Questions the Whole Set Raises
A 55-minute Grade 5 lesson on asking questions that only exist once several sources are on the table together.
Questions the Whole Set Raises is a free 55-minute Grade 3 to Grade 5 social studies lesson plan for Common Core standard D2.His.12.3-5 — ask questions about several sources and how they relate to an event. 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.12.3-5
Grade 3 to Grade 5 · History
D2.His.12.3-5
Generate questions about multiple historical sources and their relationships to particular historical events and developments.
Objective
Students will be able to write a question that requires two or more sources to be asked at all.
Students are successful when they can
- Writes a question needing two sources.
- Says why one source alone could not raise it.
- Asks about the relation, not the content.
What you need
- All eight sources spread out
- String to link sources across the table
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up — cover one source
5 min- Ask a question about the white paper alone, then about the council report alone.
- Then ask what you can only ask with both.
Teach — questions between sources
18 min- Link white paper and council report: how far did one city fall behind the national promise?
- Link poll and debate: did members cite opinion that excluded their own constituents?
- Link broadcast and 2011 history: does the admission support her claim or only illustrate it?
- Say what makes these different: they are about the relation, not the content.
- Link the agreement and the council report: did secured timber reduce delays on the ground?
- Add the suspicious question: do two sources agree because they share an author?
- Add the gap question: what happened in the years no source covers?
“What can you only ask when you have both of these?”
Guided practice — three links
17 min- Groups link three pairs and write a question for each.
- They test each by covering one source.
- Groups present the question that most needed both.
Independent practice
12 min- Students complete the 'Questions the Whole Set Raises' page.
- Check the question genuinely needs two sources.
Close
3 min- Keep the strongest cross-source question for the enquiry.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Writes a question one source answers.
Why: Single-source questions are the habit.
Fix: Cover one source. If the question survives, it was not a relation question.
Compares sources on presentation.
Why: Length and format are visible.
Fix: Ask what the comparison tells you about the programme.
Thinks more sources always means a better question.
Why: More looks thorough.
Fix: Two well-chosen sources beat six. Say what each is doing.
If they are not there yet
- Two sources and a starter stem.
- Choose between two questions: which needs both?
If they finish early
- Write a question needing three sources.
- Find two sources with no useful question between them.
- Ask a question about a source missing from the set.
Exit ticket
Write a question you could only ask with both the trade agreement and the council report.
What to look for: A question about whether secured timber reduced delays on the ground. A question one source answers means the relation idea needs another run.
Printable practice for D2.His.12.3-5
Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.
- Questions the Whole Set RaisesCircle the best question.
Questions about Questions the Whole Set Raises
How long does the Questions the Whole Set Raises 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 Questions the Whole Set Raises teach?
D2.His.12.3-5 — D2.His.12.3-5, History for Grade 3 to Grade 5: “Generate questions about multiple historical sources and their relationships to particular historical events and developments.” In plain terms, ask questions about several sources and how they relate to an event.
What do I need to teach this lesson?
All eight sources spread out, string to link sources across the table 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: writes a question one source answers; compares sources on presentation and thinks more sources always means a better question. 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 a question you could only ask with both the trade agreement and the council report.” A question about whether secured timber reduced delays on the ground. A question one source answers means the relation idea needs another run. 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 Questions the Whole Set Raises?
Yes — 1 printable D2.His.12.3-5 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 Questions the Whole Set Raises 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.12.3-5 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.