SOCIAL STUDIES 8
Updated 8/18/2016 3:27 PM
UNIT 1 – PREHISTORY, EXPLORATION, AND EARLY CONTACT (16 DAYS)
1. Overview
In this unit, students explore how geographical features shaped Louisiana’s early influences. This sets the stage for the unit to follow where students
explore the how various countries competed for control of Louisiana.
Grade 8 Claims
What are the physical characteristics of Louisiana and how did this impact the development of our state?
What are the causal relationships between events in Louisiana history?
How has Louisiana been impacted by geography, historical events, politics, and the economy?
REMINDERS
CONTENT AND
CLAIMS
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Late take-in day (08/24/16)
Labor Day (09/05/16)
Historical Thinking Skills
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8.1.1 Produce clear and coherent writing for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences by:
 Conducting historical research
 Evaluating a broad variety of primary and secondary sources
 Determining the meaning of words and phrases from historical texts
 Recognizing varied points of view within historical context
8.1.2 Construct and interpret a timeline of key events in Louisiana history and describe how they connect to
United States and world events
Culture and Ethnic Groups
What caused the diffusion of Louisiana’s major ethnic groups and how did their dispersion culturally affect Louisiana?
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8.4.2 Describe the causes and effects of cultural diffusion and its impact on diversity in early Louisiana
How do ethnic groups in Louisiana expand their culture? Why is expansion essential to the preservation of Louisiana
culture?
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SOCIAL STUDIES 8
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Updated 8/18/2016 3:27 PM
8.4.2 Describe the causes and effects of cultural diffusion and its impact on diversity in early Louisiana
Historic Native American Tribes
How did the settlement of early historic Native American tribes contribute to the development of Louisiana?
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8.2.1 Describe the contributions of explorers and early settlement groups to the development of Louisiana
Geographically, how were the settlements of Native Americans useful to the French and Spanish explorers?
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TOPICS OF
CONSIDERATION
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8.2.2 Explain the importance of the Mississippi River as it relates to historical events throughout Louisiana’s
history
8.3.1 Locate and describe the physical and political features of Louisiana
8.3.2 Use maps, charts, and diagrams to ask and answer questions about Louisiana’s geographic features
8.3.3 Apply knowledge of geography skills and terms to:
 create maps and diagrams
 plot latitude and longitudinal coordinates
 read and interpret a map
 use a map to compare Louisiana’s time zone in relation to time zones around the world
8.4.1 Analyze how the physical features and natural resources of Louisiana affected the migration patterns of
cultural groups
culture
diffusion
diversity
multiculturalism
gumbo
jambalaya
Mardi Gras
Jazz
Blues
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Zydeco
Fais-Do-Do
Ethnic Groups: Germans,
Acadians, African- American,
French, Spanish, Isleños,
Creoles, Anglos, Free People
of Color, Native Americans
Louisiana’s Cultural Regions
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archaeologist
Temple Mounds
agriculture
Poverty Point
Nomads
Louisiana’s Native American
Tribes
French and Indian War
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SOCIAL STUDIES 8
Updated 8/18/2016 3:27 PM
UNIT 1 – PREHISTORY, EXPLORATION, AND EARLY CONTACT (16 DAYS)
2. Resources
LDOE SUGGESTED RESOURCES
Cultural and Ethnic Groups:
 Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
 St. Bernard Islenos, Los Islenos
 Exile Destination: Louisiana, Acadian-Cajun Genealogy & History
 German Settlers in Louisiana and New Orleans, Historic New Orleans Collection
Historic Native American Tribes:
 Early Exploration, Know LA
 http://povertypoint.us/, Poverty Point
 Native American Tribes of Louisiana , American Indians in Louisiana
 Maps of Louisiana' Living Traditions , Folk life in Louisiana
ADDITIONAL SUPPORTING RESOURCES
Discovery Education Streaming:
 Videos (11) – Early People of Louisiana
https://app.discoveryeducation.com/search?Ntt=bienville
WorldBook Online:
 Articles on various explorers –
http://www.worldbookonline.com/student/search?searchprop=WBS&st1=louisiana+explorers&bv=&ht=47,0,8,0,0,2,0,3,4,0,0,0&mt=ar&&&
tabid=tab1&mediaType=ar
Louisiana State Museum:
 Lessons, Field Trip Guide, additional resources
http://louisianastatemuseum.org/education/the-cabildo
Library of Congress:
 Links to materials (primary sources, lesson plans, presentations, activities and collections)
https://www.loc.gov/search/?in=&q=evaluating+primary+and+secondary+sources&new=true
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SOCIAL STUDIES 8
Updated 8/18/2016 3:27 PM
UNIT 1 – PREHISTORY, EXPLORATION, AND EARLY CONTACT (16 DAYS)
3. Activities for Understanding
SUGGESTIONS
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8.3.3 Students will create a “My Geography Book of Basic Terms”. The students will research the various
terms/items and write a definition or sentence to describe the locations and landforms in the regions associated
with the first civilizations. The students will stack and fold the appropriate number of pages into quarters, cutting
the folds on the top of the booklet. The booklet should include a decorative cover, definitions/sentences and
drawings of each term.
