WORLD HISTORY CURRICULUM GUIDE GRADE 8
Objectives	Core Curr. Content Standards	Instructional Activities	Assessment (Cross-curricular) (Multi-cultural)	Resources	GEPA HSPA Terra Nova
I. LOOKING AT THE WORLD The student will be able to:			Teacher Made Tests Textbook Author Generated Tests Teacher Observation Class Discussion Research Papers Projects: debates, video analysis skits, role play mock trials, original artwork original compositions models/displays	World Geography, Glenco, McGraw Hill, 1995, Chapters 1-3 World History Connections to Today, Ellis and Esler, Prentice Hall, 1997, Chapters 1-14 Exploring World History, Holt and O’Connor, Globe Book Co., 1991, Units 1-6
Explain how people changed aspects of the Earth to suit their needs.	6.7	Themes of Geography Collect a variety of maps used in newspapers and news magazines and organize these into a map scrapbook.	Book Reports (oral and written) Student Reports (oral and written) Surveys Utilization Primary Resources Problem Solving Activities Construction of maps, charts graphs Quizzes	Patterns of Civilization, Burton F. Beers, Prentice Hall, 1988, Chapters 1-15 Perspectives on the Past, DC Health & Co.	R. II
Identify the variety and the features of the Earth’s land forms and oceans.	6.8	Earth’s Features Working in a group students will describe the geography of their community, using the five themes.	Students will achieve at least a satisfactory level of 70% score in mastering course objectives utilizing above skills.	Enrichment Activities Field Trips Films/Videos Guest Speakers Graph for EWT/HSPT Media Center Resources	R. III R. IV
Explain the factor that control the locations of climates around the world.	6.7	Climates of the Earth Working in pairs, students take climate data from different locations and create a climate graph.			R. II
Explain the challenges that rapid population growth bring to the planet and the impact that environmental hazards have on peoples lives.	6.9	Environments and People Working with a partner, use a world almanac and other data sources to create an economic data chart of selected countries of the world.			R. II
II. TOWARD CIVILIZATION
Explain how archaeologists, historians, and geographers helped us learn about the lives of people at different stages in history.	6.3	A. Continuity and Change Research various calendar systems. Organize information into a chart comparing life in the Neolithic and Paleolithic periods.			R. IV
Explain what break through technologies did stone age people develop.	6.3	B. Economics and Technology List information a 25th Century student might glean from the remains of an American student.			R. II
Identify what religious beliefs were developed by early peoples.	6.5	C. Religion and Value System Students create an annotated time line of Hebrew history.			R. II
Recognize the basic features of civilization.		D. Political and Social Systems Review the story of the discovery of the Iceman, then write a sentence stating the main idea of the story.			R. III
III. FIRST CIVILIZATIONS: AFRICA AND ASIA
Explain how trade, Warfare, and migration spread ideas and inventions among early civilization.	6.3	A.Geography and History Compose a poem that illustrates nature on the lives of early people.Construct a time line of ancient Egyptian history.			R. II
Understand how rivers played a role in shaping the 1st Civilization of Egypt and Mesopotamia.	6.8	B. Global Interaction Working in pairs, students create a profile of someone from ancient Egypt. Students create charts that compare Samaritan and Egyptian geography.			R. II R. IV
Explain how powerful rulers influenced political, military, and religion in Egypt and the Fertile crescent.	6.3	C. Impact of the Individual Working in groups, students create matching quizzes. Students debate whether corporal punishment would be useful in this community.			R. II R. IV
Describe what contributions to civilizations were made by groups such as the Phoenicians and Hebrews.	6.3	D. Diversity Students will discuss excerpts from Hammurabies code of law. Students use flashlights moving in an arc on the chalkboard to simulate a calculation of true north.			R. III R. II
IV. EARLY CIVILIZATIONS IN INDIA & CHINA
Recognize how religious and moral ideas helped shape the civilization of India & China.	6.4	A. Religions and Value Systems Have students create an official seal for their family			R. II
Understand how strong leaders centralized powers and imposed unity on diverse peoples.	6.3	B. Political and Social Systems Students view China: The mandates of heaven. Working in groups students write, produce and perform skits on the life of Budda.			R. II R. II R. III
Discuss what factors encouraged contracts between peoples across Asia.	6.6	C. Global Interaction Write an eyewitness report of life in the Gupta Empire.			R. III
Explain what discoveries and inventions put India and China in the fare front of the Worlds Technology.	6.6	D. Economics and Technology Gather meteorological data about rainfall in India.			R. II
V. ANCIENT GREECE
Explain how geography influenced the Greek way of life.	6.8	A.Geography and History Prepare oral report on a personal hero. Work in groups to write skits portraying life in Sparta.			R. IV R. IV
Identify the political leaders, Philosophers and writers who shaped Greek Civilization.	6.3	B. Impact of the Individual Construct a cause and effect diagram that shows the rise and fall of Athens.			R. II R. IV
Explain how Greek ideas about government influenced later societies.	6.5	C. Political and Social Systems Create an illustrated timeline of the events in Alexander’s life. Make a map that illustrates Alexander’s route of conquest.			R. II R. II
Explain how Greek Civilization affected people across many regions.	6.4	D. Global Interaction Read an excerpt from Euripides play Medea. Create a political cartoon in a Asia Minor Newspaper protesting Greek immigration.			R. II R. III R. IV
