Course Overview/Syllabus

Course Title: South Carolina and the United States History

Course Text: The South Carolina Journey (Gibbs Smith Education, 2nd Edition)

Grade: 8

Course Description:

This course is aligned with the 2020 South Carolina Social Studies College and Career Ready Standards for the history of South Carolina and the United States, Grade 8. Instruction utilizes the historical thinking skills developed for grade eight. These historical thinking skills are aligned with the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate that focuses on world-class knowledge, world-class skills, and life and career characteristics. Students will acquire content knowledge through reading and analyzing multiple primary and secondary sources, group discussions, and whole-class instruction. They will apply the historical thinking skills to the acquired knowledge, and then design and communicate their interpretation of the past. This process as a whole is known as inquiry. Rather than focusing on the memorization of facts with one correct answer, inquiry differs because students are evaluated on their ability to make a claim and support it with reliable evidence from research. 

Learning Objectives and Instructional Philosophy:

A general goal for all classes is for all students to gain confidence in their own abilities; develop problem-solving skills;  make historical and geographical connections, and learn to correctly communicate (both in writing and verbally) within a social science context.  The following skills and competencies will be reinforced on a weekly and daily basis:  Reading, Speaking, Decision Making, Reasoning, Acquiring Information, Organizing Information, Writing, Listening, Evaluating Information, Interpreting Information, Individual Responsibility, Teamwork, and Visualizing.

1. Students should come to class every day expecting meaningful, bell-to-bell instruction.  It is especially important that students are active learners and as such each student is expected to participate in class discussions and other activities.

2. Students need to be prepared to work both independently and in groups.

3. Instructional strategies will vary based on the teacher’s assessment of their students’ strengths; but will provide the students the opportunity to learn course content verbally, visually, and with hands-on activities.  

4. Instructional activities will vary based on the teacher’s assessment of their student’s strengths, and as the content changes throughout the year.  Students should expect to participate in a variety of instructional activities.  These will include, but are not limited to; lecture/discussion, various debate formats, cooperative learning, technology-based instruction, use of primary source documents, current events, and student-driven activities such as projects.

Course Outline/Pacing:

1st Semester

1- Settlement 18 Days

The Carolina colony was composed of indigenous, immigrant, and enslaved populations. Various factors across North America and the Carolina colony facilitated the eventual emergence of an American national identity. In Unit 1, students will use inquiry and historical thinking to learn about the Native American experiences in South Carolina before and after the arrival of European settlers. They will also explore the early years of European settlement and the development of three distinct colonial regions

2-Colonial Development 2-Colonial Development 16 Days

Through an abundance of natural resources and enslaved labor, South Carolina emerged as a prosperous colony. Students will use inquiry and historical thinking to analyze the events and institutions that developed in the colony prior to the American Revolution. In Unit 2, students will focus on the social, economic, and political factors that impacted the individuals, events, and institutions within the time period.

3- Revolution 20 Days

Political and economic developments underscored how the colonists in British North America had become uniquely American, prompting the development of a new nation. Drawing on their experience under British rule, the founding generation created a government with shared powers between the state and federal institutions. In unit 3, students will use inquiry and historical thinking to explore the impact of the American Revolution on various groups of people.

4- Foundation 14 Days

Independence from Great Britain resulted in a new national government and individual state governments. As students progress through unit 4 they will utilize standards-aligned historical thinking skills and inquiry-based learning to demonstrate their understanding of how and why these governments were created, and South Carolina’s role in the development of the new national government.

5- Compromise 17 Days

As the nation expanded, regional differences were exacerbated creating sectionalism which threatened South Carolina’s identity and American unity. As students progress through unit 5, they will utilize historical thinking skills, inquiry, and content-specific themes to demonstrate their understanding of the multiple causes of the Civil War, and how South Carolina came to be at the center of this conflict.

2nd Semester

6- Conflict 15 Days

The outbreak of the Civil War was the culminating event in a decades-long series of regional issues that threatened American unity and South Carolina’s identity as one of the United States. As students progress through Unit 6,they will utilize standards-based historical thinking skills, inquiry, and content-specific themes to demonstrate their understanding of the events that lead to the Civil War, events of the Civil War, and their impact on South Carolina and the nation.

7- Reconstruction 15 Days

During Reconstruction, South Carolina searched for ways to revitalize the economy and determine the social and political status of its population. As students progress through Unit 7, they will utilize standards-aligned historical thinking skills, inquiry, and content-specific themes to understand turning points that defined this period and evaluate the political, economic, and social effects of Reconstruction.

