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Lesson Plans: 8th Grade Lessons (revised March 2010)

Classroom-tested American history lessons
The following multi-day and one day lesson plans were created using primary sources and the following textbook: United States History: Independence to 1914, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2006. Each standards-based lesson includes several guided reading strategies with worksheets for students and a scaffolded writing strategy.
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Grade 5	Grade 8	Grade 11

Multi-day Lesson Plans		One Day Lesson Plans
	Grade 8.3.1: State Constitutions Unit Working Thesis: The state constitutions defined the rights of citizens differently reflecting the values and beliefs of the inhabitants of each state. These values are evident in the different requirements for voting, requirements for holding office, and the relationship between religion and citizens’ civil rights in the states. Grade 8 Lesson Plan pdf (29 pp) Grade 8 Lesson Plan MS Word (29 pp)	Grade 8.1: The Thirteen Colonies (new 09/09) Lesson Focus Question: What were the contributing factors which led to distinct regional differences in the colonies? Grade 8 Lesson Plan pdf Grade 8 Lesson Plan MS Word
	Grade 8.3: Hamilton vs. Jefferson Debate (revised 10/09) Lesson Working Thesis: With this conflict in perspectives, emerges the two party system which polarizes the nation between two camps of thinking as well as demonstrates the ongoing debate between having a strong central/federal government vs. giving states the right to make their own decisions. Grade 8 Lesson Plan pdf Grade 8 Lesson Plan MS Word	Grade 8.2: The Articles of Confederation: Strengths and Weaknesses Lesson Focus Question: Did the Articles of Confederation succeed or fail to create a good national government? Grade 8 Lesson Plan pdf Grade 8 Lesson Plan MS Word
	Grade 8.6: Women’s Rights (revised 09/09) Lesson Working Thesis: Both The Declaration of Sentiments and the Declaration of Independence describe injustices and the usurpation of power over a group of people. The Declaration of Sentiments was modeled after the Declaration of Independence in order to show the similarities of the oppression of women by men to the oppression of the colonies by the King. Grade 8 Lesson Plan pdf Grade 8 Lesson Plan MS Word	Grade 8: Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens Lesson Focus Question: Why is it important for citizens to understand their rights and responsibilities, in order to be a good citizen? Grade 8 Lesson Plan pdf Grade 8 Lesson Plan MS Word
	Grade 8.8.1: Jackson's Indian Policy (revised 10/09) Lesson Working Thesis: During the Age of Jackson, individual rights for white males expanded, yet at the same time, Jackson’s policies limited the rights of non-whites, including Native Americans. Grade 8 Lesson Plan pdf Grade 8 Lesson Plan MS Word	Grade 8.2.1 The Mayflower Compact (new 09/09) Lesson Focus Question: How did the Pilgrims use the Mayflower Compact to justify forming a new colony in North America? Grade 8 Lesson Plan pdf Grade 8 Lesson Plan MS Word
	Grade 8.8.1: The Trail of Tears: Investigating President Jackson, Congress, and Native Americans through Primary and Secondary Sources (revised 03/10) 8th Grade Multi-day Lesson presented at: National Council for History Education (NCHE) National Conference, San Diego, California March 27, 2010 Grade 8 Lesson Plan pdf Grade 8 Lesson Plan MS Word	Grade 8.4.2 Marbury v. Madison (1803) (new 09/09) Lesson Focus Question: How did the Supreme Court case of Marbury v. Madison affect the balance of power in the federal government? Grade 8 Lesson Plan pdf Grade 8 Lesson Plan MS Word
	Grade 8.8.6: Mexican-Americans Treaty of Guadalupe (revised 09/09) Lesson Working Thesis: The United States Government made several promises to the Mexican people who lived within the borders of the Mexican Cession to protect their property and legal rights. However, these promises were not upheld in the years following, and the expensive legal battles of the Mexican-Americans proved to be ineffective. Grade 8 Lesson Plan pdf Grade 8 Lesson Plan MS Word	Grade 8.9.5: Missouri Compromise Lesson Focus Question: How did Americans’ movement to the West contribute to tension between the North and the South? Grade 8 Lesson Plan pdf Grade 8 Lesson Plan MS Word
	Grade 8.9 : Antislavery Movements (revised 09/09) Lesson Working Thesis: The Antislavery movement consisted of groups motivated by religion, politics and the establishment of freed slave colonies in Africa. Grade 8 Lesson Plan pdf Grade 8 Lesson Plan MS Word
	Grade 8.10 : Civil War Unit Working Thesis: Although slavery deeply divided the country socially and economically, the political impact of slavery was the most important cause of the Civil War. Grade 8 Lesson Plan pdf (19 pp) Grade 8 Lesson Plan MS Word (19 pp)
	Grade 8.11: Reconstruction Lesson Working Thesis: African Americans, although granted the rights of citizenship after the 14th and 15th Amendments, faced limited political and economic opportunities. Former slave owners and racist whites feared that former slaves were achieving equality and took active measures to suppress African American progress. Grade 8 Lesson Plan pdf (26 pp) Grade 8 Lesson Plan MS Word (26 pp)
	Grade 8: Art Inquiry Lesson Working Thesis: Reading a work of art can involve considering the artist’s creative intent, its historical context and its intended audience. Other considerations might include the artwork’s place in the artist’s oeuvre and its place within an art movements. Grade 8 Lesson Plan pdf (8 pp) Grade 8 Lesson Plan MS Word (8 pp)