Integrating Information From Two Texts
A 40-minute Grade 4 lesson on integrating information from two texts on one topic in order to write or speak about it.
Integrating Information From Two Texts is a free 40-minute Grade 4 English lesson plan for Common Core standard RI.4.9 — combine two texts on one topic to write about it properly. 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 4
- Length:
- 40 minutes
- Standard:
- RI.4.9
Grade 4 · Reading: Informational Text
RI.4.9
Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.
Objective
Students will be able to write one paragraph that uses information from two texts without stacking them.
Students are successful when they can
- Uses facts from both texts.
- Combines rather than stacks.
- Names which text each fact came from.
What you need
- Two texts on one topic
- A note grid with a source column
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up — the stacked paragraph
5 min- Read a paragraph that summarises text one then text two.
- Ask what is wrong with it. Nothing is combined.
Teach — organise by idea, not by source
13 min- Take notes from both texts into a grid organised by idea.
- Show that each row now has facts from both sources.
- Write one row as a sentence, using both.
- Show the same content written source by source and compare.
- Say the rule: the paragraph's shape comes from the ideas, not from which book you read first.
“Group the notes by idea. Then you cannot write it source by source.”
Guided practice — one integrated paragraph
12 min- Pairs build an idea-organised grid from both texts.
- They write one paragraph from one row.
- They check both sources appear in it.
Independent practice
8 min- Students complete the integration page.
- Both passages are on the sheet.
Close
2 min- Read one integrated sentence. Ask which sources it used.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Summarises text one then text two.
Why: That is the order they were read in.
Fix: Organise the notes by idea before writing. The grid prevents the stack.
Uses one text and mentions the other.
Why: One was clearer or came first.
Fix: Count the facts per source. An imbalance is visible in the grid.
Loses track of which source said what.
Why: Once combined, the origins blur.
Fix: The source column, filled at note time.
If they are not there yet
- Two rows rather than four.
- Give the idea headings.
If they finish early
- Integrate three texts.
- Handle a row where the two sources disagree.
- Write a second paragraph from a different row.
Exit ticket
Write one sentence using a fact from each text.
What to look for: Two sources genuinely combined. Two sentences side by side means the idea-grid step was skipped.
Printable practice for RI.4.9
Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.
- Integrate Two TextsRead Text 1 and answer the question under it.
Questions about Integrating Information From Two Texts
How long does the Integrating Information From Two Texts 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 Integrating Information From Two Texts teach?
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.9 — RI.4.9, Reading: Informational Text for Grade 4: “Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.” In plain terms, combine two texts on one topic to write about it properly.
What do I need to teach this lesson?
Two texts on one topic, a note grid with a source column 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: summarises text one then text two; uses one text and mentions the other and loses track of which source said what. 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: “Write one sentence using a fact from each text.” Two sources genuinely combined. Two sentences side by side means the idea-grid step was skipped. 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 Integrating Information From Two Texts?
Yes — 1 printable RI.4.9 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 Integrating Information From Two Texts 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 RI.4.9 of the Common Core State Standards for English language arts.