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Reading – Research & Sources

Reading · Level 5 · CCSS: RI.5.9, W.5.8 · Worksheet 5 of 5 · Practice Set 4

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
What happened in the school board meeting last night
Everything about the history of ancient Egypt
What it's like to be an archaeologist
A quick fact about how old the pyramids are

2 Read Two Sources

📖 Read these two source texts about the pyramids of Giza. Look for information in each one.

Source 1: Encyclopedia Entry
The pyramids of Giza were built as tombs for ancient Egyptian pharaohs over 4,500 years ago, meant to protect their bodies and treasures for the afterlife. The Great Pyramid was built for Pharaoh Khufu and was the tallest structure in the world for thousands of years until modern skyscrapers were built. Workers used huge limestone blocks, some weighing several tons each, hauling them into place using ramps and sleds. Archaeologists still study how the pyramids were built, since no written plans from that time have ever been found.

Source 2: Interview with Archaeologist Dr. Amir Hassan
"Excavating near Giza has been my life's work for more than fifteen years. Recently, my crew found ancient tools that finally explained how the workers moved such massive stones. Visitors are usually surprised to learn the pyramid builders were paid, skilled workers rather than enslaved people. To this day, I consider the pyramids one of history's greatest engineering achievements."

3 Compare the Sources

🔍 Answer these questions using both sources about the pyramids of Giza.

Question	Your Answer
What fact about the pyramids of Giza appears in BOTH sources?
What detail about the pyramids of Giza is ONLY in the encyclopedia entry?
What detail about the pyramids of Giza did Archaeologist Dr. Amir Hassan share that the encyclopedia did not?
What is Archaeologist Dr. Amir Hassan's opinion about the pyramids of Giza?
If you were writing a report on the pyramids of Giza, 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 4.

Topic words: museum, map, guide, fact

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.