Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday:   

Each class period will be introduced to different units/areas that were addressed this year.  Each class will be responsible for a different lesson, which will last approximately 5 days. Depending on the timeline, the lessons will rotate from class to class.  The following questions will be presented to the classes: 

• Why is it important for Americans to understand their rights and responsibilities?
• Why did federal leaders take a role in regulating the economy and raising revenue?
• In what ways does  the Constitution reflect principles of constitutional democracy including limited government, republicanism, checks and balances, federalism, separation of powers, popular sovereignty, and individual rights?

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• Understand how the government’s powers are limited, how the rights of the people are protected in the United States. 
  • 7 Principles of the government/7 Principles of the Constitution

Free Enterprise (Laissez-Faire) While a free enterprise system characterized the new republic, it was necessary for the government to establish economic policies.

• Bill of Rights (Focusing on 4th,5th,6th,8th, and 15th Amendments)  
  • Jury trial: “12 Angry Men”

Monday:   School Holiday

Tuesday:   Students will examine several units/areas that were addressed this year.  Each class period will be introduced to different units/areas that were addressed this year.  Each class will be responsible for a different lesson, which will last approximately 5 days. Depending on the timeline, the lessons will rotate from class to class.

Wednesday:   Students will examine several units/areas that were addressed this year.  Each class period will be introduced to different units/areas that were addressed this year.  Each class will be responsible for a different lesson, which will last approximately 5 days. Depending on the timeline, the lessons will rotate from class to class. (4th period will pause the lesson as many of my students will be taking the Algebra STAAR test today)

Thursday:   STAAR Testing:  6,7,8 Math 

Friday:   Students will examine several units/areas that were addressed this year.

• Bill of Rights (Focusing on 4th,5th,6th,8th Amendments)  
  • Jury trial: “12 Angry Men”.
  • 
• Free Enterprise (Laissez-Faire) While a free enterprise system characterized the new republic it was necessary for the government to establish economic policies.  
  • Game: Monopoly
  • 
• Understand how the government’s powers are limited, how the rights of the people are protected in the United States. 
  • 7 Principles of the government/7 Principles of the Constitution
  • 

Monday:   Each day for 10 days (March 31-April 14),  students will review the 11 units we have covered this year.   Today’s last unit to be covered is Unit 10:  Day 10 STAAR® Blitz: Civil War and Reconstruction

Tuesday:   8th Grade Science STAAR Test

Wednesday:   8th Grade Social Studies STAAR Test

Thursday:  Students will examine the origins and development of capitalism and the free enterprise system in the United States.

Friday:

STAAR Blitz:    Each day for 10 days (March 31-April 14),  students will review the 11 units we have covered this year.  This review is to prepare our students for the Social Studies STAAR Test on April 16. Each day will consist of the following:   Warm Up, Lesson, Assignment.

Monday:  Today’s unit to be covered is Unit 7:  Westward Expansion (Manifest Destiny

Tuesday:  STAAR Reading Test (Grades 6,7,8)

Wednesday:   Today’s unit to be covered is Unit 8:  Industrial Revolution (Part 1)

Thursday:   Today’s unit to be covered is Unit 8: Reform Movement (Part 2)

Friday:  Today’s unit to be covered is Unit 9:  Sectionalism

STAAR Blitz:    Each day for 10 days (March 31-April 14),  students will review the 11 units we have covered this year.  This review is to prepare our students for the Social Studies STAAR Test on April 16. Each day will consist of the following:   Warm Up, Lesson, Assignment.  There will be a quiz over previous day’s unit at the beginning of the period; assignment assessment at the end of the period.

Monday:  Complete reporting category chart and introduce STAAR Blitz.

Tuesday:   Today’s unit to be covered is Unit 2:  Colonial America

Wednesday:   Today’s unit to be covered is Unit 3:  American Independence

Thursday:   Today’s unit to be covered is Unit 4:  Writing the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

Friday:   Today’s unit to be covered is Unit 5:  Early Republic:  Assessing Challenges

Monday:  Students will review Unit 10: Civil War

Tuesday:   Unit 10:  Civil War Test and assign Unit 11:  Reconstruction PowerPoint questions

Wednesday:  Students will describe the impact of the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments as well as effectiveness of the Freedmen’s Bureau, Civil Rights Act of 1866, and the Compromise of 1877.

Thursday:  Students will be able to address the problems and the impact of these problems on different groups and how political and social divisions formed.

