About this worksheet
Citing a source helps students show where borrowed facts, quotes, or paraphrases came from helps fifth graders make writing decisions they can explain and check for themselves. Students may include a fact from research but forget to name the source, or they may attach a page number to the wrong detail. This worksheet avoids open essay prompts and instead gives short editing, planning, and revision choices tied to one clear writing move. Students choose accurate citations, match evidence to source titles, distinguish cited evidence from uncited claims, and introduce source information clearly. Support versions use familiar school topics and direct wording. Standard and challenge versions add closer choices, more specific evidence, and sentence-level tradeoffs. Ask your child to explain why the chosen sentence, source, heading, or transition works better than the others. If a choice sounds impressive but does not fit the purpose or evidence, it is not the best writing decision.
What your child will learn
- Name sources
- Use page numbers
- Cite evidence
- Introduce borrowed facts
Worked example
If a fact comes from page 3 of the Cafeteria Waste Audit, the citation should name that source and page.
Common mistake
Adding a source title that does not match the fact being used.
Helpful hint
A citation should help the reader find the borrowed information.