Six to Six Social Studies Curriculum

Power Standards for Eighth Grade

Standard 1: History

  • 1.1 Access the impact of technology and scientific discovery on American Society (e.g. cotton gin, transcontinental railroad and telecommunications).
  • 1.2 Compare and contrast how the status of family, gender and ethnicity have evolved in the United States.
  • 1.1 & 1.2 Compare and contrast events and leaders of other nations and their interaction with the United States and specifically Connecticut.
  • 1.3 & 1.6 Evaluate the impact of various immigrant groups on the culture of the United States.
  • 1.3Analyze how specific individuals and their ideas and beliefs influenced each region of the United States.
  • 1.3 Identify examples of American influence on other cultures and world events (e.g. trade, wars, United Nations, international business).
  • 1.5 Weigh the impact of America’s development on the environment.
  • 1.6Analyze immigration’s impact on the United States at different stages in its history.
  • 1.13 Analyze reasons for and the ramifications of stereotyping and conformity in both history and contemporary events.
  • 2.2 Formulate historical questions based on primary and secondary sources, including documents, eyewitness accounts, letters and diaries, artifacts, real or simulated historical sites, charts, graphs, diagrams and written text
  • 2.2 Compare information about the same event by using a variety of primary sources
  • 2.2 Interpret primary and secondary source to determine accuracy and validity.
  • 2.3Apply critical reading skills to gather evidence, assess point of view, and compose an expository essay to describe a social studies event or issue.
  • 2.3 Compose an essay stating a personal opinion on a historical event or social studies issue and

support it with relevant evidence from primary and secondary sources.

  • 2.4 State and defend a point of view by using relevant evidence.
  • 2.5 Use visual means (e.g., charts, maps, graphs) to compare two historical events within the same region.

Standard 2: Civics and Government

  • 1.7 Use contemporary examples to analyze the functions of the three branches (including checks and balances) of the United States government.
  • 1.8 Analyze the effect of the United States Constitution on the lives of United States citizens.
  • 1.9 Describe how one becomes a citizen of the United States. (within the context of immigration historical events)
  • 1.9 Explain the rights and responsibilities of citizenship under the Constitution.
  • 1.9 Explain the meaning of political rights (e.g., right to vote, right to assemble) as distinguished from personal rights (e.g., freedom of speech, freedom of movement). Done within the context of 20th century events such as the civil rights and the women’s movements.
  • 1.9 Analyze points where rights and responsibilities of citizens are in conflict (e.g. free speech and public safety, eminent domain)
  • 1.9 Analyze the impact of Supreme Court decisions on the Constitution and the lives of individual citizens.
  • 2.2 & 2.3 Research a social and/or political movement of interest. to be able to take and defend a position on that issue.

Standard 3: Geography

  • 1.4 Analyze how geography influenced the economic and political development of the United States.
  • 1.4 Identify on a map the countries and regions that has influenced modern American history.
  • 1.5 Weigh the impact of industrialization and urbanization on the environment.
  • 1.13 Analyze how a person’s perceptions are dependent on their culture, experience and place of origin.
  • 2.1 & 2.2 Use Google Earth or similar global programs to answer geographic questions related to historical and recent events.
  • 2.2 Analyze maps and charts to draw conclusions about historical events.
  • 2.5 Locate the events, peoples and places they have studied in time and place (e.g., on a timeline and map) relative to their own location.

Standard 4: Economy

  • 1.10 Analyze the impact (past and present) of technology on productivity.
  • 1.11 Compare the changes of economic systems from manufacturing to service to informational technologies. (e..g how have these changes affected education, jobs and lives of Americans)
  • 1.11 Analyze the relationship between supply and demand and the prices of goods and services.
  • 1.12 Evaluate the effects of trade with other nations on the development of America’s foreign policy and economy. (e.g. development of a global economy)

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