Social Studies
8th Grade Social Studies Units:
US Geography
Native American Cultures
European Exploration & Settlements
Colonial Life & War for Independence
The Constitution
A Young Nation
Westward Expansion
Reformation, Civil War, and Reconstruction
Industrialization & Immigration
Historical content focuses on the political, economic, religious, and social events and issues related to the colonial and revolutionary eras, the creation and ratification of the U.S. Constitution, challenges of the early republic, the Age of Jackson, westward expansion, sectionalism, Civil War, and Reconstruction. Students describe the physical characteristics of the United States and their impact on population distribution and settlement patterns in the past and present. Students analyze the various economic factors that influenced the development of colonial America and the early years of the republic and identify the origins of the free enterprise system. Students examine the American beliefs and principles, including limited government, checks and balances, federalism, separation of powers, and individual rights, reflected in the U.S. Constitution and other historical documents. Students evaluate the impact of Supreme Court cases and major reform movements of the 19th century and examine the rights and responsibilities of citizens of the United States as well as the importance of effective leadership in a constitutional republic. Students evaluate the impact of scientific discoveries and technological innovations on the development of the United States. Students use critical-thinking skills, including the identification of bias in written, oral, and visual material.
7th Grade Social Studies Units:
Chapter 30: Leading Figures of the Renaissance (333)
Chapter 31: The Reformation Begins (347)
Chapter 32: The Spread & Impact of the Reformation (357)
Unit 8: Europe Enters the Modern Age
Chapter 33: The Age of Exploration (375)
Chapter 34: The Scientific Revolution (389)
Chapter 35: The Enlightenment (399)
Unit 7: Europe's Renaissance & Reformation
Chapter 28: The Renaissance Begins (312)
Chapter 29: Florence: The Cradle of the Renaissance (323)
Chapter 25: Daily Life in Tenochtitlan (279)
Chapter 26: The Incas (289)
Chapter 27: Achievements of Maya, Aztec, & Incas (301)
Chapter 22: Rise of the Warrior Class in Japan (241)
Unit 6: Civilizations of the Americas
Chapter 23: The Maya (259)
Chapter 24: The Aztecs (271)
Chapter 18: Chinese Discoveries and Inventions (195)
Chapter 19: China's Contacts with the World (205)
Unit 5: Japan During Medieval Times
Chapter 20: Influence of Neighboring Cultures on Japan (219)
Chapter 21: Heian-kyo: Heart of Japan's Golden Age (229)
Chapter 10: Muslim Contributions to the World (105)
Chapter 11: From Crusades to New Muslim Empires (119)
Unit 3: Culture & Kingdoms of West Africa
Chapter 12: Early Societies in West Africa (137)
Chapter 13: Ghana: West African Trading Empire (145)
Chapter 14: The Influence of Islam on West Africa (155)
Chapter 15: The Cultural Legacy of West Africa (165)
Unit 4: Imperial China
Chapter 16: Political Development of Imperial China (179)
Chapter 17: China Develops a New Economy (187)
Chapter 5: Decline of Feudalism (53)
Chapter 6: The Byzantine Empire (61)
Unit 2: The Rise of Islam
Chapter 7: Geography of the Arabian Peninsula (75)
Chapter 8: The Prophet Muhammad (83)
Chapter 9: The Teachings of Islam (93)
Chapter 2: Development of Feudalism in Europe (19)
Chapter 3: Role of the Church in Medieval Europe (31)
Chapter 4: Life in Medieval Towns (43)
Unit 1: Europe During Medieval Times
Chapter 1: The Legacy of the Roman Empire (7)
The Medieval World & Beyond (TCI)
Across the Centuries
(Houghton Mifflin)
Unit 1: Links to the Ancient World
Chapter 1: A Changing World View (2)
1. Connections in the Roman Empire
2. The Expanding Horizon
3. Traveling Through the Past
Chapter 2: Empires of the Ancient World (24)
1. Fall of the Roman Empire
2. Acquainted Cultues
3. The Rise of the Byzantine Empire
Unit 2: The Growth of Islam
Chapter 3: The Roots of Islam (50)
1. Desert Bloom -- Caravan Cities
