Download Grade 8 Social Studies Standards and Benchmarks by Standard

Grade 8 Social Studies Standards and Benchmarks by Standard
Standard 1: “Big History” Time, Continuity, Change, and Causality
Students will understand patterns of change and continuity, relationships between people and events through
time, and various interpretations of these relationships
BY THE END OF GRADE 8
1. Use key concepts such as chronology, causality, and conflict to identify patterns of historical change
2. Demonstrate how knowledge of the past and its trends can help explain current events
3. Explain the causes of significant current and historical political events and issues
4. Analyze multiple interpretations of an historical or current event
5. Differentiate between historical facts and historical interpretations
6. Use quantitative data to answer questions about history (charts, graphs, tables, maps)
Standard 2 - Social
“Sprite” A framework for Viewing The World - Social, Political, Religious, Intellectual, Technological,
Economic
Students will develop and utilize a framework for understanding, evaluating, and comparing societies
BY THE END OF GRADE 8
1. Explain how cultural attitudes, values, and beliefs influence personal behavior and the development of personal
identity
2. Recognize the foundations of one’s own and others’ historical viewpoints
3. Explain the impact of stereotyping, conformity, and non-conformity on individuals and groups
4. Analyze the accuracies and inaccuracies of gender stereotyping
Standard 2 - Political
“Sprite” A framework for Viewing The World - Social, Political, Religious, Intellectual, Technological,
Economic
Students will develop and utilize a framework for understanding, evaluating, and comparing societies
BY THE END OF GRADE 8
1. Describe major issues involving rights, responsibilities, roles, and status of the individual in relation to the
general welfare
2. Explain issues related to basic freedoms (e.g., those contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)
3. Define citizenship in terms of its legal and political status and criteria used to grant naturalized citizenship
4. Explain the significance of important documents and identify their origins (i.e., declaration of independence,
Magna Carta, Code of Hammurabi)
5. Explain the impact that an individual can have in affecting change in society
Standard 2 - Religious/Intellectual
“Sprite” A framework for Viewing The World - Social, Political, Religious, Intellectual, Technological,
Economic
Students will develop and utilize a framework for understanding, evaluating, and comparing societies
BY THE END OF GRADE 8
1. Explain how social and environmental factors and culture are related
2. Identify how patterns of behavior can reflect cultural values and attitudes
3. Evaluate major movements in literature, music, and the visual arts and ways in which they expressed or shaped
dominant social values
4. Analyze ways in which people maintained traditions and resisted external challenges
5.
Recognize the tension between the ideals of diversity and community
Standard 2 - Technology
“Sprite” A framework for Viewing The World - Social, Political, Religious, Intellectual, Technological,
Economic
Students will develop and utilize a framework for understanding, evaluating, and comparing societies
BY THE END OF GRADE 8
1. Compare the differences among tools, techniques, and systems
2. Explain the concept “pace of change”
Standard 2 - Economic
“Sprite” A framework for Viewing The World - Social, Political, Religious, Intellectual, Technological,
Economic
Students will develop and utilize a framework for understanding, evaluating, and comparing societies
BY THE END OF GRADE 8
1. Describe changes in the division of labor from hunting and gathering societies to farming communities to urban
societies
2. Explain economic reasons for voluntary migration
3. Describe historical and contemporary economic systems
Standard 3: “Where you are, determines who you are” - People, Places and Environment
Students will understand the concepts of geography and demography and how geography and demography
influence, and are influenced by human history
BY THE END OF GRADE 8
1. Use appropriate data sources and geographic tools to generate, manipulate, and interpret information
2. Know the relative location, size, and distances between places
3. Explain and give examples of voluntary and involuntary migration
4. Explain how human migration affects the physical and human characteristics of a place
5. Evaluate conventional and alternative uses of land and water resources throughout historical time periods
6. Describe ways that human events have influenced, and been influenced by, physical and human geographic
conditions
Standard 4: “The Web” Interaction Between and Within Societies. International Exchange, Trade, War and
Diplomacy
Students will understand causes and effects of all forms of interaction between and within various elements of
society
BY THE END OF GRADE 8
1. Explain the relationships and tensions between national sovereignty and global interest
2. Identify issues and standards related to human rights
3. Explain how events and conditions in one region might affect other regions in the area and across the world
Standard 5: “Prove It” Construct, Evaluate and Support Arguments
Students will learn how to locate, evaluate, and synthesize information from a variety of sources to construct,
evaluate, and support arguments, with an emphasis on critical thinking.
2
BY THE END OF GRADE 8
1. Identify and clarify a problem or issue
2. Locate, evaluate and begins to synthesize information from a variety of sources
3. Construct, support and begins to evaluate arguments
4. Cite (i.e., MLA style), and evaluate the reliability of sources of information
5. Use an organized methodology of research (i.e., The Big Six)
6. Utilize primary and secondary resources
Standard 6: “I See” Understand context, bias, and point of view
Students will develop the ability to assess claims of universal standards, putting culturally diverse ideas and
values in historical context, not to suspend judgment, but developing understanding.
BY THE END OF GRADE 8
1. Recognize and apply the concept of bias, multiple points of view and historical context
2. Demonstrate an understanding of universal standards (human rights etc)
3. Recognize that individuals have personal beliefs and judgments
3