8th Grade Jump Start - Social Studies: Week 1

Social Studies

Week 1 - Day 1

(Primary & Secondary Sources) Essential Question:

 How do we learn about the past?

• Watch this Primary and Secondary Sources Video to review the differences between primary and secondary sources.

• Practice what you learned by completing the Identifying Primary and Secondary Sources Worksheet. Check your work by scrolling to the second page for the answer key.
• IXL- Identifying Primary and Secondary Sources

Social Studies

Week 1 - Day 2

(Facts, Opinion, and Evidence) Essential Question:

How do we learn about the past?

• Practice differentiating facts from opinions with this Fact / Opinion Examples and Practice PDF. Think about why it is important to distinguish fact from opinion when reading multiple sources. 
• IXL- Identifying Facts and Opinions

Social Studies

Week 1 - Day 3

(Maps and U.S. Geography) Essential Question:

How is our world organized?

• Learn about 8 different types of maps that we will use to study the world by exploring this Interactive Map Activity.
• Look through the different Types of Maps on this PDF to review some common maps you may use this year.

• This 50 States Memorization Tool will help you learn the names and locations of the 50 states.
• Test your knowledge by playing Seterra 50 States Quiz Game. Keep practicing over and over!

Social Studies

Week 1 - Day 4

(Colonial America) Essential Question: 

How does geography influence the way people live?

• Click on each of the 13 Colonies tabs as well as the Interactive Map to learn about the history and characteristics of the colonies.
• Look at the Growth of Colonial Settlement Map to see how the population of the settlements changed over time.
• Examine the Colonial Trade Routes and Goods map to see the trade routes in the early colonial economy.
• Follow along with this Flocabulary- The History of Colonial America song to have a better understanding of the context of Colonial America.

Social Studies

Week 1 - Day 5

(Colonial America) Essential Question: 

How does geography influence the way people live?

• Watch Colonial Artifacts...or Fiction?- Video to see a National Geographic archaeologist unearth artifacts from George Washington’s boyhood home. Think about why it is important to study artifacts to learn about history.
• Click on 13 Colonies Printable Options if you would like more practice naming the colonies.
• Test your knowledge of the geography of the colonies by playing this Seterra Colonies Interactive Quiz.