SOCIAL STUDIES
U.S. STUDIES FROM 1492 TO
1877: EXPLORATION
THROUGH RECONSTRUCTION
GRADE 8
Unit Plans
(Units 1-3)
2015-2016
Aligned with Ohio’s
Learning Standards for
Social Studies and the
Common Core State
Standards for Literacy in
History/Social Studies
Office of Teaching and
Learning – Curriculum
Division
Social Studies 8 Unit Plan Outlines
U.S. Studies from 1492 to 1877: Exploration through Reconstruction, Grade 8
Unit 1. Introduction to Social Studies Thinking and Skills (Grading Period 1; 3 weeks)
Inquiry Questions
 How do historians and geographers understand the world past and present?
 What should we do when sources disagree?
 How do perspectives shape the study of history?
 How does geography shape history?
Topics, Content Statements, and Elaborations
Topic: Historical Thinking and Skills
Content Statement 1
Primary and secondary sources are used to examine events from multiple perspectives and to present
and defend a position.
Content Elaborations
Throughout the study of history, historical documents, artifacts and other materials can be
examined in terms of the perspective or point of view they represent.
Primary and secondary sources can be studied to understand how the same event might be
portrayed from different perspectives. Primary sources provide first-hand information about
historical events. Secondary sources provide interpretations of events by people who were not
present at the events they discuss.
In using documents, historians determine the applicability of information and separate factual
information from opinion and fiction. Historians also use evidence provided by the primary and
secondary sources to construct arguments that support a stated position.
Topic: Spatial Thinking and Skills
Content Statement 13
Modern and historical maps and other geographic tools are used to analyze how historic events are
shaped by geography.
Content Elaborations
Modern and historical maps, as well as other geographic tools (e.g., GPS, GIS, Internet-based
mapping applications, aerial and other photographs, remote sensing images) can be used to
analyze how historical events have been influenced by the distribution of natural resources and
geographic location.
These tools can be used to understand changes over time. They may be used to help illustrate
sectionalism, unification or movement.
Columbus City Schools
2015-2016
1
Unit 1. Social Studies Thinking and Skills
Common Core State Standards
Literacy in History/Social Studies Standards
http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RH/6-8/
Writing Standards
http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/WHST/6-8/
Expectations for Learning (Broad Learning Targets)

Analyze primary and secondary sources to describe the different perspectives on an issue relating
to a historical event in U.S. history and to present and defend a position.

Analyze the ways in which historical events are shaped by geography using modern and historical maps and
other geographic tools.
Note: For unpacked clear learning targets with sample questions stems, see the Social Studies, Grade 8 Clear
Learning Targets and Social Studies, Grade 8 “I Can” Checklist on the Social Studies Instructional Resource
Portal: http://www.ccsoh.us/SocialStudies8.aspx
Assessments

Assessment resources for social studies skills are available on the Social Studies Formative
Assessment Module: http://www.ccsoh.us/ssformative.aspx.

Performance Task: Have students analyze primary and secondary sources to develop and write a historical
narrative (describing the people, places, and events detailed in the sources) from multiple perspectives.
Students will present and defend their historical narratives.

Performance Task: Have students trace change over time in a particular region, state, or theme using
historical maps. Students can use the maps to create a poster or multimedia presentation, adding their own
written explanations of how the maps show change over time. Multimedia projects could be developed using
apps such as: www.hstry.co, www.powtoon.com, or edu.glogster.com.
Columbus City Schools
2015-2016
2
Unit 1. Social Studies Thinking and Skills
Instructional Strategies
The strategies below provide a sample of possible strategies and activities for the unit; they are not
intended as step-by-step directions or sequential daily lessons.
1.1 Historical Thinking and Skills
(Content Statement 1)

Use the Social Studies 8 Vocabulary Cards to introduce key terms for the unit. These cards, along with
vocabulary strategies and templates, are available on the Middle School Social Studies Vocabulary 100
module: http://ccsoh.us/msvocab.aspx. Vocabulary instruction six-step process: 1) provide a description,
explanation, or example of the new term; 2) ask students to restate the description, explanation, or example in
their own words; 3) ask students to construct a picture, pictograph, or symbolic representation of the term; 4)
engage students periodically in activities that help them add to their knowledge of the terms in their
vocabulary notebooks, 5) periodically ask students to discuss the terms with one another; 6) involve students
periodically in games that enable them to play with terms.

