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Jefferson: Social Studies

Woodbury Grade 8 Team Site

Weekly Agenda

Welcome to Team Jefferson Social Studies!

Weekly Agenda: 3/9-3/13

Students will present their Civil Rights Memorial Project to start the week.  Students will then begin exploring the turn of the twentieth century.  We will examine the role immigration played in big business and society during the Gilded Age.  We will then focus on the lead up to World War I and examine how our nation transformed during and after the Great War.  

Projects are due on Monday, March 9th!  We will begin presentations Monday!!!

Quarter 3 Topics

Supporting Question: How has the outcome of the Civil War affected Americans’ lives?

  1. Explain how antebellum ideologies caused division between the northern and southern states.
  2. Analyze the interdependence of the economies of the industrial North and agricultural South.
  3. Describe the impact of the war on various social groups.
  4. Explain the causes and effects of the Reconstruction Amendments.
  5. Describe the impact the Jim Crow South had on the American way of life.
  6. Analyze the social inequalities that ignite Civil Rights movements.
  7. Explore social change and continuity in America.

Supporting Question: How did the United States respond to new ideas about society?

  1. Explain the rationale and events leading to American entry into WWI and Woodrow Wilson’s wartime diplomacy (the Fourteen Points, League of Nations) and the failure of the Treaty of Versailles.
  2. Research policies of the Progressive period and explain their impacts on Americans (women’s suffrage, child labor laws, Prohibition, etc.).
  3. Analyze primary sources (art, writing, music, fashion) to show how traditionalism and modernity conflicted in the early twentieth century.

Supporting Question: What factors led the American economy to go from booming to busting?

  1. Analyze how economic policies (robber barons, monopolies) and lack of government regulation shaped the landscape.
  2. Explain how financial decision-making and wartime production led to an economic boom during the Roaring Twenties.
  3. Describe the multiple causes and consequences of the global depression of the 1930s, including consideration of competing economic theories that explain the crisis.
  4. fall in stock market
  5. restrictive monetary and trade policies
  6. widespread unemployment decline of personal income
  7. support for social and political reform
  8. decline in trade
  9. the rise of fascism
  10.      4. Explain the successes and failures of the New Deal in restoring American prosperity.

Supporting Question: Should freedoms be sacrificed in the name of national security?

  1. Explain the reasons for American involvement in World War II and the key actions and events leading up to declarations of war against Japan and Germany.
  2. Describe the sacrifices made by women on the homefront in the name of national security and how those sacrifices led to social change for American women.
  3. Analyze the reasons for and against the exclusion and internment of Japanese American citizens during wartime.
  4. Describe how Japanese American citizens were impacted by the actions of the United States’ government.
  5. Explain the reasons the United States gave for the use of atomic bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan; and use primary and secondary sources to analyze how arguments for and against the use of nuclear weapons developed from the late 1940s to the early 1960s.

Quarter 2 Topics

Supporting Question: Was westward expansion a success?

  1. Explore various perspectives of  social groups impacted by expansion.
  2. Explain how technology (steam engine, railroad, telegraph) played a key role in expansion.
  3. Describe how social conditions affected westward expansion.
  4. Describe the environmental effects (land manipulation, animal loss) of expansion.
  5. Explain the key role economic conditions played in expansion.

Supporting Question: How do individuals make choices about spending?

  1. Describe how resources for the production of goods are limited, therefore people must make choices to gain some things and give up others.
  2. Explain the factors that affect the prices of goods and services.
  3. Define supply and demand and explain the role that supply and demand, prices, and profits play in determining production and distribution in a market economy.

Supporting Question: How has the outcome of the Civil War affected Americans’ lives?

  1. Explain how antebellum ideologies caused division between the northern and southern states.
  2. Analyze the interdependence of the economies of the industrial North and agricultural South.
  3. Describe the impact of the war on various social groups.
  4. Explain the causes and effects of the Reconstruction Amendments.
  5. Describe the impact the Jim Crow South had on the American way of life.
  6. Analyze the social inequalities that ignite Civil Rights movements.
  7. Explore social change and continuity in America.

Quarter 1 Topics

Supporting Question: How did the events and policies of the colonial period transform our emerging nation?