Foldables Templates
8.2.1, 8.2.3 Students will create a chart of push/pull factors of the major cultural groups of Louisiana (Acadians,
Anglos, Hispanics, African-Americans, Italians, American Indians, Germans, Arabs, Vietnamese, etc.). Students
will select one of the groups listed above and will use the RAFT writing strategy to produce a narrative essay that
details their travels to or from Louisiana.
Sample Push/Pull Chart
RAFT Model
8.2.4, 8.4.2 Students will create a five-tab foldable on the five cultural regions of Louisiana (Sportsman’s
Paradise, Crossroads, Cajun Country, Plantation Country and Greater New Orleans). Each tab should have a map
of Louisiana with the corresponding region shaded. The inside should include information on location, major
cities, unique features and ethnic groups. As an extension activity, the students will select one of the regions and
will write a three-paragraph essay explaining how the region has changed over the years.
Map of Louisiana's 5 Regions
8.4.2 Students will watch the Disney movie “The Princess and the Frog” and record terms associated with
Louisiana on a chart. Students will also complete a Q&A on Louisiana and will use the information to write their
own version of a Louisiana-based short story.
Princess and the Frog PPT
Princess and the Frog Chart
Princess and the Frog Worksheet
8.4.2 Students will design a T-shirt cutout showcasing a major festival held in Louisiana. As an extension activity,
students will write a journal entry on a festival they have either attended or would like to attend, including details
about the location, history, and offerings of the festival. Students can also include photos or souvenirs from
festivals they have attended.
T-shirt Template
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SOCIAL STUDIES 8
Updated 8/18/2016 3:27 PM
UNIT 2 – COLONIAL PERIOD – LOUISIANA PURCHASE (23 DAYS)
1. Overview
In this unit students explore the colonization of Louisiana and the motivations for countries to claim and control this territory. This sets the stage for the
next unit where students look at how historical events shape Louisiana from territory to state.
Grade 8 Claims
What are the physical characteristics of Louisiana and how did this impact the development of our state?
What are the causal relationships between events in Louisiana history?
How has Louisiana been impacted by geography, historical events, politics, and the economy?
REMINDERS
CONTENT AND
CLAIMS

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Labor Day (09/05/16)
Interim Reports Issued (09/19/16)
Colonial Period
What geographical features attracted the French and the Spanish to Louisiana settlements?
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8.2.3 Analyze push-pull factors for migration/settlement patterns of Louisiana’s inhabitants from French
colonization to statehood in 1812
8.3.1 Locate and describe the physical and political features of Louisiana
8.3.2 Use maps, charts, and diagrams to ask and answer questions about Louisiana’s geographic features
8.3.3 Apply knowledge of geography skills and terms to:
 create maps and diagrams
 plot latitude and longitudinal coordinates
 read and interpret a map
 use a map to compare Louisiana’s time zone in relation to time zones around the world
How did similarities and differences between ethnic groups cause cooperation or conflict between Native Americans
and the French and Spanish colonies?
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8.2.4 Explain how differences and similarities among ethnic groups in colonial Louisiana contributed to
cooperation and conflict
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SOCIAL STUDIES 8
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Updated 8/18/2016 3:27 PM
8.4.2 Describe the causes and effects of cultural diffusion and its impact on diversity in early Louisiana
How did events during the colonial period influence the economic growth and development of Louisiana? Justify your
answer.
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8.10.3 Describe historical factors influencing the economic growth, interdependence, and development of
Louisiana
Louisiana Purchase
Why was America motivated to purchase Louisiana from France?
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8.2.3 Analyze push-pull factors for migration/settlement patterns of Louisiana’s inhabitants from French
colonization to statehood in 1812
8.7.1 Explain how the United States and world foreign policy have affected Louisiana
Was America’s decision to purchase Louisiana wise? Was the decision constitutional?
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8.2.2 Explain the importance of the Mississippi River as it relates to historical events throughout Louisiana’s
history
8.2.3 Analyze push-pull factors for migration/settlement patterns of Louisiana’s inhabitants from French
colonization to statehood in 1812
8.2.5 Analyze causes and effects of major events and evaluate their impact on the growth and development
of Louisiana
How did the Port of New Orleans affect the international economy as a result of the Louisiana Purchase?
