A proposal is made for creating a one-month study unit for the study of Haiti by eighth grade, social studies students. Background information on Haiti's geography, population, economy, culture, and history is provided. Ideas for three lesson plans on Haiti include the iron market in Haiti, Haitian history, and the role of voodoo in Haitian…

How classroom discourse contributes to the content students learn was studied with eighth graders in social studies classes taught by two teachers. Content learning differences were associated with the forms of discourse used within curriculum events and the system of classroom discourse that evolved during a unit. (SLD)

The Social Studies Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) was designed to be administered in three sessions, two of which use items specifically developed for Missouri with input from Missouri teachers and one of which uses selected portions of the nationally normed Terra Nova Test, developed by CTB/McGraw-Hill. Anchor papers for constructed-response…

Visual diagrams do not make a statistically significant difference in student learning. The study sample consisted of 189 eighth-grade students of various ability levels. (RM)

Describes the use of social justice notebooks by a seventh/eighth-grade social studies teacher. Discusses the process of notebook writing and how these notebooks have improved students' thinking skills as well as class discussion as students engage with moral dilemmas. (SR)

Discusses the importance of critical thinking for participation in democratic society and identifies the critical thinking skills tested in the eighth grade California Assessment Program. Provides an extensive appendix detailing a critical thinking skills continuum, a glossary of terms, and classroom strategies. (GEA)

Presents a social studies writing assignment which encouraged students to offer their personal reflections on the Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving. (MG)

In this project, eighth grade students are exposed to black history, literature, music, and art to enhance the understanding of diversity and to establish an atmosphere of tolerance for diversity. Students are asked to choose a personality or significant historical event to research and present to the class. They focus on issues such as prejudice,…

Describes how semantic mapping and semantic features analysis were used to teach reading skills and social studies in two eighth grade classes. In mapping the word "transportation," students listed examples of and relationships between vehicles, fuel, and place concepts. In the semantic features analysis, they compared characteristics of…

This volume presents a framework for teaching eighth grade U.S. history up to 1830 using an integrated humanities perspective that includes art, architecture, literature, religion, music, and dance as applied to everyday colonial life. The 28 activities are presented in standard format, including a brief introduction, list of objectives, time…

Describes a study of eighth graders that used collaborative action research to examine students' perceptions and use of HyperCard to construct a social studies report on the Renaissance. The action research process is explained; further research is discussed; and action research as a tool for teachers' professional development is considered.…

This paper examines ways for students to learn the importance of history. It provides teachers with ideas and thoughts about different approaches to teaching history. The study examined how students viewed historical time, made historical judgments, and what students saw as historically important. An ethnically diverse, urban class of 22 eighth…

This booklet contains 15 lessons to infuse the study of law and citizenship education into an eighth grade social studies curriculum. The lessons are designed to encourage inquiry among the students and to use community resource people, particularly attorneys. Through these lessons, teachers can build support for democratic values, while students…

In this interdisciplinary curriculum unit, students work in groups to examine, role play, and report on how the United States should have responded to England in the War of 1812. Students take on the roles of news reporters to explain and evaluate U.S. policy and are provided with background information, detailed instructions, on-line resources,…

Investigates the potential of a keyword method extension to determine if it can be effectively combined with other mnemonic strategies that are designed to facilitate coding of numerically ordered information. Twenty references are listed. (MER)