Growth and Change in the Early Republic for 8th Grade Social Studies
You see an eighth grade student staring at a map of the United States in 1800. They trace the Mississippi River with their finger, looking confused as to why everyone was so worried about shipping routes when there was clearly plenty of room to roam. That moment is... read more
8th Grade Social Studies Lesson on the Grange and Populism
Teaching 8th grade students about the Grange and Populism is an essential part of US history. This post explores the Farmers and Reform: The Grange and Populism lesson to help students understand the rise of agricultural activism and economic reform during the Gilded... read more
Teaching the Great Awakening to 8th Grade US History Students
“Describe the relationship between the moral and political ideas of the Great Awakening and the development of revolutionary fervor.” That is the exact language of CA.HSS-8.1.1, but for many eighth graders, this standard feels like an abstraction. Students... read more
8th Grade Social Studies: Philosophy of the Declaration of Independence
When we get to the unit on the American founding, we know how quickly students can gloss over the actual philosophy. They recognize the name, they know the holiday, but the specific, dry, and essential logic of the document often slips past them. We usually slot this... read more