2. Muhammad and Islam
3. Early Islam
Chapter 4: The Empire of Islam (72)
1. A Century of Expansion
2. The Golden Age
3. Islamic Spain
Unit 3: Sub-Saharan Africa
Chapter 5: West Africa (106)
1. The Roots of Mighty Empires
2. The Empire of Ghana
3. The Empires of Mali and Songhai
4. Village Society in West Africa
Chapter 6: Central and Southern Africa (134)
1. The Spread of Bantu
2. The Rise of Coastal Trading States
3. The Rise of the Zimbabwe
4. The Congo Kingdom
Unit 4: Asian Civilizations
Chapter 7: Three Empires (160)
1. The Mongols
2. The Ottoman
3. The Mughal Empire
Chapter 8: China (190)
1. An Emerging Empire
2. The Flowering of Chinese Culture
3. China and the Larger World
Chapter 9: Japan (220)
1. Land of the Rising Sun
2. The Developing National Culture
3. The Power of the Shoguns
4. Japan: Unified Yet Isolated
Unit 5: Medieval Societies
Chapter 10: Feudal Europe (248)
1. Europe After the Roman Empire
2. Daily Life in Feudal Europe
3. Two Feudal Societies
Chapter 11: Europe: Rule, Religion and Conflict (280)
1. The Power of the Church
2. The Byzantine Empire
3. The Crusades
Unit 6: Europe: 1300-1600
Chapter 12: The Renaissance (308)
1. Europe at the End of the Middle Ages
2. The Italian Renaissance
3. Renaissance Life
4. Renaissance in Northern Europe
Chapter 13: Reformation & Scientific Revolution (336)
1. The Decline of Church Authority
2. Martin Luther and the Reformation
3. Era of Reformation
4. Scientific Revolution
Chapter 14: Age of Exploration (362)
1. Travel, Trade, and Exploration
2. Adventure and Profit
3. Exploring the Americas
Unit 7: The Civilizations of the Americas
Chapter 15: Early American Civilizations (394)
1. Origins
2. The Olmec
3. The Maya
4. The Tiwanakans and the Moche
Chapter 16: Two American Empires (420)
1. The Aztecs
2. The Inca
3. The Arrival of the Spanish
Chapter 17: European Rule and Expansion (450)
1. The French Monarchy
2. The English Monarchy
3. European Expansion
Chapter 18: The Enlightenment (474)
1. A New Order of Ideals
2. Ideas in Action
3. Economic Changes
4. After the American Revolution
Medieval & Early Modern Times (Glencoe)
Unit 1: New Empires and New Faiths
Chapter 1 Roman Civilization (132)
1. Life in Ancient Rome
2. Fall of Rome
3. The Byzantine Empire
Chapter 2: Islamic Civilization (170)
1. The Rise of Islam
2. Islamic Empires
3. Muslim Ways of Life
Chapter 3: Medieval Africa (202)
1. The Rise of African Civilizations
2. Africa's Religion and Government
3. African Society and Culture
Unit 2: The Middle Ages
Chapter 4: China in the Middle Ages (248)
1. China Reunites
2. Chinese Society
3. The Mongols in China
4. The Ming Dynasty
Chapter 5: Medieval Japan (292)
1. Early Japan
2. Shoguns and Samurai
3. Life in Medieval Japan
Chapter 6: Medieval Europe (320)
1. The Early Middle Ages
2. Feudalism
3. Kingdoms and Crusades
4. The Church and Society
5. The Late Middle Ages
Unit 3: A Changing World
Chapter 7: The Renaissance (380)
1. The Renaissance Begins
2. New Ideas and Literature
3. Renaissance Art
Chapter 8: The Reformation (418)
1. The Reformation Begins
2. The Reformation Spreads
3. The Counter-Reformation
Chapter 9: The Americas (446)
1. The First Americans
2. Life in the Americas
3. The Fall of the Aztec and Inca Empires
Chapter 10: The Age of Exploration (482)
1. Europe Explores the World
2. Trade and Empire
3. A Global Exchange
Chapter 11: The Age of Enlightenment (510)
1. The Scientific Revolution
2. The Ideas of the Enlightenment
3. Politics and the Enlightenment
West Wing as a Teaching Tool
Research Paper: http://apsanet3b.inetu.net/imgtest/TheWestWingBeavers.pdf
Argument against: ww.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2012/10/why-the-west-wing-is-a-terrible-guide-to-american-democracy/263084/
Religion & politics: http://religionandmediacourse.blogspot.com/2010/08/religon-vs-politics-josiah-bartlet.html
Pertinent issues: http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_West_Wing#Exploration_of_real_world_issues
Antidote to Cynicism: http://articles.mcall.com/2006-05-25/news/3667567_1_west-wing-presidential-aide-soviet-spy