Eighth Grade Curriculum Social Studies Resources

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Sequence of Eighth Grade Social Studies Curriculum

Eighth Grade Social Studies Online Assessment from Texas

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Culture
At Level 1, the student is able to
8.1.spi.1. recognize the definition of religion.
Resources:  A Brief History of Religion (Search United Streaming)
8.1.spi.2. identify cultures that contributed to the development of the United States (i.e., Native American, African, British, Scottish, Irish, German).
Resources:  
8.1.spi.3. recognize the influence of science and technology on the development of early American colonial cultures (i.e., compass, shipbuilding, food storage, printing press, financial markets, weaponry, transportation).
Resources:  America on the Move, http://americanhistory.si.edu/onthemove/exhibition/;
At Level 2, the student is able to
8.1.spi.4. compare and contrast the tenets of America's early major religions (i.e., Olmec beliefs, Native American Earth/Mother spirit, African Traditional Religion, Puritanism, Quakerism).
Resources:
8.1.spi.5. identify how religion contributed to early American society (i.e. impact on government, education, social norms, slavery, tolerance).
Resources:    Religion in 18th Century America, http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/religion/rel02.html; REligion in Colonial America, http://www.uncp.edu/home/canada/work/allam/16071783/religion.htm; List of Links to Online Resources for Religion and Early America, http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/tserve/eighteen/elinksrar.htm
8.1.spi.6. interpret a timeline of technological innovations.
Resources:   
At Level 3, the student is able to
8.1.spi.7. recognize how immigration and cultural diffusion have influenced the character of a place (i.e., religion within certain colonies, African songs in the American south, British v. French influences).
Resources:  

 Economics
At Level 1, the student is able to
8.2.spi.1. recognize America's natural resources (i.e., land, timber, fish, animal pelts, peppers, sweet potatoes, squash, pumpkins, turkeys, peanuts, potatoes, tomatoes, tobacco, cacao, beans, and vanilla).
Resources:   Rich, Poor, or Somewhere in the Middle, http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/16/g68/richpoor.html; Let's Find a Deal, http://www.econedlink.org/lessons/em229/popupActivity.html
8.2.spi.2. interpret a diagram showing the steps of changing a resource into a product.
Resources:   Where Do Your Possessions Come From?, http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/16/g68/possess.html; The Productive Blues, http://www.econedlink.org/lessons/index.cfm?lesson=EM229&page=teacher
8.2.spi.3. differentiate between credit and debt.
Resources:   How ATM's Work, http://www.howstuffworks.com/atm.htm; Credit and Credit Cards (Search United Streaming)
At Level 2, the student is able to
8.2.spi.4. recognize the economic activities of early America (i.e., agriculture, industry, and service).
Resources:   Rising Standards Gazette, http://www.economicadventure.org/gazette/index.cfm
8.2.spi.5. identify various forms of taxation (i.e., tariffs, sales tax, excise tax).
Resources:   Rising Standards Gazette, http://www.economicadventure.org/gazette/index.cfm; Taxation without Representation Lesson, http://www.econedlink.org/lessons/index.cfm?lesson=EM356&page=teacher
8.2.spi.6. interpret a variety of economic graphs and charts with topics (i.e. the Columbian exchange, numbers of slaves, population of colonies, population diversity).
Resources:   
8.2.spi.7. differentiate between a commercial and subsistence economy.
Resources:   
8.2.spi.8. recognize the factors that led to urbanization and industrialization in early America (i.e., religious freedom, land ownership, thriving market).
Resources:   Rising Standards Gazette, http://www.economicadventure.org/gazette/index.cfm
At Level 3, the student is able to
8.2.spi.9. analyze in economic terms, (i.e., climate, triangle trade, infrastructure, topography), why slavery flourished in the South as opposed to the North.
Resources:  The South's Decision to Secede, http://www.econedlink.org/lessons/index.cfm?lesson=EM581&page=teacher; Factory vs. Plantation Lesson, http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=289; Before Brother Fought Brother, http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=484
8.2.spi.10. distinguish among various economic markets found in early America (i.e., traditional, monopoly, oligopoly, free competition).
Resources:   Rising Standards Gazette, http://www.economicadventure.org/gazette/index.cfm

 Geography
At Level 1, the student is able to
8.3.spi.1. recognize the causes and examples of migration and immigration in early America (i.e., land, religion, money, pioneer spirit, indentured servitude, displacement, and slavery).
Resources:   Migration: Why People Move, http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/09/g68/tgmigration.html
8.3.spi.2. identify and use the key geographic elements on maps (i.e., island, flood plain, swamp, delta, marsh, harbor, cape, sea level, bay, prairie, desert, oasis, mesa, mountain, valley, glacier, canyon, cliff, plateau).
Resources:   Xpedition Hall, http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/hall/index.html?node=20
At Level 2, the student is able to
8.3.spi.3. interpret examples which illustrate how cultures adapt to or change the environment (i.e., deforestation, subsistence farming, cash crop, dam and road building).
Resources: 
8.3.spi.4. use various geographic data from maps and globes to determine longitude, latitude, distance, direction.
Resources: Latitude, Longitude, and Mapmaking, http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/01/g68/mapmaking.html
8.3.spi.5. interpret a geographic map of the early United States.
Resources:  Xpedition Hall, http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/hall/index.html?node=20; Mapping the Past, http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=328
8.3.spi.6. recognize how topographical features such as mountain and river systems influenced the settlement and expansion of the United States (i.e., Cumberland Gap, Wilderness Road, Ohio and Tennessee river systems).
Resources:  Xpedition Hall, http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/hall/index.html?node=20; Mapping the Past, http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=328
At Level 3, the student is able to
8.3.spi.7. interpret a chart or map of population characteristics of the early United States (i.e., density, distribution, regional growth).
Resources:   Mapping the Past, http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=328