The Skills Handbook in the Appendix of the textbook, The American Journey, provides exercises on critical
thinking and social studies skills. See pp. 576-595.

Have students work individually or in pairs at the computer lab (or as a classroom station) to complete the
tutorials from the Social Studies Skills Tutor: Distinguishing Fact and Opinion, Recognizing Bias, Identifying
Frame of Reference and Point of View, and Supporting a Position.
http://www.phschool.com/curriculum_support/ss_skills_tutor/content/pop.html.

Have students work in pairs to complete a primary and secondary source sorting activity. Provide students
with a set of cards with the titles and short excerpts from various primary and secondary sources. Have
students whether each source is primary or secondary and place the card into an appropriate bucket.

Use the Snapshot Autobiography lesson from the Reading Like a Historian curriculum to introduce students to
the nature of history and historical perspectives. In this lesson, students create brief autobiographies and
then reflect on the process to better understand how history is written. Why are some events included and
others not? How does their version of events compare to others’ versions of the same event? Why do two
historical accounts differ when both sides believe they are telling the truth? How would students prove that
their version of events was true? http://sheg.stanford.edu/snapshot-autobiography

Use the Lunchroom Fight lesson from the Reading Like a Historian curriculum to introduce students to
multiple perspectives. In this lesson, students compare different accounts of lunchroom fight, consider why
the accounts differ, and evaluate the reliability of sources. http://sheg.stanford.edu/lunchroom-fight

Have students work in small groups to analyze a series of primary sources, such as paintings, letters, diaries,
artifacts, about a particular topic in history. Primary source analysis worksheets are available from the
National Archives (http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets/) and Library of Congress
(http://www.loc.gov/teachers/usingprimarysources/guides.html). Have students write a short narrative
describing the people, places, and events detailed in the primary sources. Have students compare their
narratives to see how each one interpreted the sources.

Have students analyze the different perspectives of a historical event by examining diaries, letters, art,
editorials, editorial cartoons and photographs. Students could be assigned to take a position on a given
person in history and present his or her position on a critical issue of that time.
Columbus City Schools
2015-2016
3
Unit 1. Social Studies Thinking and Skills
1.2 Spatial Thinking and Skills
(Content Statement 13)

Use the Social Studies 8 Vocabulary Cards to introduce key geography terms for the unit. These cards, along
with vocabulary strategies and templates, are available on the Middle School Social Studies Vocabulary 100
module: http://ccsoh.us/msvocab.aspx

The Geography Skills Handbook in the textbook, The American Journey, provides skills practice for globes,
types of maps, map projections, scales, location, graphs, charts and diagrams. See pp. Ref. 16-31.

Display a series of various types of maps and other geographic tools. For each map or tool, ask: Who do you
see? How did the cartographer choose to represent the world? Why do you think the cartographer would
choose to represent the world in this way? What information can you learn from this map or tool? What
information is left out? Why would this map or tool be useful? After displaying all of the maps or tools, have
students decide which maps or tools would be best for the various purposes (showing political boundaries,
determining elevation levels, showing sources of fresh water, showing population patterns, etc.).

Have students examine the timelines at the beginning of the early chapters of the textbook, The American
Journey. Have students work individually or in pairs to select one event from the timeline for further study.
Students should research the event and brainstorm (using a web or diagram) a list of ways in which
geography influenced the particular historical event. Students should then write a conclusion paragraph on
the question: How does geography shape history?

