Evidence Color Coding

This close-reading social studies worksheet helps students in Grades 4, 5, and 6 strengthen analytical reading and historical literacy skills by examining how language reveals source type. As students read a paragraph about the moon landing, they underline or color-code specific phrases that signal whether information comes from a primary source (firsthand observation) or a secondary source (retelling or interpretation). The focus on exact wording teaches students how historians detect evidence types within informational text.

Learning Goals

• Primary vs. Secondary Identification (Grades 4-6): Distinguish firsthand accounts from retellings using textual clues.
• Analyzing Source Language: Identify words and phrases that reveal how information was recorded or reported.
• Close Reading Skills: Read carefully to locate subtle indicators of evidence type.
• Historical Interpretation Awareness: Understand how source type affects reliability and perspective.

Instructional Benefits

• Teacher-Created Resource: Designed by educators to align with upper elementary social studies and ELA standards.
• Hands-On Text Analysis: Color coding and underlining keep students actively engaged.
• Builds Evidence Awareness: Helps learners see how historians analyze wording, not just content.
• Flexible Classroom Use: Ideal for history units, close-reading lessons, homework, or assessment.

This printable worksheet helps students become more careful and critical readers of historical text. By identifying language that signals primary or secondary sources, learners strengthen comprehension, analytical thinking, and understanding of evidence in history. Whether used in a classroom or homeschool setting, this resource provides meaningful practice with close reading, source analysis, and thoughtful interpretation of informational text.

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