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TOPICS OF
CONSIDERATION
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8.7.2 Evaluate the role and importance of Louisiana ports and products in the international economy
Bienville/Iberville
colonization
establishment of New
Orleans
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John Law/Mississippi Bubble
Code Noir
Antoine Crozat
Superior Council
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Cabildo
Luis de Unzaga
Bernardo de Gálvez
Treaty of Paris
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SOCIAL STUDIES 8
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French Revolution
French settlers
Louisiana Purchase
Slave revolts (Haiti)
Spanish Settlers
René Robert Cavelier, Sieur
de La Salle
Updated 8/18/2016 3:27 PM
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Lewis & Clark Expedition
Louisiana Purchase
Cote Des Allemandes
Marquis de Vaudreuil
Acadians
Isle of Orleans
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Antonio de Ulloa
Alejandro O’Reilly French
Revolution
Napoleon
Toussaint L’Ouverture
Treaty of Fountainebleu
Teaty of San Ildefonso
UNIT 2 – COLONIAL PERIOD – LOUISIANA PURCHASE (23 DAYS)
2. Resources
LDOE SUGGESTED RESOURCES
Colonial Period:
 French Colonial Louisiana , Know LA (economic growth addressed here)
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Louisiana as a French Colony, Library of Congress
Colonial Louisiana , LA: Culture, Recreation, Tourism
Maps of French Settlement , La Tech
Maps of Spanish Settlement in Louisiana , La Tech
Spanish Settlement in Louisiana , La Tech
Spanish Colonial Louisiana , Know LA (economy covered here as well)
Spanish settlements and interactions with Native Americans , Louisiana Folklife
“Still Stands the Forest Primeval,” (scroll down to page 4) Historic New Orleans Collection
Louisiana Purchase:
 “Louisiana Purchase Concluded,” History.com
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European Explorations and the Louisiana Purchase , Library of Congress
The Louisiana Purchase, Elizabeth Dana Jaffe
The Louisiana Purchase: The Deal of the Century That Doubled the Nation, David Schaffer
"How the Louisiana Purchase Changed the World" , Smithsonian Magazine
History and Timeline of Port of New Orleans , Port of New Orleans
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SOCIAL STUDIES 8
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ADDITIONAL SUPPORTING RESOURCES
Discovery Education Streaming:
 Video – How Rivers Affect Our Lives
https://app.discoveryeducation.com/learn/videos/BE7B8C32-AD09-40B8-ACAE-39B2B9FC4022?hasLocalHost=false
WorldBook Online:
 Article – Mississippi River
http://www.worldbookonline.com/student/article?id=ar364680&st=mississippi+river#tab=homepage
 Article – New Orleans (scroll to History)
http://www.worldbookonline.com/student/article?id=ar388920&st=new+orleans#tab=homepage
Library of Congress
 Battle of New Orleans – Photos
https://www.loc.gov/search/?in=&q=battle+of+new+orleans&new=true&st=
 Louisiana: European Explorations and the Louisiana Purchase
https://www.loc.gov/collection/louisiana-european-explorations-and-the-louisiana-purchase/articles-and-essays/louisiana-as-a-spanish-colony/
Louisiana State Museum
 Battle of New Orleans
http://www.crt.state.la.us/louisiana-state-museum/online-exhibits/the-cabildo/the-battle-of-new-orleans/
Historical New Orleans Collection:
 http://www.hnoc.org/programs/documents/LessonPlan_FrenchColonial2.pdf
 http://www.hnoc.org/programs/documents/LessonPlan_FrenchColonial.pdf
 htt p: //www . h no c. or g/ pro gra ms/ do c ume nt s/ L ess o nPla n _ Lo u isi a na P u rc ha se. pd f
Misc.:
 Spanish Colonial Loui siana
http://www.kno wla.or g/entry/773/
http://ed.ted.com/lessons/th e -audacity -behind-the-louisiana-purchase-judy-walton
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SOCIAL STUDIES 8
Updated 8/18/2016 3:27 PM
UNIT 2 – COLONIAL PERIOD – LOUISIANA PURCHASE (23 DAYS)
3. Activities for Understanding
SUGGESTIONS
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8.2.3 Students will create a two tab foldable on three Louisiana colonial governors, placing an image of the
governor on the left side and relevant information/facts about the governor on the right. Students will divide into
groups of 4-6 to share information on their governors. Each student will then write a letter to their governor
praising one of his actions (including anticipated long-term outcomes) and offering a suggestion for
improvement. Letters will be shared with the class.
Foldable Sample
8.2.3, 8.2.4, 8.2.5 Students will research the following topics and write a newspaper article on one of the
following: John Law and the Mississippi Bubble, Louisiana becoming a Spanish Colony, the Treaty of Paris, or the
arrival of the Acadians (or any related topic). Students will create an illustration and caption to accompany their
article. Articles will be posted around the classroom.
8.2.3 Students will work in groups of 2-4 to design a travel brochure or poster for John Law’s Company of the
West to inform and persuade people to settle in the area.
John Law
8.2.3, 8,2,4 Students will use maps of North America, Louisiana, and the Acadian Map skill source to chart
routes the Acadians had to use to relocate to Louisiana. Students will also research the Acadian culture and write
2-4 paragraphs explaining the Acadian contributions to Louisiana culture. (e.g. types of food, music, language,
etc.)
Acadian Map Activity
North America Map
Louisiana Map
8.2.3 Students will analyze primary and secondary documents on the Louisiana Purchase and complete the
activities and question sets below.
HNOC Louisiana Purchase
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