Grades 6-8 Social Studies/History

Front Page TextbookStudents will continue to use skills for historical and geographical analysis as they examine American history since 1865. The standards for this course relate to the history of the United States from the Reconstruction era to the present. Students should continue to develop and build upon the fundamental concepts and skills in civics, economics, and geography within the context of United States history. Students will use investigation as a foundation to delve into the political, economic, and social challenges facing the nation once reunited after the Civil War. This foundation provides a pathway to develop an understanding of how the American experience shaped the world’s political and economic landscapes. 


Front Page TextbookStandards for Civics and Economics examine the roles citizens play in the political, governmental, and economic systems in the United States. Students will examine the foundational documents and principles with which the constitutions of Virginia and the United States were established, identify the rights, duties, and responsibilities of citizens, and describe the structure and operation of government at the local, state, and national levels. Through the economics standards, students will compare the United States economy to other types of economies and consider the government’s role in the United States economy. Students will investigate the process by which decisions are made in the American market economy and explain the government’s role in the United States economy. The standards identify personal character traits, such as patriotism, respect for the law, willingness to perform public service, and a sense of civic duty, that facilitate thoughtful and effective active participation in the civic life of an increasingly diverse democratic society.

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These standards will enable students to explore the historical development of people, places, and patterns of life from ancient times until 1500 A.D.(C.E.) in terms of the impact on Western civilization. The study of history rests on knowledge of dates, names, places, events, and ideas. Historical understanding, however, requires students to engage in historical thinking, raise questions, and marshal evidence in support of their answers. Students engaged in historical thinking draw upon chronological thinking, historical comprehension, historical analysis and interpretation, historical research, and decision making. These skills are developed through the study of significant historical substance from the era or society being studied.