VI. ANCIENT ROME AND THE RISE OF CHRISTIANITY
Discuss how Rome conquered and ruled a diverse empire.	6.3	A. Political and Social Systems Students work in groups to create annotated time lines between 133 B.C. and 180 A.D. Analyze a quotation from tacitus about the mission of Historians.			R. II R. III R. III
Explain how Rome bridged the gap between civilization of East and West.	6.4	B. Global Interaction Students write diary entries from the point of view of a early Christian in Rome. Students construct diagrams that show the reason for the decline of Rome.			R. III R. II
Discuss how Christianity became a central institution of western civilization.	6.5	C. Religious Values Students create graphic organizers showing the structure of the Roman government.			R. II
Explain how Roman Power faded.	6.3	D. Continuity and Change Produce a series of maps showing the expansion of Rome.			R. II
VII. CIVILIZATIONS OF THE AMERICANS
Demonstrate how people in different parts of the Americas created distinct civilizations.	6.3	A. Diversity Students conduct research to make posters on early Mayan Civilization.			R. II
Explain how the Mayas, Aztecs, and Incan rulers organized and built on the achievements of earlier peoples.	6.4	B. Continuity and Change Working in groups students create catalogs for a exhibit on the Incas.			R. II R. III
Discuss how religion played a central role in early American societies.	6.5	C. Religions and Value Systems Brainstorm a list of resources about Native Americas.			R. III
VIII. THE RISE OF EUROPE
Explain how Western Europe developed its own resources during the Middle Ages.	6.3	A. Geography and History Students assume the role of Charlemagne and give a speech about Christianity. Students analyze lyrics from a medieval ballad.			R. III R. IV
Explain how feudalism provided a measure of political, economic, and social order.	6.3	B. Political and Social Systems Students develop illustrated stories about the life of Hildegard of Bingen.			R. III R. IV R. II
Explain what new technologies sparked a revolution in agriculture and commerce.	6.6	C. Economics and Technology Research and write a report about the history of a European City. Students create advertisements to convince people to join the crusades.			R. III R. IV
Discuss how Europeans blended Greco-Roman, Christian, and Germanic traditions.	6.3	D. Continuity and Change Write a newspaper headline about the effects of the Black Death.			R. II R. IV R. II
IX. THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE AND RUSSIA
Explain how the Byzantine empire preserved the political and cultural heritage of Rome.	6.3	A.Continuity and Change Students read "The Belt of Gold" by Cecilia Holland. Create a chart illustrating some of the differences between Roman Catholic and Byzantine Christianity.			R. II R. II
Demonstrate how a new form of Christianity emerged in the Byzantine empire.	6.5	B. Religions and Value Systems Create an illustrated timeline covering Russian History. Organize a debate - "The only way to ensure absolute power is through the use of a terror".			R. II R. III
Explain how the rulers of Moscow built a powerful centralized government.	6.3	C. Political and Social Systems Use a map to compare and contrast Eastern & Western European countries.			R. IV
Describe and discuss the cultural traditions of the Slavic Kingdoms.	6.3	D. Diversity Create flash cards for six of the diverse groups that settled in or influenced Eastern Europe.			R. II
X. THE MUSLIM WORLD
Explain the central religions and moral teachings of Islam.	6.5	A.Religions and Value Systems Use a quotation from Mohammed to describe some basic beliefs of Islam.			R. III
Describe how the Muslim rulers dealt with the wide diversity among the people that they ruled.	6.4	B. Diversity Draw a bar graph that shows the number of members of each of the major religions today.			R. II
Explain how the Muslim Civilization created links among their continent.	6.8	C. Global Interaction Write a dialogue among a Sunni, Shiite, and Sufi Muslim.			R. III
Describe the artistic and literary tradition that flourished in the Muslim World.	6.5	D. Art and Literature After seeing examples of Arabic Calligraphy, have students write their name a similar style.			R. II
XI. KINGDOMS AND TRADING STATES OF AFRICA
Explain how geography helped and hindered the People of Africa.	6.8	A. Geography and History Create posters to advertise African Museum exhibits.			R. II
Demonstrate how conditions contributed to the development of varied cultures of Africa.	6.5	B. Diversity Students write a speech welcoming Mansa Musa to town.			R. III R. IV
Explain how parts of Africa tied into major trading networks.	6.6	C. Global Interaction Analyze a quotation from the Queen of Sheba. Students work together in groups to make lists of traditional styles, fashions, and designs of Africa.			R. III R. IV
Discuss what literary and artistic traditions developed in Africa.	6.5	D. Art and Literature Read a West African folk tale, draw illustrations to accompany the story.			R. II
XII. SPREAD OF CIVILIZATIONS IN EAST ASIA
Explain the tradition that helped preserve Chinese civilization.	6.3	A. Continuity and Change Read a poem by Li Bo about arranged marriages. Then write a poem on the subject.			R. II R. IV
Explain how Chinese civilization came to influence people in Korea and Japan.	6.3	B. Global Interaction Formulate a plan for a memorial to Zheng He, including sketches and a speech. Complete a Venn diagram illustrating China’s influence on Korea			R. II R. IV
Explain what distinct literary tradition emerged in China and Japan.	6.5	C. Art and Literature Working in groups, students compile information on an assigned topic for a class data bank in Japan.			R. IV