Friday:   Students will explain the impact of the election of African Americans from the South such as Hiram Rhodes Revels then and now.  https://www.britannica.com/video/who-was-Hiram-Revels/-269797

Monday:   Students will examine responsible citizenship in regards to upcoming presidential election.  Students will be able to answer the following:

• What responsibilities are expected of American citizens?
• Why is it important for Americans to understand their rights and responsibilities?

Students will look at the 2 main candidates for president:  Vice President Kamala Harris and Former President Donald Trump.   (Students will vote tomorrow in class.). Examine Article II of the Constitution (Executive Branch)

Tuesday:  Students will summarize rights guaranteed in the Bill of Rights and the purposes for amending the U.S. Constitution.   Students will be able to answer the following:

• What rights are specifically protected in the Bill of Rights?
• Why has the U.S. Constitution been amended?

Wednesday:   Students will trace the development of religious freedom in the United States and analyze the impact of the First Amendment guarantees (5 freedoms) on the American way of life.

Thursday:  Test Review Unit 4:   Writing the Constitution, focusing on the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution.

Friday:   Unit 4:   Writing the Constitution (Bill of Rights)  Test

**There is always an opportunity for our students to come in at 7:30AM on test day for a last minute review.  I will also post a test review video and other tools for our kids to look at the day/night before to help them be successful on each test.   Sadly, the percentage of students taking advantage of these opportunities is not where it needs to be.  Example:  For the Screencastify video review (11 minutes and 44 seconds), there were only 3 students who watched the video prior to 7:30 Friday morning.    The 7:30 am last minute test day review had only 15 students.  That is out of approximately 120 total students.  Coaches have been very accommodating for the students to come in for the 7:30am review.  However, they must let the coaches know well in advance and they will let them leave practice and return when the review is finished. (usually 15-20 minutes).  Please encourage your student to take advantage of these extra help tools.**

Monday:   Students will analyze the 7 Articles of the Constitution and the 7 Principles of the Constitution.  

7 Articles of the Constitution

• • Article I Legislative Branch.
  • Article II Executive Branch.
  • Article III Judicial Branch.
  • Article IV Relationships Between the States.
  • Article V Amending the Constitution.
  • Article VI The Supreme Law.
  • Article VII Ratification Clause.

7  Principles of the Constitution.  (Students will create a graphic illustration for each of the 7 principles.  Due Thursday.)

• • Popular Sovereignty
  • Limited Government
  • Separation Of Powers
  • Federalism
  • Checks And Balances
  • Republicanism
  • Individual Rights

Tuesday and Wednesday:   Students will summarize rights guaranteed in the Bill of Rights and the purposes for amending the U.S. Constitution.  Students will complete an illustrated handout of each of the first 10 amendments to the Constitution.   (Study Sheet #5 Quiz: Constitution Era and the previous eras, including Exploration, Colonial America and American Independence)

Thursday:   Review Unit 4:   Writing the Constitution for their test on Friday.  (Video review, Unit 4: Graphic Organizer, Kahoot, Quizlet, etc. will be posted on our Goggle Classroom.)

Friday:   Students will be tested over Unit 4:  Writing the Constitution.  Students may come in for a last minute review at 7:30.  (They MUST be in our room by 7:30.  Coaches have been very accommodating to allow them to come in and then return to practice.)

Monday:  School Holiday

Tuesday:  Students will identify colonial grievances listed in the Declaration of Independence and explain how those grievances were addressed in the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights.  (Warm-Up Day 4: As we have on each warm up, students will follow this procedure: Without using their graphic organizer/notes, try answering the questions. When they finish, and if necessary, check the notes and then submit.). Reminder:  Students must recite the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution this week. (Test grade)

The Preamble:  We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Wednesday:  Students will analyze the arguments of the Federalists and Anti-Federalists, including those of Alexander Hamilton, Patrick Henry, James Madison, and George Mason.    Study Sheet #4 (Constitution Era and the previous eras, including Exploration, Colonial America and American Independence)

Thursday:   Students will analyze the issues of the Constitutional Convention of 1787, including the Great Compromise and the Three-Fifths Compromise.

Friday:  Students will analyze the 7 Principles of the Constitution.

Monday:  No School (Teacher Staff Development)

Tuesday:   Constitution Day.  Students will examine the Constitution and its impact on our country.

Wednesday:   Analyze causes of the American Revolution

Thursday:   Analyze reasons for and the impact of selected examples of civil disobedience and then Identify colonial grievances listed in the Declaration of Independence.

Friday:  Explain the roles played by significant individuals during the American Revolution.  Create a sensory figure of one of the individuals who made contributions to American independence. (Due Tuesday)