Use the Mapping the New World lesson from the Reading Like a Historian curriculum to compare two 17
century maps of Virginia and think critically about how the differences in the map reveal insights into how the
English perspective on land and relations with Native Americans changed over time.
http://sheg.stanford.edu/mapping-new-world

Have students trace change over time in a particular region, state, or theme using the historical maps
collection available here: http://etc.usf.edu/maps/galleries/us/index.htm. Students can create a poster or
multimedia presentation using the maps and adding their own written explanations of how the maps show
change over time. Multimedia projects could be developed using apps such as: www.hstry.co,
www.powtoon.com, or edu.glogster.com.
th
Columbus City Schools
2015-2016
4
Unit 1. Social Studies Thinking and Skills
Instructional Resources
The resources below represent a sample of possible resources that may be helpful for this unit. The
inclusion of a particular resource in the list below does not guarantee its availability in Columbus City
Schools.
Adopted Text
 The American Journey: Early Years (Glencoe/McGraw Hill)
 Ancillaries:
o The American Journey Unit Resources
o The American Journey Reading Essentials and Note-Taking Guide
o The American Journey TeacherWorks Plus CD Rom
Supplemental Resources
 American History and Government: Readings and Documents (Amsco/Perfection Learning)
 Using Primary Sources in the Classroom (Shell Education)
 Mastering Social Studies Skills (Amsco/Perfection Learning)
Web Resources
 Social Studies Instructional Resource Portal: http://www.ccsoh.us/socialstudies8.aspx. Includes unit-specific
web links and the following resources that can be used throughout the course.
 Reading Like a Historian: http://sheg.stanford.edu/rlh
 American History Documents Library: http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/
 Historical Maps Collection: http://etc.usf.edu/maps/galleries/us/index.htm
 Social Studies Skills Tutor: http://www.phschool.com/curriculum_support/ss_skills_tutor/content/pop.html
 Hstry: http://www.hstry.co. Create interactive timelines.
 PowToon: http://www.powtoon.com. Create multimedia presentations.
 Glogster: http://edu.glogster.com. Create interactive posters.
Columbus City Schools
2015-2016
5
Social Studies 8 Unit Plan Outlines
U.S. Studies from 1492 to 1877: Exploration through Reconstruction, Grade 8
Unit 2. Exploration and Colonization (Grading Period 1; 3 weeks)
Inquiry Questions
 Is America a land of opportunity?
 What motivates people to explore?
 Who were the “winners” and who were the “losers” in the colonization of America?
 Was slavery the basis of prosperity in early America?
Topics, Content Statements, and Elaborations
Topic: Colonization to Independence
Content Statement 2
North America, originally inhabited by American Indians, was explored and colonized by Europeans for
economic and religious reasons.
Content Elaborations
There were many different American Indian cultures inhabiting North America prior to the arrival
of Europeans. In grade five, students learned about the unique characteristics of their cultures.
Economic reasons behind the European exploration of North America include the pursuit for new
trade routes to Asia, the quest for new opportunities and the search for resources (e.g., gold,
silver). The Europeans found goods that had a market in Europe (e.g., food, timber, fur, tobacco).
The religious reasons for Europeans coming to North America include escaping religious
persecution, creating a religious utopia and converting American Indians to Christianity.
Content Statement 3
Competition for control of territory and resources in North America led to conflicts among colonizing
powers.
Content Elaborations
National rivalries spurred the powerful European countries to make land claims and to exploit the
resources of the Western Hemisphere.
The British, French, Spanish, Swedes and Dutch struggled with each other to control settlement
and colonization of North America. One consequence was a series of wars involving colonial
powers, colonists and American Indians (e.g., King William’s War, Queen Anne’s War, King
George’s War, the French and Indian War).
Content Statement 4
The practice of race-based slavery led to the forced migration of Africans to the American colonies. Their
knowledge and traditions contributed to the development of those colonies and the United States.
Content Elaborations
The perspective of many Europeans that black Africans were inferior and uncivilized led to the
forced relocation of hundreds of thousands of Africans to the American colonies. Although
Africans aided Europeans in enslaving and in trading slaves, the practice was race-based and
economically motivated. Europeans and many of the American colonists felt that the African
slaves provided a source of cheap labor.
Columbus City Schools
2015-2016
6
Unit 1. Social Studies Thinking and Skills
Topics, Content Statements, and Elaborations (continued)
Africans were not simply victims, but were intricately involved in the economic development of the
colonies and, after the American Revolution, the United States. Slaves and freed Africans helped
provide labor for northern manufacturers. They were particularly important in the maritime trade in
the northern and southern colonies.
Slaves also worked as artisans and domestics. Slavery was the foundation of the agricultural
system in most of the Southern colonies and was critical in sustaining the cultivation of rice,
cotton and tobacco as cash crops. Slaves from West and Central Africa contributed their
knowledge of planting rice and sweet potatoes to the colonies. The cultural contributions of
American slaves include their folklore and music.
Topic: Human Systems
Content Statement 15
The movement of people, products and ideas resulted in new patterns of settlement and land use that
influenced the political and economic development of the United States.
Content Elaborations
The development of the colonies reflected the origins of its settlers (e.g., the English in the New
England colonies, the Germans in Pennsylvania) and the displacement of native Indians.
Slavery in the northern colonies was not as prevalent as in the southern colonies and slaves
generally were used in a variety of endeavors. Many more African Americans were enslaved in
the South where they were mainly used to raise labor-intensive crops. These differences
influenced the ideas and political perspectives regarding the institution of slavery as the colonies
gained independence and developed as a country
Content Statement 16
Cultural biases, stereotypes and prejudices had social, political and economic consequences for minority
groups and the population as a whole.
Cultural biases, stereotypes and prejudices contributed to…the enslavement of Africans. …
Responses to prejudice contributed to…slave rebellions. …
Common Core State Standards
Literacy in History/Social Studies Standards
http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RH/6-8/
Writing Standards
http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/WHST/6-8/
Columbus City Schools
2015-2016
7
Unit 1. Social Studies Thinking and Skills
Expectations for Learning (Broad Learning Targets)

