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Reading a Town Record is a free printable Kindergarten to Grade 2 social studies worksheet on using a source to study the past, aligned to Common Core standard D2.His.10.K-2. It prints 2 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two pupils in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.

Set 10 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.

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Set 1 has all 25 in a single PDF. All 25 sets ask different questions.

Reading a Town Record

D2.His.10.K-2

NameDate

Look at the source, then answer the questions.

1.Look at the source, then answer the questions.

Letter From a Mill Worker

A letter written in 1868 by Emma Shaw's mother, kept by the family. Dear sister, We are all at the mill now, even Emma. The bell rings at half past five and we walk down Mill Row. The work is hot and the noise is very great. We are glad of the wages, but I would rather Emma were at school. Your loving sister, Alice

  1. 1. Who wrote this letter?
  2. 2. Why did Alice write to her sister?
  3. 3. What does Alice say the work is like?
2.Look at the source, then answer the questions.

Census Page, Mill Row

A page from the town census of 1871, kept in the record office. MILL ROW, 1871 Number 3: Shaw, John, 34, weaver. Number 3: Shaw, Alice, 31, weaver. Number 3: Shaw, Emma, 11, piecer at the mill. Number 4: Doyle, Mary, 58, washerwoman. Number 5: empty.

  1. 1. Which house was empty?
  2. 2. How old was Emma Shaw?
  3. 3. What was Mary Doyle's work?

LessonPrint · D2.His.10.K-2 · Set 10 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Reading a Town Record

Set 10. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.1. Alice, Emma's mother. 2. To tell her sister that the family is now working at the mill. 3. Hot, with very great noise.
  2. 2.1. Number 5 was empty. 2. Emma Shaw was 11. 3. She was a washerwoman.

More practice for D2.His.10.K-2

Explain how a source helps you study the past.

Teaching this next? Reading a Town Record is the 40-minute plan for it, with the misconceptions to expect.

All Kindergarten to Grade 2 worksheets

Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to D2.His.10.K-2 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.