Social Studies - Grade 8
I. United States: Growth and Conflict
A. Cultural Respect
1. Replica: Ancient Culture
2. Replica: Archaeoloical Dig
3. Presentation: Artifact Photographs
4. Display: Cultural Scrapbook
5. Essay: Cultural Tapestry
6. Language: Foreign Similarities
7. Time Line: Immigration Laws
8. Biographical Sketch: Famous U.S. Immigrants
9. Recipes: Ethnic Foods
B. Conflict Over Environment
1. Interview: Native American Spiritual Beliefs
2. Chant: Corn Ceremony
3. Report: Before and After Columbus
4. Book: Cheyenne Indians
5. Charts: Culture Recreation
6. Report: Cheyenne Indians Then and Now
7. Debate: Treatment of Native Americans
C. Strong Beliefs Contribute to Change and Conflict
1. Time Line: Truths about Ocean and Earth
2. Oral Report: Holy War
3. Role Play: Social Status
4. Invention: Spreading God's Word
5. Analysis: Power of the Roman Catholic Church
6. Design: Amish Quilt
D. New Territory: Greater Recognition, Greater Responsibility
1. Monologue: Character Traits of Adventurers
2. Mobile: Historical Ships
3. Map: The Known World
4. Poem / Travel Log: Life at Sea
5. Advertisement: Luxurious Liner
6. Report: Northwest Passage
7. Charts: Missions
8. Research Paper: Impact of Missions
9. Play: Lost Colony of Roanoke
10. Dialogue: Sea Dog Attack
11. Map: The Routes of Magellan and Drake
II. Colonial Settlement
A. Newcomers Leave a Mark upon Civilization
1. Letter: My Reasons for Joining the Colonists
2. Map: Create-a-State
3. Models: Castles and Forts
4. Report: Comforts of Travel
5. Chart: Types of Government
6. Analysis: Religious Practice
7. Report: Personal Freedom
8. Analysis: Religious Freedom
9. Map: North America Exploration
10. Illustrations: Colonial Trades
B. Personal Freedom and Conflict
1. Skit: Witch Hunt!
2. Poem: Life as a Slave
3. Oral Report: Crime and Punishment
4. Scrapbook: Legalese
5. Scrapbook: Blue Laws
6. Brainstorm: Equal Justice
7. Oral Report: Misjudged!
8. Illustration: British Court
9. Research: The Great Awakening
C. Rules and Government: Safety and Order
1. Oral Report: Data Collection
2. Debate: Data Collection
3. Interview: Internal Revenue Service
D. Community Laws Enforced by Government
1. Interview: Libel Conviction
2. Role Play: A Voice in Government
3. Debate: 26th Amendment
4. Political Cartoon: Current Laws
5. Personal Testimony: Decisions, Decisions
6. Mock Trial: Nathaniel Bacon
7. Writing: International Peace Law
8. Analysis: Mary Celeste Mystery
9. Letter: Titanic Sunk!
III. A New Nation
A. Restraints Resisted
1. Role Play: Chief Pontiac
2. Research: Imaginary Passport
3. Report: Trade Laws
4. Debate: Boston Tea Party
5. Speech: Defeat Unfair Laws!
B. Long-range Effects of War
1. Diary: Soldier Attitude
2. Essay: Problems of War
3. Posters: We Want You!
4. Report: Conditions of War
5. Story: Switching Places
6. Essay: "Knavery of Americans"
C. Time and Distance Affect Human Relationships
1. Song: Yankee Doodle
2. Pamphlet: Urgent Matters
3. Oral Report: Role of Women during War
4. Cartoon: Declare Independence!
5. Role Play: Government Official
6. Game: Freedom for All
IV. A Firm Foundation
A. Rules and Government: Safety and Order
1. Report: Rights
2. Mural: Freedom
3. Monologue: I, the Constitution
4. Speech: Presidential Campaign
5. Chart: Bill of Rights
B. Community Laws Enforced by Government
1. Outline: The Role of the Vice President
2. Letter: Revolution Advice
3. Interview: Alien Act
4. Flow Chart: A Bill Turns into Law
5. Role Play: Washington's Advice
6. Program: Constitutional Freedoms
7. Chart: Plato's Law or U.S. Constitution?
C. Rights, Responsibilities, and Privileges of Culture
1. Oral Report: System of Voting
2. Written Report: Government Spending
3. Oral Report: Balance of Power
4. Essay: Majority and Minority
5. Essay: Nationalism
6. Simulation: Political Campaign
D. Development and Mutual Cooperation
1. Skit: Lewis and Clark Expedition
2. Travel Log: Expedition Comparison
3. Oral Report: Women's Roles Analysis
4. Report: St. Louis, City of Progress
5. Map: Lewis and Clark Routes
6. Bulletin Board: Expedition Discoveries
V. The Young Nation
A. People and Environment are Interdependent
1. Compromise: Solving a Problem
2. News Article: Nullification Crisis
3. Persuasive Speech: Pro-Union
4. Diary: Trail of Tears
5. Press Conference: Monroe Doctrine
B. Utilizing Environment and Human Resources
1. Book Review: Two Years before the Mast
2. Political Cartoon: Labor Workers and Employers
3. Pamphlet: Come to Our Fair City!
4. Chart: Seasonal Influences
5. Poster: Community Attraction
6. Interview: Community Change
C. Unique Culture and Geographic Variance
1. Report: Patent Laws
2. Story: Slavery Auction
3. Narratives: Abolitionist Perspective
4. Map: Southern Crops
