🦅

Reading – Research & Sources

Reading · Level 5 · CCSS: RI.5.9, W.5.8 · Worksheet 5 of 5 · Practice Set 2

Level 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Practice SetsSet 1 Set 2 Set 3 Set 4 Set 5 Set 6 Set 7 Set 8 Set 9 Set 10

1 What Are Sources?

📚 A source is where you find information. Different sources are good for different things.

📖 Book · 📰 Magazine/Newspaper · 🌐 Website · 👩‍🏫 Expert/Interview · 📕 Encyclopedia

Books and encyclopedias give reliable, detailed facts. Newspapers cover current events. Websites are quick but need checking. Experts share real firsthand knowledge.

Which source would you use? Write your answer.

I want to find out…	Best Source
The current temperature and forecast for tomorrow
Everything about how volcanoes form
What it's like to be a park ranger
A quick fact about how tall Mount Everest is

2 Read Two Sources

📖 Read these two source texts about wolves. Look for information in each one.

Source 1: Encyclopedia Entry
Wolves are wild canines that live and hunt in groups called packs. A pack usually has one breeding pair and their offspring, and pack sizes can range from 2 to 15 wolves depending on the region and food supply. Wolves communicate using howls, body language, and scent marking, which helps the pack coordinate hunts and defend territory. Wolves are found in North America, Europe, and Asia, usually in forests, mountains, or grasslands with enough prey to support a pack.

Source 2: Interview with Wildlife Biologist Dana Kirk
"For twelve years now, tracking collars have let me follow packs across the mountains near my research station. Once, a pack I was following covered thirty miles in a single night without stopping. People are usually shocked to learn how loyal wolves stay to their own families their whole lives. In my opinion, wolves are among the most misunderstood animals in North America."

3 Compare the Sources

🔍 Answer these questions using both sources about wolves.

Question	Your Answer
What fact about wolves appears in BOTH sources?
What detail about wolves is ONLY in the encyclopedia entry?
What detail about wolves did Wildlife Biologist Dana Kirk share that the encyclopedia did not?
What is Wildlife Biologist Dana Kirk's opinion about wolves?
If you were writing a report on wolves, which source would you trust more for facts? Why?

4 Plan Your Own Research

✍️ Pick an animal you want to learn about. Write 3 questions and where you would look for answers.

My research animal:

#	My Question	Best Source to Use
1
2
3

5 SBA Performance Task: Extended Response

This section is like a performance task on the state test. Read carefully, find evidence, and write a complete response.

Question: Evaluate the sources presented. Which source is the most reliable and why? Use specific details to support your evaluation.

My claim or answer:

Evidence 1: (Quote or detail from the text)

Evidence 2: (Another quote or detail)

My explanation: (Connect the evidence to your claim in 2-3 sentences)

+ Bonus Reading Practice

Use this short practice to extend Set 2.

Topic words: library, shelf, book, clue

1. Write one sentence using two of the words above.

2. What detail would you expect to find in a passage about this topic?

3. Write one inference a reader could make from a text about this topic.