Curriculum

=** U.S. Colonial America Through the Civil War Era **=

=__**The Common Core Literacy Standards in Social Studies (Grades 6-8)**__=

=Reading Standards=

Key Ideas and Details

 * RH.6-8.1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.
 * RH.6-8.2. Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.
 * RH.6-8.3. Identify key steps in a text’s description of a process related to history/social studies (e.g., how a bill becomes law, how interest rates are raised or lowered).

Craft and Structure

 * RH.6-8.4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social studies.
 * RH.6-8.5. Describe how a text presents information (e.g., sequentially, comparatively, causally).
 * RH.6-8.6. Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author’s point of view or purpose (e.g., loaded language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

 * RH.6-8.7. Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.
 * RH.6-8.8. Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a text.
 * RH.6-8.9. Analyze the relationship between a primary and secondary source on the same topic.

Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

 * RH.6-8.10. By the end of grade 8, read and comprehend history/social studies texts in the grades 6–8 text complexity band independently and proficiently.

=**Writing Standards**=

Text Types and Purposes
 * WHST.6-8.1. Write arguments focused on //discipline-specific content//.
 * Introduce claim(s) about a topic or issue, acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.
 * Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant, accurate data and evidence that demonstrate an understanding of the topic or text, using credible sources.
 * Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
 * Establish and maintain a formal style.
 * Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.
 * WHST.6-8.2. Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/ experiments, or technical processes.
 * Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information into broader categories as appropriate to achieving purpose; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
 * Develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.
 * Use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.
 * Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
 * Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone.
 * Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented.
 * WHST.6-8.3. (See note; not applicable as a separate requirement)

Production and Distribution of Writing

 * WHST.6-8.4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
 * WHST.6-8.5. With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed.
 * WHST.6-8.6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and ideas clearly and efficiently.

Research to Build and Present Knowledge

 * WHST.6-8.7. Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.
 * WHST.6-8.8. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
 * WHST.6-8.9. Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis reflection, and research.

Range of Writing

 * WHST.6-8.10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for reflection and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.