Source & Genre Sorter

This worksheet helps students in Grades 5, 6, and 7 strengthen media literacy, reading comprehension, and critical thinking skills through a two-step classification task. Learners evaluate ten statements to determine whether each one is factual or fictional, then match the statement to the most appropriate information source or fiction genre, using context clues, accuracy indicators, and content features to guide their decisions.

Learning Goals

• Fact vs. Fiction Classification (Grades 5-7)
  Students distinguish between verifiable information and imaginative or fictional ideas.
• Matching Claims to Sources
  Learners identify where reliable information comes from by connecting factual statements to sources such as textbooks, documentaries, or encyclopedias.
• Genre Identification & Context Clues
  Students match fictional statements to appropriate genres like fantasy or historical fiction based on textual signals.
• Critical Analysis of Accuracy
  The activity reinforces analyzing language and content to judge realism and credibility.

Instructional Benefits

• Teacher-Created Resource
  Designed by educators to align with upper elementary and middle school ELA and media literacy standards.
• Two-Step Thinking Process
  Encourages deeper reasoning by requiring both classification and source or genre matching.
• Flexible Classroom Use
  Ideal for ELA lessons, media literacy units, small-group work, homework, or assessment.
• Builds Source Awareness
  Helps students understand how information context affects credibility and meaning.

This printable worksheet helps students become more informed readers by connecting claims to appropriate sources and genres. By analyzing clues and making thoughtful classifications, learners strengthen source literacy, genre awareness, and critical thinking skills. It’s a meaningful, no-prep resource that works well in both classroom instruction and homeschool settings.

This worksheet is part of our Fact vs Fiction Worksheets collection.