Explain the economic and religious reasons for the exploration and colonization of North America
by Europeans.

Explain how competition for control of territory and resources in North America led to conflicts among
colonizing powers.

Explain how the practice of race-based slavery led to the forced migration of Africans to the American
colonies.

Describe the contributions of enslaved and free Africans to cultural and economic development in different
regions of the American colonies.

Describe the movement of people, products and ideas that resulted in new patterns of settlement and land
use and analyze its impact on the political and economic development of the United States.

Explain how cultural biases, stereotypes and prejudices had social, political and economic consequences for
minority groups and the population as a whole.
Note: For unpacked clear learning targets with sample questions stems, see the Social Studies, Grade 8 Clear
Learning Targets and Social Studies, Grade 8 “I Can” Checklist on the Social Studies Instructional Resource
Portal: http://www.ccsoh.us/SocialStudies8.aspx
Assessments

Assessment resources for social studies skills are available on the Social Studies Formative
Assessment Module: http://www.ccsoh.us/ssformative.aspx.

Performance Task: Students research the cultural contributions of American slaves, including agricultural
practices, folklore, and music and the arts. Based on their research, students can create a museum display
(virtual or physical), using text and images. The display should make a clear argument about cultural
contributions and support the argument with evidence and sound reasoning.

History Assessments of Thinking:
o The Virginia Company - https://beyondthebubble.stanford.edu/assessments/virginia-company
o Signing of the Mayflower Compact - https://beyondthebubble.stanford.edu/assessments/signingmayflower-compact
o The First Thanksgiving - https://beyondthebubble.stanford.edu/assessments/first-thanksgiving
Columbus City Schools
2015-2016
8
Unit 1. Social Studies Thinking and Skills
Instructional Strategies
The strategies below provide a sample of possible strategies and activities for the unit; they are not
intended as step-by-step directions or sequential daily lessons.
2.1 Exploration and Settlement
(Content Statements 2, 3, 15)

