8thGradeSocialStudies
KingScienceandTechnologyMagnetCenter
OmahaPublicSchools
Instructor:
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TeacherWebSite
Ms.JenniferMoyer
[email protected]
402-557-3720
7/8block
www.ops.org/middle/kingscience/Staff/TEAM8B/MsMoyer/tabid/158/Default.aspx Office/Classroom
Room218
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Contactbyemailatanytime;phonecallswillbereturnedwithin24hours
Overview:8thgradesocialstudiescoversAmericanhistoryfrom1776-1914.Thiscoursebeginswiththeconstruction
oftheConstitutionandendswiththeprogressivemovementoftheearly1900s.
8thgradeSocialStudiesSkills:
♦ Accessinformationusingavarietyofsources
♦ Comprehendandanalyzeinformation
♦ Discernspatialandchronologicalpatterns
♦ Problem-solvingfromavarietyofapproachesand
pointsofview
♦ Detectbiasandaccuracy
♦ Constructaninformeddecisionanddefend
UnitsofStudy
Unit1:Pre-Constitution(1776-1787)
Asourcountrygainedindependence,itwasfacedwithmanydifficult
questions:Howshouldthenewgovernmentbeorganized?Whatrights
shouldbegiven?Whereshouldpowerlie?Theanswerstothesequestions
wouldshapethenatureoftheUnitedStatesthroughoutitshistory.Thisunit
coversthesuccesses,failures,andcompromisesoftheearlyAmerican
government.
Unit2:TheConstitution
Ratifiedin1787,theConstitutionoftheUnitedStatesofAmericawould
becomeaninspirationaldocumentfornewnationsaroundtheworld.This
unitwillexaminethestructure,form,andpurposeoftheConstitution.
Withinthisstudy,thestudentswillidentifythebranchesofgovernmentand
theneedforasystemofchecksandbalances.
Unit3:Expansion
ThenewAmericannationfeltitsManifestDestiny:thebeliefthatAmerica
hasaneedandarighttoexpand.Throughoutthe1800’s,theterritorial
expansionoftheUnitedStateswouldenveloptheLouisianaPurchase,Texas,
theWest,andCalifornia.Theprocessofexpandingthenationwouldoften
leadtoconflict;somewithothernationsandsomewiththeNative
Americansalreadyontheland.Thisunitwillstudytheterritorialexpansion
oftheU.S.anditsimpactonpeople.
Unit4:SettlementandImmigration(1787-1850)
AstheUnitedStatesexpandedwestward,enormousamountsofpeople
begantosettlethenewlyacquiredland.Otherpullfactors,suchasthegold
rush,wouldbringnewwavesofimmigrantstotheUnitedStates.Thisunit
covershowterritorywassettled,thetechnologyandlawsthatalloweditto
besettled,andthewavesofimmigrantsthatshapedthecultureofthe
nation.
Unit5:SlaveryandSectionalism(1850-1860)
Anation’seconomyisaforcethatmovesgovernmentintoaction.The
countrywasdividedontheroleslaveryshouldplayinthenation’seconomy.
Thissectionaldivisionwouldtakethecountrythroughcompromiseand
conflictuntiltherewasnootheroptionotherthansecessionandwar.This
unitwillcovertheeventsanddebatesthatdrovethisdivisionandhowthe
CivilWarbegan.
Unit6:TheCivilWar(1861-1865)
TheCivilWardemonstratedthedivisionbetweenregions.PresidentLincoln
foughttopreservetheUnionandtheConstitutionwhiletheSouthfoughtto
preserveitseconomicstrength,state’srights,andslavery.Thisunitwill
covertheissues,men,women,andeventsthatinfluencedtheCivilWar.
Unit7:Reconstruction(1865-1877)
TheCivilWarpreservedtheUnitedStates,buttheemotionalstateofthe
countryremainedfractured.Thegovernment’sroletohealthewoundsof
warwasfoughtagaininCongressandthecourtsystem.Theeconomicand
socialproblemsleftunresolvedbytheCivilWarwilleffectfuture
generations.ThisunitwillcovertheissuesofReconstructionandtheir
effects.
Unit8:Urbanization\Industrialization\Progressives(1880-1914)
AsthenationhealedfromReconstruction,newdevelopmentsand
technologiespavedthewayforAmericansuccess.Unparalleledimmigration
wouldcauseincrediblegrowthinthecitiesandfactoriesoftheUnitedStates.
Theproblemscausedbythisgrowthwouldbeansweredthroughastrong
progressivemovement.ThisunitcoversthegrowthofAmericanindustry,its
effects,andthepeoplewhoplayedaroleinitssuccessesandfailures.
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8thGradeSocialStudiesLearningTargets
Standard01-ThestudentswillbeabletoevaluatetheissuesinvolvedinthecreationandratificationoftheUnited
StatesConstitutionandthenewgovernmentitestablished.
Standard02-ThestudentswillbeabletoanalyzethefeaturesoftheConstitutionthathavemadethisthemost
enduringandwidelyimitatedwrittenconstitutioninworldhistory.
Standard03–ThestudentswillbeabletoanalyzetheterritorialexpansionoftheUntiedStatesbetween1801and1861
andhowitaffectedrelationswithforeigncountriesandNativeAmericans.
Standard04–ThestudentswillbeabletoanalyzehowacquiredterritoryoftheUnitedStateswassettledandthe
impactthatdifferentsocialgroups(immigration,slaves,pioneers,etc...)hadontheexpansionofthecountry.
