This parent guide supports parents in helping their child at home with the 8th grade Social Studies content.

This resource accompanies our Rethink 8th Grade Social Studies course. It includes ideas for use, ways to support exceptional children, ways to extend learning, digital resources and tools, tips for supporting English Language Learners and students with visual and hearing impairments. There are also ideas for offline learning. 

Containing more than 50 articles from the award-winning Tar Heel Junior Historian magazine and over 40 lesson plans, this multidisciplinary Educator Notebook will enrich your exploration of North Carolina and American history with diverse perspectives. This resource's link takes you to a very short form that gives you free downloadable access to the complete PDF book.

Birth of a Colony explores the history of North Carolina from the time of European exploration through the Tuscarora War. Presented in five acts, the video combines primary sources and expert commentary to bring this period of our history to life. The accompanying teacher guides provide lesson activity ideas, vocabulary, and additional reading resources to compliment each act's theme. The 5 act themes are: First on the Land, The Road to Zacatecas, The Roanoke Voyages, A New Voyage to North Carolina, and , The Tuscarora War.

In this lesson, students perform a close reading of an informational text to learn about the history of the Blackstone Canal.

This resources provides background on the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. A transcript of the Act is also provided.

In this unit, students briefly review geography, including vocabulary terms, reading maps and correctly labeling maps. Students learn and analyze motives for European exploration and settlement America in the 17th century and learn about the French, Spanish, English, Puritans, Pilgrims, Catholics and Quakers (why each group came and where they settled). Additional files are located at the bottom of the page. The lesson can be found by clicking the 'Download' link.

If students take away anything from Remarkable Journey, it is hopefully the incredible ways the Indian community has contributed to the progress, growth, diversity and richness of the state of North Carolina. In this activity (best conducted after students have been exposed to multiple clips or the entire film,) students will consider all that they have learned about India and its people then create movie poster for Remarkable Journey that they think best highlights these themes.

This virtual field trip from Historic Bath State Site is a fun way to learn more about a kid's life in the 18th century. The field trip packet contains ,links to YouTube videos of costumed interpreters demonstrating historic activities, pre- and post-watch content for educators that provide context and engagement, and follow-up activities (games, crafts, and coloring pages). Live Q&A can be booked as part of the field trip as well.

Under the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, England would finally gain an interest in the New World in an attempt to keep up with Spain and other European powers who had long been exploring and settling the area. This activity explains why the 1580s were set up for this exploration, and why Roanoke Island was the final destination.

Objective(s):
Understand the causes and effects of Elizabethan Expansion in to the New World
Explain how the first attempt at English Colonization contributed to the eventual development of North Carolina
Explain how Roanoke Island played a key role in this expansion
Describe why 1580's Europe was ready for a new explorations
Explain how location and place have presented opportunities for the movement of people North Carolina

Students will analyze and compare census data on the education levels of African-Americans in 1850 and in 1880. Students will also discuss how historical events can affect data.

Students will analyze and compare census data on the education levels of African-Americans in 1850 and in 1880. Students will also discuss how historical events can affect data.

In this lesson, students will familiarize themselves with some basic facts about India that highlight its diversity. Students will then view excerpts from (or the entirety of) Remarkable Journey and utilize the film’s information as a jumping off point to learn about various aspects of Indian culture (food, music, film, clothing, dance, and religion.) Yet, despite such diversity, Asian Indian immigrants to North Carolina, fellow strangers in a strange land, often rely on their shared roots to build new and unified communities. Students will discuss this concept then use their discoveries to create a mural that exemplifies the theme: "India: Unity in Diversity."

India is a diverse land of religions and spirituality. It is not only the birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, but numerous other faiths are practiced there, including Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, and others. Through viewing clips from Remarkable Journey and completing the following activities, students will explore the various religions with connections to India, as well as the way Asian Indians have integrated their diverse religions into communities across North Carolina. As a culminating activity, students will delve further into one particular religion mentioned during class by creating a scrapbook of that religion.

This documentary explores the story of North Carolina's gold rush and tells how one talented, determined man filled a need and transformed an entire region by changing the economy, and instilling a pride that is still evident to this day.

Students become aware of the importance of the maritime history and culture of the North Carolina Outer Banks through the study of WWII, Piracy, Shipwrecks, and the Civil War.

In this lesson, students will consider immigration in general as well as through the specific lens of the Asian Indian immigrant experience by viewing clips from Remarkable Journey. Students will explore their own immigrant ancestry as they consider the concept of America as a "Nation of Immigrants," as well as the varying reasons for immigration throughout history, the varied experiences of immigrants, their relationship to the American Dream, and the misconceptions that often frame immigration in our society. As a culminating artistic activity, students will create an updated Statue of Liberty - a new design that addresses immigration, America as a "Nation of Immigrants," the concept of the "American Dream," and the related concepts addressed throughout the lesson.

In this lesson, students are drawn into post-Revolutionary Philadelphia during the midst of the infamous yellow fever epidemic of 1793 by reading Laurie Halse Anderson's novel Fever 1793. Use this novel as supplemental reading to assist students in developing their understanding of and interest in colonial times, while heightening their reading skills and ability for higher order thinking.

In this group of lessons, students will learn facts to dispel common myths about immigrants. Students will also explore the reasons for immigration throughout history, as well as the historical through-line regarding the quest for the “American Dream.” Using the Introduction to “A Home on the Field” and an excerpt from Chapter 11, students will gain an understanding of how these issues are at play in North Carolina’s current immigration issues.