Course Description

The purpose of 8th grade U.S. History is to prepare students to do the work of a historian. Students will read, write, and think like a historian in order to develop a strong understanding of the past, which in turn allows them to have a better grasp of the society they live in today. Students will become experts of U.S. history by developing a strong fund of knowledge, activating schema, and detecting patterns across time. Students will analyze and evaluate primary and secondary sources in order to learn about significant people, and events from a variety of perspectives.

 

Beyond the classroom walls, the goal is for students to be empowered to seek out ways to be more informed and active citizens. The course allows students to explore political processes, current events and issues of social justice to spark such interest and instill a sense of urgency. Students will be encouraged to question the world around them and challange the status quo.

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Units

1 Road to Revolution

2 The Constitution

3 The New Nation

4 Expansion

5 North vs South

6 Slavery and the Abolitionist Movement

7 The Civil War

8 Reconstruction

 

Class Info​

Teacher: Paloma Connolly

Room: 421