Standard05–Thestudentswillbeabletointerprethowthedebatesoverslaveryinfluencedpoliticsandsectionalism.
Standard06–Thestudentswillbeabletoidentifyandassesstheimpactofmajoreventsandadvancementsduringthe
CivilWar.
Standard07–ThestudentswillbeabletoanalyzethepurposeofReconstructionandevaluateitssuccessesandfailures.
Standard08–Thestudentswillbeabletocritiquethecauses,effects,andresponsestothedevelopmentofthe
industrialUnitedStates.
OPSSecondaryGradingPractices*
Allcourseworkandassessmentsarejudgedbasedonthelevelofstudentlearningfrom“belowbasic”to“advanced.”
This course will provide multiple opportunities to achieve at the “proficient” to “advanced” levels. Students are
evaluated based on a proficiency scale or project rubric. Proficiency scales for this course are available upon request
(teacherwillidentifylocationsuchasportal,teacherwebsite,attached,etc.)
Therearethreetypesofcoursework*
• Practice – assignments are brief and done at the beginning of learning to gain initial content (e.g., student
responses on white boards, a valid sampling of math problems, keyboarding exercises, and diagramming
sentences, checking and recording resting heart rate). Practice assignments are not generally graded for
accuracy (descriptive feedback will be provided in class) and are not a part of the grade. Teachers may keep
trackofpracticeworktocheckforcompletionandstudentscouldalsotracktheirpracticework.Practiceworkis
atthestudent’sinstructionallevelandmayonlyincludeBasic(2)levelquestions.
• Formative (35% of the final grade) – assessments/assignments occur during learning to inform and improve
instruction.Theyareminorassignments(e.g.,athreeparagraphessay,writtenresponsestoguidingquestions
overanassignedreading,completionofacomparisoncontrastmatrix).Formativeassignmentsaregradedfor
accuracyanddescriptivefeedbackisprovided.Formativeworkmaybeatthestudent’sinstructionallevelorat
thelevelofthecontentstandard.Formativeassessments/assignmentswillhavealllevelsoflearning–Basic(2),
Proficient(3),andAdvanced(4),whichmeansthatforeveryformativeassessment/assignment,studentswillbe
abletoearnanAdvanced(4).Teacherswillrequirestudentstoredoworkthatisnotofhighqualitytoensure
rigorandhighexpectations.Thestudent’sscoreonaformativeassessmentthatwasredonewillbehis/herfinal
score.
• Summative(65%ofthefinalgrade)–assessments/assignmentsaremajorendoflearningunittestsorprojects
usedtodeterminemasteryofcontentorskill(e.g.,aresearchpaper,anoralreportwithapowerpoint,major
unittest,andsciencefairproject).Summativeassignmentsaregradedforaccuracy.Summativeassignments
assess the student’s progress on grade level standards and may not be written at the student’s instructional
level. Summative assessments/assignments will have all levels of learning – Basic (2), Proficient (3), and
Advanced (4), which means that for every formative assessment/assignment students, will be able to earn an
advanced(4).
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Tomaintainalignmentofcourseworktocontentstandards,whichisakeybestpracticeforstandards-based
grading,teacherswillutilizeastandardizednamingconventionforeachofthestandardswithinacourse.The
contentstandardwillbemarkedoneachassignmententeredintoInfiniteCampus(DistrictGradingProgram)
usingallcapitallettersfollowedbyacolon.Afterthecolonwillbethetitleofthecoursework.
Attheendofthegradingperiod,scoresareconvertedtoalettergradeusingthisgradingscale.
A=3.51–4.00
A-=3.01–3.50
B=2.51–3.00
B-=2.01–2.50
C=1.51–2.00
D=0.76-1.50
F=0.00–0.75
Redoing/RevisingStudentCoursework
1. Studentsareresponsibleforcompletingallcourseworkandassessmentsasassigned.
2. Studentswillbeallowedredoesandrevisionsofcourseworkforfullcreditaslongastheyareturnedinduring
thatunitofstudywhileastudentstillhasanopportunitytobenefitfromthelearning.Whentimepermits,
teachersshouldallowtheredoingorrevisingofsummativeassessments.
3. Studentsareexpectedtocompleteassessmentswhengiventotheclass,orifastudentwasjustifiablyabsent,at
atimedesignatedbytheteacher.
4. Redoing,retakingorrevisingwillbedoneatteacherdiscretioninconsultationwiththestudentandparent(s).
Teachersmayschedulestudentsbefore,during,orafterschooltoaddressneededareasofimprovementifnot
convenientduringclass.Thetimeandlocationforredoing,retakingorrevisingwillbedoneattheteacher’s
discretioninconsultationwiththestudentandparent(s).
5. Scoresforstudentworkafterretaking,revisingorredoingwillnotbeaveragedwiththefirstattemptat
courseworkorassessmentbutwillreplacetheoriginalscore.
IndependentPractice
Theroleofindependentpracticeistodevelopknowledgeandskillseffectivelyandefficientlyduringtheunitofstudy.
Independent practice helps guide the learning process by providing accurate, timely and helpful feedback to students
withoutpenalty.
Thiswillbeachallengingcourserequiringreadingandahigherlevelofthinking–
withdedicationandpersistenceIbelieveyouwilldowellinthiscourse–butyou
areultimatelyresponsibleforthegradeyouwillearninthisclass.
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