Public Schools of Robeson County 8th Grade

Subject: NC/US History
Grade Level: 8
Unit Title: Exploration and the Beginning of a New Nation / Timeframe Needed for Completion: 9 weeks
Grading Period: 1st
Big Idea/Theme: Exploration Fuels Political and Democratic Ideals of a New Nation
Understandings:
  • Causes and Effects of European Exploration
  • Colonists’ Desire for Independence
  • Colonists’ Frustration over English Rule
  • Revolutionary Period
  • Constitutional Period
  • NC’s Role in National Events

Curriculum Goals/Objectives:
  • Trace the causes and effects of exploration and the Revolutionary War and assess how they affected people during the Constitutional Period in NC and the US (8.H.1, 8.H.2, 8.H.3, 8.G.1, 8.G.1.2, 8.E.1.2, 8.C&G.1, 8.C&G.2, 8.C.1)
/ Essential Questions:
  • What is the result of European exploration in North America?
  • What is culture? How does it affect how people live?
  • What is freedom? Why do people/groups want freedom?
  • What was life like in the colonies? (Home? School? Work?)
  • How does geography and location affect how people live work?
  • Does the idea of freedom change over time?
  • Why do people need control in a society?
  • How can geography and location affect point-of-view?
  • What are the disadvantages/advantages of ruling from afar? (home field advantage?)

Essential Skills/Vocabulary: / Assessment Tasks:
  • Create a map (i.e. 13 colonies/states, Revolutionary War battles, French and Indian War, etc.) 8.H.1.1
  • Analyze and create charts and graphs related to the Revolutionary Period (i.e. causes of exploration and Revolutionary War, cause and effect, etc.) 8.H.1.1
  • Summarize leadership and citizenship actions which influenced the outcome of key conflicts (i.e. activities using primary and secondary sources, written form, role playing, posters, debate, etc.) 8.H.1.2, 8.H.1.3, 8.H.1.4, 8.H.1.5, 8.H.2.1, 8.H.2.2, 8.H.2.3, 8.H.3.3, 8.H.1.2, 8.C&G.1.1, 8.C&G.1.2, 8.C&G.1.3, 8.C&G.2.1, 8.C&G.2.2, 8.C.1.2 objectives can be reached using multiple activities or by clustering
  • Use historical inquiry to construct products which reflect knowledge and understanding-LDC module (i.e. variety of sources, variety of events, etc.) 8.H.1.4
  • Analyze the relationship between historical events and decisions that were made 8.H.1.5, 8.H.2.2
Assessment Tasks Continued:
  • Summarize the role of debate, compromise and negotiation during the founding of our country (i.e. written form, role playing, posters, etc.) 8.H.2.3
  • Analyze primary and secondary sources to understand differing viewpoints as well as fact and opinion 8.H.1.3
  • Argue your opinion concerning how geography affected citizens (i.e. economics, culture, ideas, political, ethnic etc.) 8.G.1.1, 8.G.1.2

Europeans Africans
Native American Columbian exchange
Bill of Rights Culture
Constitution Freedom
Declaration of Independence Geography
War Location
Colonization Migration
Differing viewpoints Regions
Taxes Map Skills
Protest
Monarchy
Democracy
Government
Revolt
Anti-Federalists
Federalists
Integration Opportunities:
Identify key steps in the text’s description of a process related to history (i.e. causes of exploration, events leading up to the Revolutionary War etc...)