8th Grade Social Studies

Students will build on their concepts of geography, civics, and political societies beginning with the world as it was in the 1500’s followed by the natural unfolding of events from the explorations, the establishment the colonies, the colonial era and both the French and Indian War and The Revolutionary War.

The development of American government from a confederation to a constitutional one, the launching of the Republic, through the War of 1812, the growth and development of the nation through the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark exploration on through Manifest Destiny and the Mexican War will follow. Students will explore the changes in the nation from immigration and abolition issues to the Civil War and Reconstruction.

Learning Targets

1. Writing: Develop a thesis, support with multiple forms of evidence, and provide analysis with an explanation in written form.
2. Reading: Identify main ideas, analyze supporting details, and evaluate inferences within discipline-specific readings.
3. Content: Apply content in order to evaluate relationships and draw conclusions.
4. Communication: Produce clear and coherent communication in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and evidence.