8th Grade US History
Course Information
This is a daily, core academic course. Our class sessions last 58 minutes.
Grades
Grades for this class will be taken from a combination of assessments (quizzes and tests), homework, and projects. Averages are based on total points.
Homework
There will be homework assignments for this course. Your student will be assigned a textbook Creating America for at home study and reading. This textbook will be turned in at the end of the year.
As of Wednesday, September 2, ALL classes have been assigned an at home copy of the course textbook, Creating America. This textbook should be at home for student use with homework, reading, and assessment preparation. The cost to replace this textbook is $60.30.
Specific Homework Assignments
Homework will be assigned as necessary to reinforce topics of study. This may include a writing assignment and/or a reading in the textbook. Unless indicated by a different due date, all assigned, nightly homework is due the next class day.
In addition to any assigned, graded homework, students need to devote time each school night (20-30 minutes on average) to reviewing their class notes from that day's lesson. This should include:
- reading the textbook to reinforce the day's concepts
- organizing notes (Cornell Notes work very well)
- making a graphic organizer
Wednesday, September 2: Blocks 2, 3, and 6 - Read the Revolutionary Tea song, circle all of the metaphors, and provide the accurate comparison
Thursday, September 3: All periods should study the review sheet for a quiz on Friday. Format is selected response, 15 items.
Friday, September 4: All periods, Quiz on Colonial and Revolutionary America.
Tuesday, September 8: Periods 2, 3, 6 - Main Idea Questions a, b, and c on page 169 about the Declaration of Independence; Period 4 students complete only Main Idea Question a.
Wednesday, September 9: Periods 2, 3, and 6 - Continue to gather Cornell Notes about indentured servants and slavery due tomorrow. Period 4 - Complete the five questions that go with the Indentured Servants reading handout.
Thursday, September 10: All Periods - Complete the reading comprehension questions 1-8 for the Life Under Slavery handout.
Monday, September 14: Complete the Roots of Representative Government handout from class today with the terms defined for tomorrow's class.
Tuesday, September 15: Project Due Date, Periods 2, 3, and 6 only: Indentured Servant Typed Journal Entries are due today along with the Indentured Servant handout with your notes. This is a 50 point project.
Tuesday, September 15: Complete the two class handouts, Importance of Juries and The Legacy and Cost of the Revolutionary War for class tomorrow.
Wednesday, September 16: Finish gathering the notes from Chapter 8 for the Confederation Era handout due tomorrow.
Monday, September 21: Complete the Unit I Test review, both sides, (blue paper) for a homework grade tomorrow.
Tuesday, September 22: Review and study for your Unit I Test tomorrow. Please study your Unit I Test review and the notes in your social studies notebook. Re-read any sections in your textbook that we have covered for additional study material.
Wednesday, September 23: Unit I Test, 30 questions, all selected response.
Thursday, September 24: Complete all parts of the class handouts given on Wednesday after the Unit I Test including the BCR for Part C., Writing; this is due tomorrow for all classes.
Friday, September 25: Review your class notes from today's discussion, including the primary sources on pages 222-223 (Madison and Mason). If you wanted to redo the BCR due today, you have until Tuesday to finish this. Be sure to have all class notes from this work in your notebook under Unit 2.
Tuesday, September 29: BCRs are due today. After today, they will have late points deducted.
Tuesday, September 29: Finish the Seven Principles of the US Constitution handout, both sides, from class today. You will need these notes in class tomorrow.
Wednesday, September 30: Study for your Open Notes Quiz tomorrow about the Articles of Confederation and the Constitutional Convention. Be sure to organize your notes so you can use them effectively tomorrow. Also, complete the Legislative handout, both sides for homework tomorrow if you did not have time to complete it in class today.
Thursday, October 1:
Periods 4 and 6: We did not get through our complete discussion of last night's homework after today's quiz. Tonight, please go over the back of the Legislative handout and make sure you have the correct information. All information is in your text. You will need to make inferences as well as carefully read the charts, tables, and text boxes for the information. We will catch up tomorrow with the Executive Branch.
Periods 2 and 3: Complete the Executive Branch handouts, both sides for homework tonight using your text.
Monday, October 5: Complete the Judicial handouts from class today for tomorrow.
Tuesday and Wednesday, October 6 and 7: Review your class notes on these nights. You will have an Open Notes Quiz on the 3 Branches of Government and Checks and Balances on Thursday.
Thursday, October 8: Open Notes Quiz - 3 Branches of Government and Checks and Balances
Tuesday, October 13: Bill of Rights Illustration is due today along with the rubric.
Wednesday, October 14: Prepare and review your notes for tomorrow's Open Notes Quiz about the Bill of Rights and the other Amendments we discussed in class.
Thursday, October 15: Open Notes Quiz - The Bill of Rights and selected Amendments to the US Constitution (only those in your notes)
Wednesday, October 21: Unit II: Open Notes Test.
Tuesday, October 27: Complete the graphic organizer and letter to President Obama (4 paragraphs) due Thursday.
Thursday, October 29: All Constitution themed board games are due today.
Friday, October 30: 2 hour early dismissal - End of the First Marking Period
Begin Second Marking Period and Unit 3
Monday, November 2: Complete the Unit 3 handouts from class today including academic vocabulary, reading comprehension, and the map questions about the Nation's Capital.
Monday, November 9: Review your notes about Marbury v. Madison, the Louisiana Purchase, and the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Tuesday, November 10: Complete the map activity handout about the Louisiana Purchase using your textbook, page 304. Color your map to match the one on page 304.
Wednesday, November 11: Complete the Glossary/After You Read handout for Chapter 10 as an additional review for Friday's test. This is due on Friday!
Friday, November 13: Review for your test on Monday. The writing prompt for the test involves Jefferson's decision to authorized the Louisiana Purchase and commission the Lewis and Clark Expedition to explore this new western territory. Be prepared to write a constructed response with many accurate details about this important event in US History.
Friday, November 13: This Test on Washington and Jefferson has been moved to Monday, November 16.
Monday, November 16: Blocks 2, 3, and 6: Complete Chapter 11, Section 1 Assessment on page 325, parts 1, 2, and 3. Block 4: Complete parts 1 and 2 only.