Oklahoma Social Studies USG.P.3.2.B

Social StudiesGrades 9–12Social Studies Practices

The Standard

USG.P.3: Engage in critical, active reading of primary and secondary sources related to social studies concepts.
USG.P.3.2: Apply critical reading and thinking skills to interpret, evaluate, and respond to a variety of complex texts and perspectives.

Evaluate the author’s point of view, potential bias, and how authors can reach different conclusions regarding the same issue.

Oklahoma Academic Standards for Social Studies (2026) · USG.P.3.2

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students compare two accounts of the same issue. They identify each writer's viewpoint, evidence, and possible interests. They explain why the writers reach different conclusions.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student can point to lines in two phone policy letters that show each writer's claim and evidence. They can explain how each writer's role and choice of evidence shape the conclusion without assuming either writer is lying.
Common Misconceptions: Students may treat bias as proof that a source is false. They may call a writer unbiased because they agree with the conclusion, or assume different conclusions mean the writers disagree about every fact.
How to Assess It: Exit ticket: A principal reports, 'Interruptions fell from 12 to 5 a week after the phone ban.' A student says, 'I missed two urgent family messages.' Name each viewpoint, a possible bias for each writer, and why they disagree.

Lesson moves

Give pairs principal and student letters about a phone ban; use sticky notes to mark claims, evidence, and missing facts.
Ask, 'Why might a principal and a student reach different conclusions about a phone ban even if both use true facts?'
Play evidence match with four phone ban claim cards, four author role cards, and four evidence cards; teams justify each match.
Have students read their school handbook's phone rule and write a two-sentence student response, then compare what each emphasizes.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to USG.P.3.2.B, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.

PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.

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