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Please refer to the Course of Study page, Mega Chart, for details.

Grade 8 United States History Curriculum Guide

 

Content: The Grade 8 United States History course in Lincoln Public Schools engages students in the study of the United States from early contact and settlement in the Americas through the era of industrialization in the late 19th century.  The course emphasizes the development of historical thinking skills enabling critical engagement with the major issues, trends and developments encompassing our understanding of the history of the United States. The course supports the Nebraska State Social Studies standards.  This course builds upon the United States History curriculum taught in Grades K-5 and sets students up to be successful in the Grade 11 High School United States History course in Lincoln Public Schools.

Materials: 

  • Call to Freedom: Beginnings to 1914, (Harcourt, 2003).  Teachers should have access to at least one class       

            set of these print books.

  • A History of US (Volumes 1-7), (Oxford Press, 2005).  Teachers should have access to at least one class set of these print books.
  • Selected primary sources and other supplemental readings

Design: There are 11 total standards addressed in this course.  Each standard consists of the following:

  • An essential question encompassing a major era, topic or theme in United States History.
  • Content thread questions that support the larger essential question for each standard.  All content threads must be addressed in your class. 
  • Key terms or concepts related to each thread.  Key terms are provided simply as a “touchstone” for teachers who are new to this curriculum and are not “required,” nor are they necessarily reflected in assessment materials.
  • Page numbers with essential background information from textbook resources, as well as links to additional resources for teachers and students.  
  • Historical inquiries allowing students to explore each thread and develop evidence to address the larger standard.  

 

Upon completion of each standard, students should be able to provide an answer to the essential question using evidence from the content thread questions supporting the standard.   Please note that there are several historical inquiries that are required. Teachers should adapt provided lessons to fit the learning needs of students.

Grade 8 United States History: Pacing Guide

 

STANDARD ESSENTIAL QUESTION SUGGESTED PACING
FALL SEMESTER
Standard 1: Early Contact How did contact between English settlers and indigenous peoples begin to shape the 13 colonies? 3 weeks
Standard 2:  The Slave Trade What was the motivation for and impact of the slave trade? 2 weeks
Standard 3:  American Revolution What were the causes and results of the Revolutionary War? 5 weeks
Standard 4:  Establishing a Government  What influenced the creation of the U.S. Constitution? 2 weeks
Standard 5:  Expansion and Change    How did the United States expand across the North American continent and what was the impact of that expansion on different groups of people? 7 weeks

(5 weeks during Fall Semester)
SPRING SEMESTER
Standard 5:  Expansion and Change    How did the United States expand across the North American continent and what was the impact of that expansion on different groups of people? 7 weeks

(2 weeks during Spring Semester)
Standard 6:  Slavery in America  How did the institution of slavery impact the political, economic, and cultural life of the U.S.? 2 weeks
Standard 7:  Causes of the Civil War  What were the causes of the American Civil War? 3 weeks
Standard 8:  The Civil War What happened when Americans fought each other in the Civil War? 4 weeks
Standard 9:  Reconstruction  How did the period of Reconstruction shape the future of the United States? 2 weeks
Standard 10:  Native Americans after the Civil War  How did conflict with the U.S. change Native American culture after the Civil War? 2 weeks
Standard 11:  Industrialization What were the causes and effects of industrialization on the United States? 2 weeks

 

 

By Kent Swanson 9:46 pm