Town Questions, Big and Small
A 40-minute Grade 2 lesson on building a set of small questions that together answer a big one.
Town Questions, Big and Small is a free 40-minute Kindergarten to Grade 2 social studies lesson plan for Common Core standard D1.4.K-2 — show how a smaller question helps with the big one. 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:
- D1.4.K-2
Kindergarten to Grade 2 · Developing Questions and Planning Inquiries
D1.4.K-2
Make connections between supporting questions and compelling questions.
Objective
Students will be able to build three small questions that between them cover a big one.
Students are successful when they can
- Writes three small questions.
- Says which piece each gives.
- Names what is still not covered.
What you need
- One big question written large
- Small question cards
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up — what would you need to know?
5 min- Ask 'what was the mill like to work in?'.
- Collect three things you would need to know.
Teach — cover the ground, then name the gap
13 min- Write the big question and three small ones under it.
- Name the piece each gives: who worked there, what the hours were, what it felt like.
- Read the three answers together. They cover a lot.
- Then ask what is still missing — what the workers were paid.
- Say the Grade 2 addition: naming the gap is part of planning, not a failure.
“Those three cover most of it. What is still not covered?”
Guided practice — build and check
12 min- Groups build three small questions under a big one.
- They name the piece each gives.
- They name one gap the three do not cover.
Independent practice
8 min- Students complete the big-and-small page.
- Read each pair aloud.
Close
2 min- Take one gap and a fourth question that would fill it.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Writes three small questions that give the same piece.
Why: One line of thinking produces three versions of itself.
Fix: Name the piece each gives. Three identical pieces is one question.
Thinks three small questions finish the big one.
Why: The set looks complete.
Fix: Always name a gap. Big questions are rarely closed.
Writes a small question as broad as the big one.
Why: Scale is hard to judge.
Fix: Could one source answer it? A small question usually can.
If they are not there yet
- Two small questions rather than three.
- Give two and collect a third.
If they finish early
- Build four questions covering different topics.
- Say which small question is hardest to answer.
- Say what order you would tackle them in.
Exit ticket
Big question: what was the mill like to work in? Give two small questions and one gap.
What to look for: Two different pieces plus a gap. Identical pieces mean the what-piece question needs asking.
Printable practice for D1.4.K-2
Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.
- Town Questions, Big and SmallDraw a line from each big question to the small one that helps.
Questions about Town Questions, Big and Small
How long does the Town Questions, Big and Small 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 Town Questions, Big and Small teach?
D1.4.K-2 — D1.4.K-2, Developing Questions and Planning Inquiries for Kindergarten to Grade 2: “Make connections between supporting questions and compelling questions.” In plain terms, show how a smaller question helps with the big one.
What do I need to teach this lesson?
One big question written large, small 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: writes three small questions that give the same piece; thinks three small questions finish the big one and writes a small question as broad as the big one. 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: “Big question: what was the mill like to work in? Give two small questions and one gap.” Two different pieces plus a gap. Identical pieces mean the what-piece question 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 Town Questions, Big and Small?
Yes — 1 printable D1.4.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 Town Questions, Big and Small 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 D1.4.K-2 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.