Grade 4 · Reading · Informational

4th Grade Firsthand and Secondhand Accounts worksheets

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Firsthand and Secondhand Accounts

Grade 4 Reading Worksheet

NameDate

Read the two texts. Circle the answer to each question.

Read this first
The Soccer Final
Text 1
I was on the field when the final whistle blew. My legs ached, and I could hardly hear over the shouting. Our goalie dove to the left and stopped the last shot. I hugged my teammates and felt like I was flying.
Text 2
The Hawks beat the Wolves 2 to 1 in the final on Saturday. A reporter said the Hawks' goalie stopped the last shot of the game. The coach told the paper that the team had practiced for months. About 400 fans watched.
1.
Text 1 is told from the point of view of what kind of writer?
- a person who made it up
- a person who was told about it
- a person who was at the event
2.
Text 2 is told from the point of view of what kind of writer?
- a person who made it up
- a person who was at the event
- a person who was told about it
3.
Which sentence shows that the writer was at the event?
- I was on the field when the final whistle blew.
- The Hawks beat the Wolves 2 to 1 in the final on Saturday.
- The coach told the paper that the team had practiced for months.
- About 400 fans watched.
4.
How are the two texts different?
- Both texts report facts.
- Text 2 tells feelings; Text 1 reports facts.
- Text 1 tells feelings; Text 2 reports facts.
- Both texts tell feelings.

4th Grade Firsthand and Secondhand Accounts worksheet 1 – printable PDF — Download PDF: 1 2 3 4 5 6

About this worksheet

A firsthand account is written by someone who was there, and a secondhand account is written by someone who learned about the event from other people. Each sheet has two accounts of the same event, Text 1 and Text 2, and four questions about the point of view of each writer.

Your child circles the answer. Building Confidence offers three choices and the other levels four.

What your child will learn

Tell who wrote each account
Find a sentence that shows the writer was there
Find a sentence that shows the writer was told
Compare the point of view of two accounts

Common Core standard: RI.4.6

Worked example

I was on the field when the whistle blew is firsthand: the writer was there. A reporter said the goalie stopped the shot is secondhand: the writer learned it from someone else.

Common mistake

Calling a text firsthand because it has a lot of facts, when the writer was not at the event.

Helpful hint

Ask whether the writer was there. Look for I or we and the writer's own feelings, or for words like said and reported.

Next skill: Use Visual Information Earlier: Firsthand and Secondhand Accounts

Questions parents ask

What is the most common mistake with firsthand and secondhand accounts?

Calling a text firsthand because it has a lot of facts, when the writer was not at the event.

How can I help my child with firsthand and secondhand accounts?

Ask whether the writer was there. Look for I or we and the writer's own feelings, or for words like said and reported.

Are these 4th grade reading worksheets free to print?

Yes. All 6 printable versions on this page are free to download and print, with no account needed.

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