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The 8th Grade United States History course starts with an introduction of personal rights and freedoms. While the content is primarily driven by the study of history and geography of the United States between the American Revolutionary War and the Cold War, social studies skills and economics are integrated throughout. Current events are integrated into the curriculum to ensure students have a meaningful understanding of the world around them, and real-world applications are infused to demonstrate the relationship between the social studies and students' lives. Social studies skills and study skills are utilized throughout the curriculum as students learn to interact with a variety of text, analyze primary and secondary sources and read and write both fiction and non-fiction texts. United States History begins with a course essential question that emphasizes citizenship, the unifying theme of the course. Each section of the curriculum begins with a thematic question whose exploration demonstrates the significance of the content, and is followed by the core concepts and understandings that students master through gathering and evaluating sources and developing claims by using the evidence. Students are prepared to communicate their beliefs of historical events accurately through the use of evidence. Further, they are prepared to be informed citizens with the understanding of their civil responsibilities as democratic citizens.
Highlights of Civics Curriculum:
Key Components of Civics Instruction:
■ Foundational Concepts and Principles
■ Foundational Documents
■ Functions and Limits of Government
■ The Constitution, American Ideals, and the American Experience
■ The Role of the Citizen in a Democratic Society
■ Media Literacy
■ The Ability to Ask Good Questions