What a Source Tells You
A 40-minute Kindergarten lesson on using a source to find something out about the past.
What a Source Tells You is a free 40-minute Kindergarten to Grade 2 social studies lesson plan for Common Core standard D2.His.10.K-2 — explain how a source helps you study the 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:
- Kindergarten to Grade 2
- Length:
- 40 minutes
- Standard:
- D2.His.10.K-2
Kindergarten to Grade 2 · History
D2.His.10.K-2
Explain how historical sources can be used to study the past.
Objective
Students will be able to say two things a source tells them and one it does not.
Students are successful when they can
- Says what the source shows.
- Says what it does not show.
- Says what they would need next.
What you need
- One rich source, enlarged
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up — look for a long time
5 min- Show one source and say nothing for a minute.
- Take five things people noticed.
Teach — tells you, and does not
13 min- List three things the source tells you. Point at each.
- Then list two it does not. The names, the smell, what happened next.
- Say that the second list is not a fault. Every source has edges.
- Ask what would fill one gap. Another source.
- Say the historian's habit: use the source, then notice what is missing.
“It cannot tell you that. So what else would you need?”
Guided practice — two lists
12 min- Pairs make both lists for a source.
- They name one source that would fill a gap.
- Take feedback on the gaps.
Independent practice
8 min- Students complete the what-the-source-tells-you page.
- The source is on the sheet.
Close
2 min- Take one thing the source tells and one it does not.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Says the source tells you something it does not.
Why: Filling gaps from imagination is automatic.
Fix: Point at it. If you cannot point, it is not in the source.
Thinks a gap means the source is bad.
Why: Not knowing feels like failure.
Fix: Every source has edges. Naming them is a skill, not a complaint.
Gives up when the source is unclear.
Why: There is no obvious answer.
Fix: Take one detail at a time. Three small observations beat one big guess.
If they are not there yet
- Two things it tells rather than three.
- Point at features together first.
If they finish early
- Say what a second source would add.
- Say what the source's maker wanted you to see.
- Find something in the source nobody else noticed.
Exit ticket
Name one thing this source tells you and one it does not.
What to look for: A pointable fact and a real gap. An unpointable claim means the point-at-it rule needs enforcing.
Printable practice for D2.His.10.K-2
Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.
- What the Source Tells YouLook at the source, then answer the questions.
Questions about What a Source Tells You
How long does the What a Source Tells You 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 What a Source Tells You teach?
D2.His.10.K-2 — D2.His.10.K-2, History for Kindergarten to Grade 2: “Explain how historical sources can be used to study the past.” In plain terms, explain how a source helps you study the past.
What do I need to teach this lesson?
One rich source, enlarged 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: says the source tells you something it does not; thinks a gap means the source is bad and gives up when the source is unclear. 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: “Name one thing this source tells you and one it does not.” A pointable fact and a real gap. An unpointable claim means the point-at-it rule needs enforcing. 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 What a Source Tells You?
Yes — 1 printable D2.His.10.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 What a Source Tells You 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.K-2 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.