet: agrees / disagrees / only one says
  • The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan

The lesson

Warm-up — same date, two documents

5 min
  1. Show two sources that both name 1846 and ask what that agreement gives us.
  2. Take answers before naming it.

Teach — three columns

15 min
  1. Fill 'agrees' for the newspaper and the directory: the railway was working by 1850.
  2. Fill 'disagrees' for the newspaper and the petition: whether it was welcome.
  3. Fill 'only one says' for the register: names of people the others only counted.
  4. Ask what agreement is worth: more confidence than either source alone.
  5. Ask what to do about disagreement: ask who made each and what they wanted.
  6. Take the 2015 claim and say how to test it: against the register and the directory.
“Do they agree because it is true, or because they share an author?”

Guided practice — three pairs

13 min
  1. Groups compare three pairs of sources using the columns.
  2. For one disagreement, they say who made each and what they wanted.
  3. Groups report the pair that added most.

Independent practice

9 min
  1. Students complete the 'Putting Two Sources Side by Side' page.
  2. Check that disagreement is explained, not just noticed.

Close

3 min
  1. Ask which two sources it would be most useful to have that we do not.

What goes wrong, and why

Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.

Thinks disagreement makes both useless.

Why: Conflicting evidence feels like no evidence.

Fix: Both are evidence of what people at the time thought. That is worth having.

Thinks agreement proves everything else in the source.

Why: Confirmation spreads.

Fix: They agree on the date. That confirms the date, not the opinions.

Splits the difference between two sources.

Why: It feels balanced.

Fix: Ask who made each and why. Sometimes one is simply better placed to know.

If they are not there yet

  • One pair and two columns.
  • Give the agreement and ask what it is worth.

If they finish early

  • Find two sources that agree for a suspicious reason.
  • Say what a third source would settle.
  • Test the 2015 claim against a record and report.

Exit ticket

The newspaper praises the railway; the petition opposes it. What do you do with that disagreement?

What to look for: Use both, and ask who made each and what they stood to gain. Discarding either means the disagreement step needs another run.

Printable practice for D2.His.10.3-5

Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.

Questions about Two Sources Side by Side

How long does the Two Sources Side by Side 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 Two Sources Side by Side teach?

D2.His.10.3-5 — D2.His.10.3-5, History for Grade 3 to Grade 5: “Compare information provided by different historical sources about the past.” In plain terms, compare what different sources say about the same past.

What do I need to teach this lesson?

Pairs of sources laid out for comparison, a three-column sheet: agrees / disagrees / only one says 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: thinks disagreement makes both useless; thinks agreement proves everything else in the source and splits the difference between two sources. 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: “The newspaper praises the railway; the petition opposes it. What do you do with that disagreement?.” Use both, and ask who made each and what they stood to gain. Discarding either means the disagreement step 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 Sources Side by Side?

Yes — 1 printable D2.His.10.3-5 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 Sources Side by Side 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.10.3-5 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.