Virginia SOL S.USI.c

Social Studies5th Grade

The Standard

developing questions, enhancing curiosity, and engaging in critical thinking and analysis

Virginia Standards of Learning for History and Social Science

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students turn observations about people, events, maps, and sources into focused questions they can investigate. They ask follow-up questions, compare evidence, and explain which conclusions the evidence supports.
What Mastery Looks Like: Given a photograph, map, or short primary source, a student writes focused questions and identifies evidence needed to answer them. The student uses details from multiple sources to give a reasoned answer.
Common Misconceptions: Students may ask questions that are too broad or can be answered with one word. They may assume one source tells the whole story or give opinions without supporting evidence.
How to Assess It: Display a historical photograph with a caption. Ask students to write one investigable question, name a source they would consult, and cite one visual detail that prompted the question.

Lesson moves

Give pairs replica artifacts to observe, then have them write three questions and choose evidence needed to answer one.
Read two short accounts of one event, then discuss: Why do these witnesses disagree, and what evidence could settle the question?
Play Question Ladder: teams revise a broad history question through three rounds until it is focused, researchable, and open to evidence.
Use a local historical marker; students identify one claim, ask what is missing, and plan whom or what they could consult.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to S.USI.c, 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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