Use the Social Studies 8 Vocabulary Cards to introduce key terms for the unit. These cards, along with
vocabulary strategies and templates, are available on the Middle School Social Studies Vocabulary 100
module: http://ccsoh.us/msvocab.aspx. Vocabulary instruction six-step process: 1) provide a description,
explanation, or example of the new term; 2) ask students to restate the description, explanation, or example in
their own words; 3) ask students to construct a picture, pictograph, or symbolic representation of the term; 4)
engage students periodically in activities that help them add to their knowledge of the terms in their
vocabulary notebooks, 5) periodically ask students to discuss the terms with one another; 6) involve students
periodically in games that enable them to play with terms.

Have students use a graphic organizer to compare the economic and religious reasons for exploration and
colonization among the European countries.

Have students assume the role of someone from one of these colonial powers: Great Britain, France, Spain
or the Netherlands. Have them explain and justify their reasons for exploring and settling in North America.
Students could present their justifications through a role play in front of the class and the class could
determine if the reasons were economic or religious. Students also could write their justifications as an
editorial for a newspaper. Then, with the editorials placed around the room, students read them and place
stickers on each editorial classifying the justifications as religious or economic.

Role-play an international meeting of the colonizing powers and American Indians to negotiate control of
territory and resources in North America. Students should explain how competition led to conflict.

Have students complete a close reading of the Mayflower Compact. As students read, discuss the following
questions:
o Who is writing this compact?
o Why did they undertake this voyage?
o What actions are they taking? Why?
o When did they agree to this compact?
o What does this document reveal about the religious reasons for settlement?

Read the primary sources, “Passenger Lists to the New World” from the American History to 1877 Primary
Sources Reader: http://www.ccsoh.us/downloads/AmericanHistory8-Reader.pdf. Use the Selection Reading
questions for discussion and the Activity for interdisciplinary extension.

Use the EDSITEment lesson, Empire and Identity in the American Colonies to have students examine the
visions of three active agents in the creation and management of Great Britain’s empire in North America –
British colonial leaders and administrators, North American British colonists, and Native Americans.
http://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/empire-and-identity-american-colonies
Columbus City Schools
2015-2016
9
Unit 1. Social Studies Thinking and Skills
2.2 Colonial Societies and Slavery
(Content Statements 4, 15, 16)

Timeline – Divide the class into three groups, and have each group read one of the following selections from
The Transatlantic Slave Trade: “Development of Trade,” “Capture and Enslavement,” and “Suppression of
Slave Trade,” from the following website: http://www.inmotionaame.org/migrations/landing.cfm?migration=1.
Give each group several sheets of one color construction paper, and have them create timeline entries for key
events. Each piece of construction paper should include a date, a heading identifying the event, and a short
description of the event. Once each page has been created, have students create a single timeline on the
classroom wall. Discuss where there are long breaks in the timeline and where there are clusters of events
Ask students to explain cause-effect relationships.

Use the History Lab lesson, The Tobacco Economy: How did the Geography of the Chesapeake Region
Influence its Development? Students will examine primary sources, including wills, probate inventories, and
other records to understand how tobacco transformed the Chesapeake region in the colonial period.
http://www.umbc.edu/che/historylabs/lessondisplay.php?lesson=99

