Which Notice Would Tell You?
A 40-minute Grade 1 lesson on choosing which neighbourhood source would answer a question.
Which Notice Would Tell You? is a free 40-minute Kindergarten to Grade 2 social studies lesson plan for Common Core standard D1.5.K-2 — work out what kind of source would help answer the 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:
- Kindergarten to Grade 2
- Length:
- 40 minutes
- Standard:
- D1.5.K-2
Kindergarten to Grade 2 · Developing Questions and Planning Inquiries
D1.5.K-2
Determine the kinds of sources that will be helpful in answering compelling and supporting questions.
Objective
Students will be able to choose the right source for a question and say why the others would not do.
Students are successful when they can
- Chooses a source that could answer it.
- Says why the others would not.
- Names a question no source here answers.
What you need
- Six real sources: a library notice, a timetable, a bin card, a poster, a price board, a letter
- Question cards
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up — what is each one for?
5 min- Hold up each of the six. One sentence on what it tells you.
- Leave them all on display.
Teach — and why not the others
13 min- Take a question. Choose the source and say why.
- Then go further than last year: say why two of the others would not do.
- Do a second question the same way.
- Take a question two sources could answer and say so.
- Take one none of them answers and name what you would need.
“Now tell me why not the timetable. That is the harder half.”
Guided practice — choose and rule out
12 min- Pairs answer eight questions, naming the source and ruling out one other.
- One question has two possible sources.
- One has none.
Independent practice
8 min- Students complete the which-source page.
- Read each question aloud.
Close
2 min- Ask one question. Take the source and one ruled out.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Chooses a source without ruling anything out.
Why: Finding one that works feels sufficient.
Fix: Require one exclusion. Saying why not is what shows the choice was reasoned.
Assumes a source covers more than it does.
Why: It is roughly on the right subject.
Fix: Look at it. If the words are not there, it does not answer the question.
Will not say that none of them helps.
Why: An empty answer feels like failure.
Fix: Include one unanswerable question and mark 'none' correct.
If they are not there yet
- Four sources rather than six.
- Choose only, without ruling out.
If they finish early
- Find a question two sources answer differently.
- Say what source you would need for the unanswerable one.
- Rank three sources for one question.
Exit ticket
You want to know which bin card goes in. Which source, and why not the timetable?
What to look for: The bin notice plus a reason for the exclusion. A choice with no exclusion means the harder half needs asking.
Printable practice for D1.5.K-2
Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.
- Which Notice Would Tell You?Circle the source that would answer each question.
Questions about Which Notice Would Tell You?
How long does the Which Notice Would Tell 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 Which Notice Would Tell You? teach?
D1.5.K-2 — D1.5.K-2, Developing Questions and Planning Inquiries for Kindergarten to Grade 2: “Determine the kinds of sources that will be helpful in answering compelling and supporting questions.” In plain terms, work out what kind of source would help answer the question.
What do I need to teach this lesson?
Six real sources: a library notice, a timetable, a bin card, a poster, a price board, a letter, question cards 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: chooses a source without ruling anything out; assumes a source covers more than it does and will not say that none of them helps. 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: “You want to know which bin card goes in. Which source, and why not the timetable?.” The bin notice plus a reason for the exclusion. A choice with no exclusion means the harder half needs asking. 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 Which Notice Would Tell You??
Yes — 1 printable D1.5.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 Which Notice Would Tell 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 D1.5.K-2 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.