Swartz Creek Middle School

8th Grade Social Studies

American History

Course Syllabus

Teacher:Mr. Fernald

Room: 409

Phone: 591-1762

E-mail:

Course Name: 8th Grade Social Studies

Course Description:

This is a full year course in American History from the colonial times to around 1877. Students will examine the cultural, social, political and economic changes experienced within the United States and the significances of those changes with the American people and the world.

Reference Materials:

  • Text - Creating America and We the People

(Copies of We the People lessons will be handed out to each student)

  • Both Textbooks are online (Middle School Homepage-Announcements and Homework-8th Grade)
  • Swartz Creek Middle School Webpage – Daily updates of lessons, worksheets, notes…
  • 2 Notebooks

Quarterly Breakdown:

Quarter One

Foundations of a New Nation

  • Describe the ideas, experiences, and interactions that influenced the colonists’ decisions to declare independence.
  • Using the Declaration of Independence describe the role it played in expression colonists’ views of government and their reasons for separating from Great Britain.

Quarter Two

Creating New Government(s) and New Constitution

  • Explain the challenges faced by the new nation and analyze the development of the Constitution as a new plan governing.

Quarter Three

Regional Economic Growth & Reform Movements

  • Describe and analyze the nature and impact of the territorial, demographic, and economic growth in the first three decades of the new nation using maps, charts, and other evidence

Quarter Four

The Coming of the American Civil War & War Years

  • Students will examine the conflicts that pulled the North and South apart and the attempts to resolve the issues dividing the country.

*Assessments (Test, Quizzes, and performance tasks) make up 100% of overall grade.

*Assignments or homework will not be part of your child’s academic grade. Failure to complete assignments or homework will make it difficult to perform well on the assessments. I will check for completion of work and record it on PowerParent.