Social Studies Curriculum – Grade 8

Social Studies at grades 6-8 incorporate ten unifying themes:

  • Individual Development and Cultural Identity
  • Development, Movement, and Interaction of Cultures
  • Time, Continuity, and Change
  • Geography, Humans, and the Environment
  • Development and Transformation of Social Structures
  • Power, Authority, and Governance
  • Civic Ideals and Practices
  • Creation, Expansion, and Interaction of Economic Systems
  • Science, Technology, and Innovation
  • Global Connections and Exchange

Additionally, Social Studies Practices represent the social science and historical thinking skills that students should develop throughout their K-12 education in order to be prepared for civic participation, college, and careers. 

  1. Gathering, Interpreting and Using Evidence
  2. Chronological Reasoning and Causation
  3. Comparison and Contextualization
  4. Geographic Reasoning
  5. Economics and Economic Systems
  6. Civic Participation

Social studies content in grades 7 and 8 focuses on a chronologically organized study of the United States and New York State history. The seventh grade program traces the human experience in the United States from pre-Columbian times to the Civil War period of division and reunion. Political, geographic, economic and social trends in United States history are paralleled with trends and time frames in New York State history.

Concepts and themes studied include: Change, Movement, World in Spatial Terms, Environment and Society, Science and Technology, Culture, Diversity, Places and Regions, Human Systems, Belief Systems, Government, Movement of People and Goods, Interdependence, Power, Imperialism, Economic Systems, Political Systems, Decision Making, Identity, Justice, Nationalism, Factors of Production.

The grades 7 and 8 course is designed to build on and reinforce skills, concepts and content understandings introduced in the K-6 program and provide a content base for the grade 11 course in American History.