D. Reform: Social and Economic Changes
1. Speech: Seneca Falls Resolution
2. Graph: Voting and Property Ownership
3. Character Sketches: Differing Philosophy
4. Interview: Early Adventism
5. Time Line: Development of Adventism
VI. Expansion and Civil War
A. Personal Freedom and Conflict
1. Research: Impact of Racial Books
2. Play: Uncle Tom's Cabin
3. News Article: Free the Slaves!
4. Map: Underground Railroad
5. Model: Underground Railroad
6. Drama: Harriet Tubman Interview
7. Debate: Slave vs. Free
8. Essay: System of Slavery
B. Living Together with Differences
1. Role Play: Character Sketches
2. Debate: Political Viewpoints
3. Dialogue: Overcoming Prejudice
4. Presentation: Forms of Prejudice
5. Analysis: Prejudice
C. Long-Term Effects of War
1. Essay: Dred Scott Decision
2. News Articles: North and South
3. Essay: After Slavery
D. Reform: Social and Economic Changes
1. Group Activity: Negro Spirituals
2. Analysis: Hope for the Future
3. Essay: Debates of 1858
4. Letter: President Johnson Impeachment
5. Report: Impeaching a President
VII. Modern America Takes Shape
A. Respect for Other Cultures
1. Letter: Equal Representation
2. Chart: Native American Empires
3. Essay: Native American Belief Systems
4. Poster: City Settlement
B. Mutual Cooperation
1. Map / Report: Native American Nations
2. Group Discussion: Jim Crow Laws
3. Journal: Homestead Act
4. Journal / Map: Oregon Trail
5. Diary / Map: Crossing the United States
C. Belonging to a Culture
1. Bulletin Board: Buffalo Uses
2. Essay / Cartoon: Buffalo Uses
3. Journal: European Immigrant
4. Essay / Chart: Evolution of Immigration Laws
D. Multiple Causations of Change
1. Native American Chiefs
2. Legal Brief: Native American Citizens
3. Essay: Dawes Act
4. Skit: Louisana Purchase
5. Speech: Purchase of Alaska
E. Impacts of Technology
1. Bulletin Board: Gold Rush!
2. Report / Map: Oregon Trail New and Old
3. Interview: Corporation
4. Essay / Chart: Labor Unions
5. Drawing: Transportation after the Civil War
6. Chart: Invention Predictions
7. Oral Report: Life without a Telephone
8. Essay: John Hyatt's Inventions
VIII. America Reaches Outward
A. Significant Change
1. Research Paper: The Chance to Change History
2. Debate: Monopoly Regulations
3. Advertising: Changes Over the Years
4. Essay: City Slums in 1890
5. Panel Discussion: 1800s Big City Politics
6. Cartoon / Report: Wyoming's Political Stance
7. Bulletin Board: Opportunities for Women
8. Story: Success of an Immigrant
9. Skit: Opulent Victorian Age
10. Editorial: Public Opinion of Trusts
11. Essay: Food Products' Effect on Society
12. Debate: Women's Suffrage Movement
13. Chart: The Evolution of the White House
14. Essay / Display: White House Receptions
15. Research: Assimilation into Society
16. Research: Authors Washington and DuBois
17. Report: Muckraker News Reporting
B. Time and Distance Affect Relationships
1. Essay: California and Alaska Gold Rush
2. Paragraph: Visit to Japan
3. Essay: American Military Actions
4. Essay: Boxer Rebellion
5. Debate: Imperialism
6. Debate: Expansionism in the Philippines
7. Report: Controlling Infectious Disease
8. Interview: Hawaiian Queen Liliuokalani
9. Report: U.S. Tariffs
10. Editorial: Tariffs on Imports
11. Report: Influence of the News
12. Report: U.S. Territory Citizen Rights
13. Article: Battle of San Juan Hill
C. Strong Beliefs: Change and Conflict
1. Posters: Propaganda
2. Report: World War I
3. Essay: Viewpoints of War
4. Game: Diplomacy
5. Report: Russian Revolution
6. Synopses: World War I News Stories
7. Map / Essay: Battle of the Argonne Forest
8. Model: World War I Trench Warfare
9. Report: Weapons of War
10. Letter: America's Neutrality
11. Skit: Big Four Peace Talks
12. Speech: Sign the Treaty and Join the League!
IX. 1919-1945 Turbulent Decades
A. Social and Economic Change
1. Research: Government Scandals
2. Essay: Kellogg-Briand Pact
3. Research: Installment Buying
4. Essay / Poster: Farmers' Hardships
5. Report: Health Effects of Prohibition
6. Speech: Equal Rights Amendment
7. Essay / Display: Harlem Renaissance
8. Presentation: Life of Scott Joplin
9. Chart: Emergency Quota System
10. Play: Sacco Vanzetti Trial
11. Essay: Scopes Monkey Trial
12. Posters: Ford Models
13. Debate: Free Speech
14. Design: 1920s Fashion
B. Interdependence: People and Environment
1. Research: Black Tuesday
2. Chart: Works Progress Administration
3. Oral Report: New Deal Program
4. Simulation: Social Security System
5. Report: Public Utilities
6. Report: Unions
7. Oral Report: Court-Packing Plan
8. Debate: The New Deal
9. Obituary: Life of Franklin Delano Roosevelt
10. Broadcast: 1930s Radio
11. Report: Authors of the Depression Era
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