Governance and Civics
At Level 1, the student is able to
8.4.spi.1. identify the rights, responsibilities, and privileges of a member of the United States of America (i.e., Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, Constitution, Bill of Rights).
Resources:  The Charters of Freedom, http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/charters.html; Ben's Guide to U. S. Government, Grades 6-8, http://bensguide.gpo.gov/6-8/index.html
At Level 2, the student is able to
8.4.spi.2. identify the purposes and structures of various systems of governance (i.e., Federalism, Confederation, Republic, Democracy, Executive, Legislative, Judicial);
Resources:  
8.4.spi.3. recognize the purpose of government and how its powers are acquired, used, and justified
Resources:  
8.4.spi.4. recognize the rights and responsibilities of individuals throughout the development of the United States.
Resources:  Ben's Guide to The Bill of Rights, http://bensguide.gpo.gov/6-8/citizenship/rights.html
8.4.spi.5. identify how conditions, actions, and motivations contributed to conflict and cooperation between states, regions and nations.
Resources:  
8.4.spi.6. recognize the rights guaranteed in the Bill of Rights.
Resources:  Getting to Know the Bill of Rights, http://edsitement.neh.gov/LaunchPad/Launch-JuneFeature6-12.html; Ben's Guide to The Bill of Rights, http://bensguide.gpo.gov/6-8/citizenship/rights.html
8.4.spi.7. recognize the impact of major court decisions have had on American life, (i.e., Marbury v Madison, McCulloch v. Maryland, Dred Scott v. Sandford).
Resources:  
At Level 3, the student is able to
8.4.spi.8. recognize how a right must be interpreted to balance individual rights with the need for order (i.e., freedom of speech, freedom of religion, trial by jury);
Resources:  Ben's Guide to The Bill of Rights, http://bensguide.gpo.gov/6-8/citizenship/rights.html
8.4.spi.9. analyze the contributions of Tennessee political leaders on the national scene (e.g. Andrew Jackson, Andrew Johnson, James K Polk, Sequoyah, Sam Houston).
Resources:  

History
At Level 1, the student is able to
8.5.spi.1. contrast the characteristics of major native civilizations of the Americas;
Resources: 
8.5.spi.2. Read a timeline and order events of the past.
Resources:   Timelines and Chronologies from The History Place, http://www.historyplace.com/
8.5.spi.3. differentiate between a primary and secondary source.
Resources:   Library of Congress's Framework for USing Primary Sources, http://learning.loc.gov/learn/lessons/fw.html; Using Primary Source Documents in the Classroom, http://www.ohiohistoryteachers.org/02/04/index.shtml; PrimarySources, org, http://www.primarysources.org/;
8.5.spi.4. recognize causes and consequences of conflict, (i.e., French and Indian, revolutionary War, War of 1812).
Resources:   
At Level 2, the student is able to
8.5.spi.5. recognize consequences of the westward expansion of the United States.
Resources:   
8.5.spi.6. classify the characteristics of major historic events into causes and effects (i.e., exploration, colonization, revolution, slavery, expansion, and Civil War).
Resources: 
8.5.spi.7. recognize the historical impacts of European settlement in North America.
Resources: 
8.5.spi.8. determine the social, political, and economic factors that contribute to the institution of slavery in America.
Resources:   Links on Amistad and the History of Slavery, http://www.middleweb.com/Amistad.html;
8.5.spi.9. interpret a timeline, detailing the development of political parties in the United States to the Civil War.
Resources: 
8.5.spi.10. interpret maps, time lines and charts that illustrate key elements of history (i.e., expansion, economics, politics, society).
Resources: 
At Level 3, the student is able to
8.5.spi.11. identify conclusions about historical events using primary and secondary sources.
Resources: All History is Local, http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/lessons/98/local/intro.html;
8.5.spi.12. differentiate between primary and secondary source documents.
Resources:  
8.5.spi.13. examine the demographic changes brought about by westward movement (i.e., slavery, industrialization, and Native American relocation).
Resources:  If You Traveled West in a Covered Wagon, http://skenoyer.org/west.html
8.5.spi.14. recognize the course of conflicts including major battles, alliances, strategy, leadership, resources, or technology using a diagram for the Revolutionary War.
Resources:

Individuals, Groups, and Interactions
At Level 1, the student is able to
8.6.spi.1. identify the impact of individual and group decisions on historical events.
Resources:
8.6.spi.2. recognize the impact groups have on change at the local, state, national, and world levels.
Resources:
At Level 2, the student is able to
8.6.spi.3. recognize examples of stereotyping, prejudice, conformity, and altruism in early American history.
Resources:   
8.6.spi.4. identify the role of institutions in furthering both continuity and change (i.e., governments, churches, families, schools, communities).
Resources:   
8.6.spi.5. recognize how groups and institutions work together to meet common needs.
Resources:   

 

 

 

 

 

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