Sorting Sources

This clear, skill-building worksheet helps students in Grades 4, 5, and 6 strengthen historical thinking, source analysis, and critical reasoning skills by learning how to distinguish between primary and secondary sources. Students review a list of informational items and apply provided definitions to decide whether each example represents firsthand evidence or an interpretation of past events, reinforcing careful reading and evaluation of information.

Learning Goals

• Primary vs. Secondary Source Identification (Grades 4-6): Classify sources based on whether they provide direct evidence or later interpretation.
• Historical Thinking Skills: Understand how historians use different types of sources to study the past.
• Critical Evaluation of Evidence: Analyze informational reliability by recognizing source type.
• Source Classification Practice: Apply definitions consistently across multiple examples.

Instructional Benefits

• Teacher-Created Resource: Designed by educators to align with upper elementary social studies and ELA standards.
• Clear, Accessible Format: Simple P/S labeling keeps focus on reasoning rather than writing volume.
• Builds Research Foundations: Prepares students for more advanced inquiry and evidence-based learning.
• Flexible Classroom Use: Ideal for social studies units, warm-ups, review, homework, or assessment.

This printable worksheet helps students develop confidence in identifying and evaluating information sources. By practicing how to distinguish primary from secondary sources, learners strengthen historical reasoning, critical thinking, and research readiness. Whether used in a classroom or homeschool setting, this resource provides meaningful practice with source classification, evidence analysis, and informed interpretation of informational text.

This worksheet is part of our primary vs. secondary sources worksheets collection.