Papers, Polls and Broadcasts
A 55-minute Grade 5 lesson on what each kind of twentieth-century source is good for and what it cannot show.
Papers, Polls and Broadcasts is a free 55-minute Grade 3 to Grade 5 social studies lesson plan for Common Core standard D2.His.9.3-5 — summarise how different kinds of source get used to explain 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:
- Grade 3 to Grade 5
- Length:
- 55 minutes
- Standard:
- D2.His.9.3-5
Grade 3 to Grade 5 · History
D2.His.9.3-5
Summarize how different kinds of historical sources are used to explain events in the past.
Objective
Students will be able to say what a type of source supplies and choose a type for a question.
Students are successful when they can
- Matches a source type to what it shows.
- Says what that type cannot show.
- Chooses a type for a stated question.
What you need
- One example of each source type
- Type cards: white paper, debate report, poll, broadcast, council report, agreement, letters, history
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up — sort by shape
5 min- Spread the eight sources and group them without reading closely.
- Ask what they grouped by, and whether it matched what the sources do.
Teach — each type has a specialism
18 min- A white paper shows what a government intended and how it would pay.
- A debate report shows what was argued and how the House divided.
- A poll shows what a sample said, and its method shows who was left out.
- A broadcast shows how a government explained itself publicly.
- A council report shows delivery against need.
- An agreement shows what two governments bound each other to.
- Say the point: choose the type from the question and know what it cannot do.
“What is this kind of document good at, and bad at?”
Guided practice — match and limit
17 min- Pairs match eight sources to what each shows.
- For four they write what that source cannot show.
- Groups choose types for three stated questions.
Independent practice
12 min- Students complete the 'Papers, Polls and Broadcasts' page.
- Check the match names the information, not the object.
Close
3 min- Ask which type this archive is short of.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Thinks official sources are the most reliable for everything.
Why: They are authoritative.
Fix: Ask the white paper what was built. It cannot say.
Treats a poll as a record of opinion.
Why: It counts people.
Fix: It records a sample's answers to one question, once.
Names the object instead of the information.
Why: The object is in front of them.
Fix: 'The debate report' is not an answer. 'What was argued and how they divided' is.
If they are not there yet
- Four sources rather than eight.
- Give the information and ask which type supplies it.
If they finish early
- Name a question none of the eight types can answer.
- Say which type the 2011 book leans on hardest.
- Rank the types by how much they reveal about ordinary people.
Exit ticket
What does a white paper show, and what can it not show?
What to look for: What a government intended and how it would pay; not what was actually delivered. Naming the object alone means the information step is missing.
Printable practice for D2.His.9.3-5
Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.
- Papers, Polls and BroadcastsDraw a line from each source to what it shows.
Questions about Papers, Polls and Broadcasts
How long does the Papers, Polls and Broadcasts lesson take?
55 minutes, split across 5 timed sections: warm-up 5 min, teach 18 min, guided practice 17 min, independent practice 12 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 Papers, Polls and Broadcasts teach?
D2.His.9.3-5 — D2.His.9.3-5, History for Grade 3 to Grade 5: “Summarize how different kinds of historical sources are used to explain events in the past.” In plain terms, summarise how different kinds of source get used to explain the past.
What do I need to teach this lesson?
One example of each source type, type cards: white paper, debate report, poll, broadcast, council report, agreement, letters, history 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 official sources are the most reliable for everything; treats a poll as a record of opinion and names the object instead of the information. 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: “What does a white paper show, and what can it not show?.” What a government intended and how it would pay; not what was actually delivered. Naming the object alone means the information step is missing. 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 Papers, Polls and Broadcasts?
Yes — 1 printable D2.His.9.3-5 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 Papers, Polls and Broadcasts 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.9.3-5 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.