COURSE OBJECTIVE SHEET

American History

Grade 8


Eighth-grade American History is a year-long study of the United States from the Civil War period to Current Events.  Students use a variety of learning materials, including a textbook, primary sources, current events and library resources to study each stage in a hands-on fashion.  Classroom and homework activities challenge students to master factual information, analyze the decisions made by historical leaders, and view historical events from the perspectives of today and the past.


Course Objectives:

•    Students will develop their study skills by learning to extract relevant information from a given reading assignment and be able to discuss that material with clarity.

•    Students will study and research historical eras and draw comparisons with issues our country faces today.

•    Students will continue to develop their writing skills through written reports, essay questions and project work.

•    Students will work both individually, in pairs or small groups, to learn how to cooperate and collaborate with their peers. 

•    Students will practice their note taking and highlighting skills, perfecting ways to record only the most pertinent information.



Pupils in this class receive grades on homework, research projects, quizzes, portfolios and tests based on material from their textbooks, research and classroom work. Use Veracross to determine the weight of each class and homework assignment.  Tests, Papers, and Projects have a weight of 200, where quizzes and essays have a weight of 100.