Using a Local Source
A 40-minute Grade 1 lesson on getting information out of a local source and noticing what it leaves out.
Using a Local Source is a free 40-minute Kindergarten to Grade 2 social studies lesson plan for Common Core standard D2.His.10.K-2 — explain how a source helps you study 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:
- Kindergarten to Grade 2
- Length:
- 40 minutes
- Standard:
- D2.His.10.K-2
Kindergarten to Grade 2 · History
D2.His.10.K-2
Explain how historical sources can be used to study the past.
Objective
Students will be able to list what a source tells them, what it does not, and what would fill the gap.
Students are successful when they can
- Lists three things it tells you.
- Lists two it does not.
- Names a source that would fill a gap.
What you need
- The old newspaper cutting, enlarged
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up — read it twice
5 min- Read the cutting once for gist and once slowly.
- Take three things noticed on the second reading only.
Teach — and what would fill the gap
13 min- List what the cutting tells you, pointing at each.
- List what it does not: prices, the baker's name, whether people were pleased.
- Take one gap and ask what would fill it.
- Say the Grade 1 addition: naming the gap is how you know what to look for next.
- Show that Mrs Hall's line partly fills one gap.
“It cannot tell you that. So what would you go and find?”
Guided practice — two lists and a next step
12 min- Pairs make both lists for a source.
- They name a source that would fill one gap.
- They mark the gap they most want filled.
Independent practice
8 min- Students complete the using-a-source page.
- The source is on the sheet.
Close
2 min- Take one gap and what would fill it.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Claims something the source does not say.
Why: Filling gaps is automatic.
Fix: Point at it. Unpointable claims go on the second list.
Thinks a gap makes the source useless.
Why: Incompleteness feels like failure.
Fix: Every source has edges. The gap is a research question.
Names a gap with no way to fill it.
Why: Noticing is easier than solving.
Fix: Always name a next source, even a hoped-for one.
If they are not there yet
- Two things it tells rather than three.
- Point at features together first.
If they finish early
- Say what the writer chose to leave out.
- Say what a second cutting would add.
- Find something in the source nobody else noticed.
Exit ticket
Name one thing the cutting tells you, one it does not, and what would fill that gap.
What to look for: All three. A gap with no next source means the what-would-fill-it step needs enforcing.
Printable practice for D2.His.10.K-2
Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.
- Using a Local SourceLook at the source, then answer the questions.
Questions about Using a Local Source
How long does the Using a Local 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 Using a Local Source teach?
D2.His.10.K-2 — D2.His.10.K-2, History for Kindergarten to Grade 2: “Explain how historical sources can be used to study the past.” In plain terms, explain how a source helps you study the past.
What do I need to teach this lesson?
The old newspaper cutting, enlarged 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: claims something the source does not say; thinks a gap makes the source useless and names a gap with no way to fill it. 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: “Name one thing the cutting tells you, one it does not, and what would fill that gap.” All three. A gap with no next source means the what-would-fill-it step needs enforcing. 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 Using a Local Source?
Yes — 1 printable D2.His.10.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 Using a Local 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.10.K-2 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.