8- Progressivism 14 Days

In the late nineteenth century, South Carolina realized a need to diversify its economy. Industrialization had a significant impact on the state’s society and politics. Unit 8 focuses on the changes South Carolina experienced during this era. Students will utilize standards-aligned historical thinking skills, inquiry, and content-specific themes to understand South Carolina’s experience as representative of its region and the United States as a whole during this period.

9- Economics and Global Politics 23 Days

This unit takes South Carolina through two world wars and the Great Depression. South Carolina’s contributions to the war effort included military service, the use of military bases, and participation in homefront support (i.e. liberty gardens and rationing).

The World Wars impacted marginalized groups such as African American and women socially, economically, and culturally. To help alleviate the effects of the Great Depression, the New Deal was implemented to stabilize the economy and provide temporary support to people experiencing the hardships of the economic depression. Soldiers after WWII benefitted from the Servicemen's Readjustment Act, resulting in increased income and education levels throughout South Carolina. Students will use historical thinking skills to develop an understanding of how these global events impacted our state.

10- Progress 20 Days

Students will engage in inquiry and apply historical thinking skills to explore the relationship between national leadership, protests, and events and South Carolina’s leadership, protests, and events during the period referred to as the Civil Rights Movement. They will learn about the impact of civic participation of different individuals and groups and how people used the court system and legislation to affect South Carolina’s identity following World War II. Finally, students will apply historical thinking skills to develop a narrative on the economic development of our state from the colonial period to the present day.

Course Materials/Requirements:

Students should have the following supplies each day in class: Chromebook (after issued by WMS-textbooks will be kept/used in class as backup), a folder or binder with one section devoted to SC History, loose-leaf paper, pens (black or blue), and/or pencils. Any classroom supply donations are welcome!  

Classroom Expectations: 

Students will be respectful of others and keep the classroom clean.

Students will come to class prepared with ALL materials.

Students will raise their hands to be recognized by the teacher before they speak.

Students will not eat or groom in class.

Students will not leave their seats without permission.

Students will follow all Woodmont Middle School rules outlined in the student handbook.

Grading Policy:

Category : Minor Assessments 

 50% Weight % for quarter grade 

   Examples: Class/homework, Quizzes/Extended & Refined Assignments  

    Minimum number of assessments/quarter - 9

  Major Assessments

50% Weight % for quarter grade

  Examples include tests, projects, culminating assignments.

  Minimum number of assessments/quarter - 3

Assessments:

1. Students should be expected to write often in any social studies class.

2. Students should expect some form of formal evaluation at the end of every unit.  These will include traditional tests, but also could include other authentic assessments the teacher feels are appropriate.

3. Assessments such as quizzes and small tests may also be used mid-unit as the teacher attempts to assess student progress throughout a unit of study.

4. Students should expect to complete at least one major project every quarter. 

Late Work Policy and Retake/Redo/Revise Policy:

Woodmont Middle School strives to provide students with a rigorous academic curriculum, balanced with multiple modes and opportunities to demonstrate their learning.  We understand the unique development and needs of our middle school learners and believe that true learning often takes place at different paces according to individual pathways of readiness.  We believe that learning from mistakes is an integral part of developing a lifelong growth mindset, and this process promotes student reflection and ownership of their learning. These beliefs, aligned with district assessment guidelines, provide the rationale for the following policy on late work and retakes: 

Minor Assessments - Late Work 

• Students may turn in minor assessments without grade penalty for up to 7 days past the original due date.  All current and late work must be submitted at least 3 days before the end of the quarter.  

• A student will receive an NHI (Not Handed In) in the grade book when he or she does not turn in an assessment. 

• A student with one or more NHIs may be denied certain privileges or held accountable for the assignment(s) until the work has been completed and returned to the teacher. 

Major Assessments - Retake/Redo/Revise 

• Students may request a retake/redo/revise for any major assessment at any time before the date of the next major assessment.  The teacher will determine any remediation or other requirements necessary for the student to complete prior to retaking a major assessment. In addition to remediation/requirements, clearance of NHIs on minor assessments leading up to the major assessment may be required before the retake is allowed.  All retakes must be completed at least 3 days before the end of the quarter. When a student retakes a major assessment, the original grade will be overwritten and the most recent grade recorded. The original grade will be noted as a comment in the gradebook.  

• A student will receive an NHI (Not Handed In) in the grade book when he or she does not turn in an assessment. 

• A student with one or more NHIs may be denied certain privileges or held accountable for the assignment(s) until the work has been completed and returned to the teacher.