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Reading – Research & Sources

Reading · Level 5 · CCSS: RI.5.9, W.5.8 · Worksheet 5 of 5 · Practice Set 6

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
Breaking news about a local election
Everything about how bridges are built
What it's like to be a civil engineer
A quick fact about the longest bridge in the world

2 Read Two Sources

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

Source 1: Encyclopedia Entry
Suspension bridges use tall towers and thick cables to hold up the road below. The cables carry the weight of the bridge and transfer it down into the towers and ground. The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco is one of the most famous suspension bridges in the world, stretching nearly two miles from end to end. These bridges can span very long distances over water, and engineers often choose this design specifically for wide rivers, bays, or canyons.

Source 2: Interview with Civil Engineer Marcus Webb
"A bridge is designed to sway a little in strong wind — that surprises almost everyone I talk to. I've spent eighteen years designing and inspecting bridges, and my strangest job was fixing cables on a busy bridge without ever shutting it down. Careful engineering like that is really what keeps drivers safe every single day."

3 Compare the Sources

🔍 Answer these questions using both sources about suspension bridges.

Question	Your Answer
What fact about suspension bridges appears in BOTH sources?
What detail about suspension bridges is ONLY in the encyclopedia entry?
What detail about suspension bridges did Civil Engineer Marcus Webb share that the encyclopedia did not?
What is Civil Engineer Marcus Webb's opinion about suspension bridges?
If you were writing a report on suspension bridges, 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 6.

Topic words: school, poster, teacher, idea

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.