Have students research the cultural contributions of American slaves, including agricultural practices, folklore,
and music and the arts. Based on their research, students can create a museum display (virtual or physical),
using text and images. The display should make a clear argument about cultural contributions and support the
argument with evidence and sound reasoning. The following websites provide good starting points for
research:
o http://www.pbs.org/wnet/slavery/experience/education/history.html
o http://slaverebellion.org/index.php?page=african-contribution-to-american-culture
o http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/03/140301-african-american-food-history-slaverysouth-cuisine-chefs/
o http://www.history.org/Almanack/people/african/aaintro.cfm
o http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/tserve/freedom/1609-1865/essays/africa.htm
Columbus City Schools
2015-2016
10
Unit 1. Social Studies Thinking and Skills
Instructional Resources
The resources below represent a sample of possible resources that may be helpful for this unit. The
inclusion of a particular resource in the list below does not guarantee its availability in Columbus City
Schools.
Adopted Text
 The American Journey: Early Years (Glencoe/McGraw Hill), Chapters 2-4
 Ancillaries:
o The American Journey Unit Resources
o The American Journey Reading Essentials and Note-Taking Guide
o The American Journey TeacherWorks Plus CD Rom
Supplemental Resources
 American History and Government: Readings and Documents (Amsco/Perfection Learning)
 Using Primary Sources in the Classroom (Shell Education)
 Mastering Social Studies Skills (Amsco/Perfection Learning)
Web Resources
 Social Studies Instructional Resource Portal: http://www.ccsoh.us/socialstudies8.aspx. Includes unit-specific
web links and the following resources that can be used throughout the course.
 American History Documents Library: http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/
 American History to 1877 Primary Sources Reader: http://www.ccsoh.us/downloads/AmericanHistory8Reader.pdf
 Historical Maps Collection: http://etc.usf.edu/maps/galleries/us/index.htm
 History Labs: http://www.umbc.edu/che/historylabs/labs.php
 Slavery and the Making of America: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/slavery/index.html
Columbus City Schools
2015-2016
11
Social Studies 8 Unit Plan Outlines
U.S. Studies from 1492 to 1877: Exploration through Reconstruction, Grade 8
Unit 3. Colonization to Independence (Grading Periods 1 and 2; 6 weeks)
Inquiry Questions
 What causes revolutions?
 Did Americans have a right to declare independence?
 How radical was the American Revolution?
Topics, Content Statements, and Elaborations
Topic: Colonization to Independence
Content Statement 5
The ideas of the Enlightenment and dissatisfaction with colonial rule led English colonists to write the
Declaration of Independence and launch the American Revolution.
Content Elaborations
The American Revolution was made possible in part by the chain of political, economic and social
changes that occurred during the Enlightenment. The ideas of Enlightenment (e.g., rights of the
citizen, natural law, reason, idea of popular government) thinkers fueled the discontent felt by the
American colonists with a series of actions instituted by the British government following the
French and Indian War (e.g., Proclamation of 1763, Sugar Act, Stamp Act, Townshend Acts, Tea
Act, Coercive Acts, Quartering Act, Quebec Act).
Enlightenment ideas also influenced the writing of the Declaration of Independence, with an
emphasis on natural rights, limitations on the power of the government, social contract and
consent of the governed.
Topic: A New Nation
Content Statement 6
The outcome of the American Revolution was national independence and new political, social and
economic relationships for the American people.
Content Elaborations
The American Revolution achieved national independence for the United States of America, a
new country organized under the Articles of Confederation.
As citizens of a new nation, the American people found themselves having to adjust to a new
series of relationships. Thirteen colonies owing allegiance to Great Britain transitioned into 13
sovereign states loosely united as a confederation. Each state had to create new governing
documents and address issues such as who would become citizens and with what rights, would
there be established churches, and what would be done with the institution of slavery. The former
colonies moved from support of a mother country under a mercantilist system to 13 separate
economies facing currency, banking and trade issues.
One of the successes of the Articles of Confederation was the passage of the Northwest
Ordinance in 1787. This ordinance established a precedent for protecting rights and set the stage
for national growth.
Columbus City Schools
2015-2016
12
Unit 1. Social Studies Thinking and Skills
Topics: Civic Participation and Skills
Content Statement 18
Participation in social and civic groups can lead to the attainment of individual and public goals.
Content Elaborations
Throughout early American history, there are examples of how participation in social and civic
groups led to the attainment of individual and public goals. … Civic groups included the Sons of
Liberty, which worked to protest British colonial policy…
Content Statement 19
Informed citizens understand how media and communication technology influence public opinion.
Content Elaborations
Public opinion in early American history was influenced by pamphlets, books and newspaper
articles (e.g., Common Sense…)
Common Core State Standards
Literacy in History/Social Studies Standards
http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RH/6-8/
Writing Standards
http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/WHST/6-8/
Expectations for Learning (Broad Learning Targets)

Connect the ideas of the Enlightenment and dissatisfaction with colonial rule to the writing of the
Declaration of Independence and launching of the American Revolution.

