Grade 8 Social Studies Curriculum

Written by Joanne Harriman Thursday, 10 February 2011 18:41

Bold-faced standards are the MDIRSS essential standards and the standards in regular font are supporting standards. Click on the green bold-faced MDIRSS essential standards to see the unpacked version, list of resources, and corresponding performance rubric for that standard.

Grade 8 Context: United States (Colonial Period through Restoration)

A. Process Skills

A1. Students research, select, and present a position on a current social studies issue by proposing and revising research questions, and locating and selecting information from multiple and varied sources.

A2. Students make individual and collaborative decisions on matters related to social studies using relevant information and research and discussion skills.

A3. Students select, plan, and implement a civic action or service-learning project based on a school, community, or State asset or need, and analyze the project’s effectiveness and civic contribution.

B. Civics and Government

B1a. not taught in this grade (see gr 6 & 7)

B1b. Examine examples of democratic ideals and constitutional principles.

B1c. Describe the basic structure and roles of United States government and how the U.S. Constitution sets them up.

B1d. Explain the concepts of federalism and checks and balances.

B1e. Compare how laws are made in Maine and at the federal level in the U.S.

B1f. Compare the structure of U.S. government to that of other forms of government.

B2a. Understand that rights and responsibilities are sometimes, but not always written down as laws or under the Bill of Rights.

B2b. Explain how each amendment in the U.S. Bill of Rights protects individual rights.

B2c. Defend and support a decision involving protection of rights.

B2d. Predict the effectiveness of different ways that people can impact government and work for common good. Categories may include levels of effectiveness, a range of purposes, etc.

B3a. Explain the political unity and/or diversity of historical or current issues in the United States (unity and diversity essential to the formation of our democratic government).

B3b. Describe the political structures and civic responsibility of historical immigrant groups in the United States.

C. Economics

C1a. Explain that scarcity impacts market economy, entrepreneurship, supply and demand, and personal finance.

C1b. Describe the economic process of trade and government taxing.

C1c. Identify factors that have impacted individual financial choices during the Colonial, Revolutionary and Civil War Eras of U.S. history.

C2a. Explain what makes the U.S. economy unified and interdependent.

C2b. Describe major differences between the economies of diverse groups throughout the history of the United States. Track major economical trends throughout U.S. history. Describe the economies of diverse groups throughout U.S. history. For example, the early European Colonists and Native Americans; the pre-Civil War Southern States and Northern States, etc.

D. Geography

D1a. Understand that geography helps us understand the relationship between humans and their environment.

Use the language of geography to make predictions about the relationship between humans and their environment.

D1b. Use the geographic grid and a variety of types of maps to gather geographic information.

D1c. Not taught in this grade.

D1d. Not taught in this grade.

D2a. Understand that geography played a role in where people settled in the 13 Colonies.

D2b. Understand the relationship that the settlers and Natives with the land, including how they impacted the land and how the land impacted them.

D2b. Understand that groups of people were drawn to these geographic regions for employment and therefore, cultures developed within these regions. For ex. mill towns developed near the major rivers, fishermen were drawn to the coast, etc. (This also rounds out D2a.)

E. History

E1a. Explain that history includes the study of past human experience based on available evidence from a variety of sources. Explain how history can help one better understand and make informed decisions about the present and future.

E1b. Identify major historical eras, major enduring themes, turning points, consequences, and people in the history of the United States.

E1c. Identify and trace the history of democratic ideals and constitutional principles in the history of the United States. Explain the importance of democratic ideals and constitutional principles in the history of the United States.

E1d. Analyze interpretations of historical events that are based on different perspectives and evidence.

E2a. Explain the roles of unity and diversity in the history of the United States.

E2b. Identify and compare cultures of native and immigrant groups in the United States through time.

E2c. Describe major turning points and events in the history of various historical and recent immigrant groups in the United States.

Comments

0 #1 Lynn Bean-Ingram 2011-09-30 13:27

E1d good source of primary documents from the Revoluationary War period - http://docushare.ycs.k12.pa.us/docushare/dsweb/Get/Version-22965/actv1.pdf