“We have a complex system of government. You have to teach it to every generation.”
Sandra Day O’Connor
8th Grade Social Studies:
The curriculum for 8th grade social studies is American history and civics. Students will learn about civics, which involves understanding government, the constitution, and the rights of American citizens, as well as U.S. history from post-Revolutionary War to Reconstruction, and connecting that history to the strands of many American experiences, including Asian American, Native peoples, African American, European American, Latino/Chicano, and the differing experiences of men and women throughout U.S. history, as well as how it connects to present day issues.
Essential Questions:
Fall
How should we interpret the Constitution?
How is the Constitution a living document?
Who is protected by the Bill of Rights? Who should be?
What are current threats to our constitutional rights?
How does the US going to war affect the rights of US citizens historically and currently?
Winter
How do we make our communities more just?
What are our cultural messages?
How did we get here, and where do we need to go?
Spring
How are we part of a nation of immigrants?
What is the history of immigration to the US?
How has law regarding immigration and immigrant groups changed over time, and what is current policy?