Analyze the new political, social and economic relationships for the American people that resulted from the
American Revolution.

Explain how participation in social and civic groups can lead to the attainment of individual and public goals.

Explain how media and communication technology influence public opinion.
Note: For unpacked clear learning targets with sample questions stems, see the Social Studies, Grade 8 Clear
Learning Targets and Social Studies, Grade 8 “I Can” Checklist on the Social Studies Instructional Resource
Portal: http://www.ccsoh.us/SocialStudies8.aspx
Assessments

Assessment resources for social studies skills are available on the Social Studies Formative
Assessment Module: http://www.ccsoh.us/ssformative.aspx.

Performance Task: Create a class documentary film on the American Revolution. Each group of students
should be responsible for a particular film segment or scene related to the causes or effects of the American
Revolution. The film can include photographs, primary sources, audio clips, re-enactments, etc. Students can
use narration make an argument about the American Revolution and support it with evidence from sources.
Students can produce their documentary using PowerPoint, Movie Maker or iMovie.

History Assessment of Thinking: Declaration of Independence:
https://beyondthebubble.stanford.edu/assessments/declaration-independence
Columbus City Schools
2015-2016
13
Unit 1. Social Studies Thinking and Skills
Instructional Strategies
The strategies below provide a sample of possible strategies and activities for the unit; they are not
intended as step-by-step directions or sequential daily lessons.
3.1 Colonial Discontent and Causes of the American Revolution
(Content Statements 5, 18, 19)

Use the Social Studies 8 Vocabulary Cards to introduce key terms for the unit. These cards, along with
vocabulary strategies and templates, are available on the Middle School Social Studies Vocabulary 100
module: http://ccsoh.us/msvocab.aspx. Vocabulary instruction six-step process: 1) provide a description,
explanation, or example of the new term; 2) ask students to restate the description, explanation, or example in
their own words; 3) ask students to construct a picture, pictograph, or symbolic representation of the term; 4)
engage students periodically in activities that help them add to their knowledge of the terms in their
vocabulary notebooks, 5) periodically ask students to discuss the terms with one another; 6) involve students
periodically in games that enable them to play with terms.

For an inquiry lesson on the causes of the American Revolution, use the History Lab: Road to Revolution:
How did Actions and Responses Lead to an Independent United States?
http://www.umbc.edu/che/historylabs/lessondisplay.php?lesson=96

Use the Stamp Act lesson from the Reading Like a Historian curriculum. In this lesson, students engage in
key aspects of historical thinking as they explore the question: why was a rather small tax so fiercely
resented? http://sheg.stanford.edu/stamp-act

Have students create a graphic organizer showing the causes of the American Revolution including
Enlightenment ideas and American colonists’ reactions to new British policies.

Have students create a print or digital time line showing events leading to the American Revolution, including:
the Proclamation of 1763, the Sugar Act, the Stamp Act, the Townshend Acts, the Tea Act, the Coercive
Acts, Quartering Act, the Quebec Act. For each entry, students should explain how the action led to
increasing discontent among American colonists.

Have students create a protest campaign against British policies from the perspective of American colonists.
Students can work in pairs or small groups to create a speech, song lyrics, and propaganda poster protesting
“taxation without representation.”

Use a reader’s theater script to have students role-play the events leading up to the American Revolution.
Several free scripts are available online.

Have students write a dialogue between a member of the Sons of Liberty and a loyalist colonist on whether
Britain has a right to tax the colonies, and whether this taxation is just cause for declaring independence.