  1. Explain Britain’s policies in the North American colonies and compare the perspectives of the British Parliament, British colonists, and Native Peoples in North America on these policies.
  2. Describe Patriots’ responses to increased British taxation.
  3. Explain the main argument of the Declaration of Independence, the rationale for seeking independence, and its key ideas on equality, liberty, natural rights, and the rule of law.
  4. Explain how the relationship between colonists and Native Americans transformed over time.

Supporting Question: How do the institutions of the U.S. political system work?

  1. Distinguish the three branches of government (separation of powers): executive, legislative and judicial branches.  
  2. Examine the three branches (the checks and balances system).  Describe the respective roles of each of the branches of government.
  3. Explain the process of elections in the legislative and executive branches and the function of the Electoral College in Presidential elections.
  4. Describe Citizenship and its rights, responsibilities, and duties.

'I Can" Statements

These are the learning targets we will be focusing on in class this first week.

I CAN...

explain the economic, political, and social reasons for westward expansion.

explain how the concept Manifest Destiny highlights American goals during the period.

explain if westward expansion was successful.

 

 

 

 

What We Study

Grade 8 - United States History

 

This year, students will investigate guiding questions such as “How have past events shaped our national identity?” Students begin the year exploring colonialism and its effect on people and the environment of North America. They examine how the American government was created and investigate the basics of our economy. Next, students discover Americans’ different perspectives regarding Manifest Destiny.  Students investigate how the Civil Rights movement has direct connections to the American Civil War and the Jim Crow era. Students will also explore guiding questions such as “What are some examples of change and continuity throughout American history?” Students compare how immigration policies affect everyday lives of Americans both in the past and present. Using their prior basic knowledge of the economy, students will apply these concepts to the study of the Gilded Age and the Great Depression. They will analyze cause and effect relationships throughout the development of the nation.  Additional supporting questions appear under each topic. The questions are included to stimulate teachers’ and students’ own questions for discussion and research.

Historical Documents and Links

Here you can find some great links to important historical documents from throughout US history.

Social Studies Student of the Month

Each month one student will be selected as the Team Jefferson Social Studies Student of the Month.

Students are eligible for selection based on the following criteria if:

1.) Student has completed all of their assignments.

2.) Student has applied full effort and participation each day in class.

3.) Student has helped classmates in need.

September- Abby Carroll

October- Jack Schoenrock

November- Amanda Renny

Course Expectations and Guidelines

Mr. Golden

Team Jefferson Social Studies

Email: jgolden@sau57.org     Phone: (603) 893-7055 x3212

Course Description:

Welcome to Team Jefferson and eighth grade social studies. This is a year-long core class focusing on United States history, geography, politics, and economics.  We will be covering material from pre-colonial history through the present-day by examining historical events from the past to understand how they have helped shape this nation and world.  Students will gain the valuable skills and tools needed to make these connections within the social sciences and be prepared for future studies in these fields.

Team/Classroom Rules:

All school and district policies will be followed in the classroom in addition to one very important rule.  Each student will RESPECT everyone and everything in the classroom.  Students are required to respect their peers, classroom materials, teachers, themselves, and their education.

Course Expectations:

Come prepared for class each day with a pen or pencil.  Text books should stay at home and not be left in lockers.  I ask all of you to keep a 2” binder in the classroom to house your portfolio of work.  Please see me if you need a binder and I will be happy to provide one. Assignments will be completed with your best effort and passed in by the due date.  Lastly, each student needs to come prepared to actively participate each day.

Scoring:

We will be transitioning to a competency-based reporting system this year.  There will be more information to follow.

Make Up Work/Extra Help:

It is your responsibility to find out what work you missed while out.  Please come ask me and look in the Absent Work Folder located at my desk to pick up assignments that were missed.  The daily and weekly agenda will also be on the board and online to help see what one missed and what the upcoming days entail.

I am always free before and after school for extra help.  Try to let me know a day in advance if you would extra help and we will set up an appointment to get you that help.

Contact Information:

Students/Guardians please feel free to contact me with any questions about assigned work and/or expectations.  You can email me at jgolden@sau57.org or by calling Woodbury and using my extension (603) 893-7055 x3212. 

Please check out the weekly updates and assignments as well online at:

http://sau57.org/woodbury/teamsites

The best way to contact me is by email since I can check it regularly throughout the day and respond in a timely fashion.  I look forward to an exciting year working with you all.  Best of luck in your final year at Woodbury!