Who Made This Source?
A 40-minute Kindergarten lesson on working out who made a source, when, and where, from the source itself.
Who Made This Source? is a free 40-minute Kindergarten to Grade 2 social studies lesson plan for Common Core standard D2.His.11.K-2 — work out who made a source, when, and where, from the source itself. 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.11.K-2
Kindergarten to Grade 2 · History
D2.His.11.K-2
Identify the maker, date, and place of origin for a historical source from information within the source itself.
Objective
Students will be able to find the maker, the date or the place from clues in a source.
Students are successful when they can
- Finds the maker where it is stated.
- Finds a clue about when or where.
- Says which of the three is missing.
What you need
- Sources with visible signatures, dates and places
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up — look at the bottom
5 min- Show a signed notice. Ask who wrote it.
- The name is at the bottom, which is where names usually are.
Teach — three questions, from the thing itself
13 min- Ask who, when and where of one source, finding each on it.
- Say the rule: the answers come from the source, not from guessing.
- Take a source missing its date and say so honestly.
- Find an indirect clue — the clothes, the writing — that hints at when.
- Say the difference between what is stated and what is hinted.
“It does not say the year. But look at what they are wearing.”
Guided practice — three questions each
12 min- Pairs answer who, when and where for two sources.
- They mark which answers are stated and which are guessed from clues.
- They name what is missing.
Independent practice
8 min- Students complete the who-made-this page.
- The sources are on the sheet.
Close
2 min- Take one maker and one clue about when.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Guesses the maker with no evidence.
Why: A guess produces an answer and a blank does not.
Fix: Point at the name. If there is none, 'we cannot tell' is the correct answer.
Thinks the person in a photograph made it.
Why: They are the visible person.
Fix: Ask who was holding the camera. The maker is usually not in the picture.
Treats a clue as certain.
Why: A good clue feels like proof.
Fix: Mark stated and guessed differently. The distinction is the whole skill.
If they are not there yet
- Sources with all three stated.
- One question rather than three.
If they finish early
- Date a source from clues alone.
- Say why a maker might not sign something.
- Say what the maker left out on purpose.
Exit ticket
Who made this source? How do you know?
What to look for: A name and where it was found. A guess means the point-at-the-name rule needs restating.
Printable practice for D2.His.11.K-2
Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.
- Who Made This?Look at the source, then answer the questions.
Questions about Who Made This Source?
How long does the Who Made This Source? 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 Who Made This Source? teach?
D2.His.11.K-2 — D2.His.11.K-2, History for Kindergarten to Grade 2: “Identify the maker, date, and place of origin for a historical source from information within the source itself.” In plain terms, work out who made a source, when, and where, from the source itself.
What do I need to teach this lesson?
Sources with visible signatures, dates and places 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: guesses the maker with no evidence; thinks the person in a photograph made it and treats a clue as certain. 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: “Who made this source? How do you know?.” A name and where it was found. A guess means the point-at-the-name rule needs restating. 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 Who Made This Source??
Yes — 1 printable D2.His.11.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 Who Made This Source? 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.11.K-2 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.