Use excerpts from Thomas Paine’s, Common Sense to have students engage in close reading of a historical
document.
Columbus City Schools
2015-2016
14
Unit 1. Social Studies Thinking and Skills
3.2 The American Revolution and New Governments
(Content Statements 5, 6, 18)

Use the Declaration of Independence lesson from Reading Like a Historian curriculum to have students weigh
different points of view on the question: Why did the Founders write the Declaration of Independence?
http://sheg.stanford.edu/declaration-independence

Connect the ideas of the ideas of the Enlightenment with the Declaration of Independence through an
annotation activity. Introduce the Enlightenment concepts of rights of the citizen, natural law, reason, and
popular government. Have students use highlighters or annotation symbols to identify these concepts in the
text of the Declaration of Independence.

Have students assume the role of delegates to the Second Continental Congress and debate whether or not
to declare independence. A few students can assume the role of an on-scene reporter and interview the
delegates about their thoughts on declaring independence.

Have students write an essay explaining whether or not they believe the American colonists were justified in
declaring independence from Britain. Students should discuss both sides of the argument, but take one
position or the other. Claims should be supported with evidence and sound reasoning.

Writing Prompt: Imagine that you are a member of the state legislature following the American Revolution.
Your state must decide important issues such as what rights people will have, whether there will be
established churches, and what will be done with the institution of slavery. Decide what state you represent
and how you would answer these important questions. How would your answer be different if you were from
another state?

Have students create a graphic organizer showing the political and economic challenges that states had to
face following the American Revolution and the various alternative choices that states had in setting up new
governments.

The Articles of Confederation established a “league of friendship” among the states. Discuss the idea of a
league of friendship and how it differs from other forms of government. Have students read excerpts from the
Articles and highlight provisions that show the concept of a league of friendship. A copy of the Articles is
available online here:http://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/war-for-independence/resources/articlesconfederation-1777

Some ideas of the Northwest Ordinance were later found in the U.S. Constitution. Have students examine the
following features of the Northwest Ordinance and find how they are reflected in the U.S. Constitution: the
process by which a territory could move to statehood (NW Ordinance Sections 3, 9, 12, Article 5; U.S.
Constitution, Article IV); the guaranteed civil liberties and rights (NW Ordinance Articles 1, 2; U.S.
Constitution, Article I, Section 9, Bill of Rights and other amendments); the issue of slavery (NW Ordinance
Article 6; U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 9, 13th Amendment). Ask the students to show the similarities
and differences for each of these in both documents.
Columbus City Schools
2015-2016
15
Unit 1. Social Studies Thinking and Skills
Instructional Resources
The resources below represent a sample of possible resources that may be helpful for this unit. The
inclusion of a particular resource in the list below does not guarantee its availability in Columbus City
Schools.
Adopted Text
 The American Journey: Early Years (Glencoe/McGraw Hill), Chapters 5, 6, 7 (Section1)
 Ancillaries:
o The American Journey Unit Resources
o The American Journey Reading Essentials and Note-Taking Guide
o The American Journey TeacherWorks Plus CD Rom
Supplemental Resources
 American History and Government: Readings and Documents (Amsco/Perfection Learning)
 Using Primary Sources in the Classroom (Shell Education)
 Mastering Social Studies Skills (Amsco/Perfection Learning)
Web Resources
 Social Studies Instructional Resource Portal: http://www.ccsoh.us/socialstudies8.aspx. Includes unit-specific
web links and the following resources that can be used throughout the course.
 American History to 1877 Primary Source Reader: http://www.ccsoh.us/downloads/AmericanHistory8Reader.pdf
 Reading Like a Historian: http://sheg.stanford.edu/rlh
 History Labs: http://www.umbc.edu/che/historylabs/labs.php
 American History Documents Library: http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/
 Historical Maps Collection: http://etc.usf.edu/maps/galleries/us/index.htm
 Hstry: http://www.hstry.co. Create interactive timelines.
 TimeToast: http://www.timetoast.com. Create interactive timelines.
Columbus City Schools
2015-2016
16