Grade 8 World History I
Unit 2: Standards and Benchmarks
Unit 2: Standards and Benchmarks
Middle & High School Social Studies, Grade 8 , 1.0 Continuity and Change
(Time, Continuity, and Change) Understands patterns of change and continuity, relationships between people and events through time, and various interpretations of these relationships
SS8.1.1 Identifies and evaluates long-term changes, enduring influences and recurring patterns in world history
• Ancient Greece
• Ancient Rome
• Byzantine Empire, Russia and Eastern Europe
• The Mongol Empire & Ming Dynasty
SS8.1.3 Analyzes multiple interpretations of an historical event
• Ancient Rome (the fall of Rome)
Middle & High School Social Studies, Grade 8 , 3.0 Society
(Connections and Conflict) Understands causes and effects of interaction among societies, including trade, systems of international exchange, war, and diplomacy
SS8.3.2 Evaluates effects of political conflict on national unity
• Ancient Rome
(Culture) Understands cultural and intellectual developments and interactions among and within societies
N.B.: In the benchmarks for this standard, the term “belief systems” refers to an ordered, established body of thinking and faith that influence one’s perceptions of self and the world. It includes such concepts as religion, philosophies (including political and economic), and science.
SS8.3.4 Analyzes sources and characteristics of cultural, religious, and social reform movements
• Roman Catholic Church Faces Crises
(Governance and Citizenship) Understands why societies create and adopt systems of governance and how these systems address human needs, rights, and citizen responsibilities
SS8.3.7 Identifies strengths and weaknesses of various kinds of political philosophies
• Ancient Greece
• Ancient Rome
SS8.3.10 Evaluates issues regarding distribution of powers and responsibilities within national governments
• Ancient Rome
SS8.3.11 Explains the roots of contemporary political systems
• Ancient Greece
• Ancient Rome
(Science, Technology, and Society) Understands how societies have influenced and been influenced by scientific developments and technological developments
SS8.3.12 Analyzes effects of technology on the diffusion of culture and the preservation of cultural identity
• Ancient Rome
CA: CCCS: Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, & Technical Subjects 6-12, Grades 6-8, History/Social Studies
2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.
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.
Craft and Structure
4. Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.
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.
6. Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.
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
7. Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse formats and media, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.
7. Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.
8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.
8. Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a text.
(Time, Continuity, and Change) Understands patterns of change and continuity, relationships between people and events through time, and various interpretations of these relationships
SS8.1.1 Identifies and evaluates long-term changes, enduring influences and recurring patterns in world history
• Ancient Greece
• Ancient Rome
• Byzantine Empire, Russia and Eastern Europe
• The Mongol Empire & Ming Dynasty
SS8.1.3 Analyzes multiple interpretations of an historical event
• Ancient Rome (the fall of Rome)
Middle & High School Social Studies, Grade 8 , 3.0 Society
(Connections and Conflict) Understands causes and effects of interaction among societies, including trade, systems of international exchange, war, and diplomacy
SS8.3.2 Evaluates effects of political conflict on national unity
• Ancient Rome
(Culture) Understands cultural and intellectual developments and interactions among and within societies
N.B.: In the benchmarks for this standard, the term “belief systems” refers to an ordered, established body of thinking and faith that influence one’s perceptions of self and the world. It includes such concepts as religion, philosophies (including political and economic), and science.
SS8.3.4 Analyzes sources and characteristics of cultural, religious, and social reform movements
• Roman Catholic Church Faces Crises
(Governance and Citizenship) Understands why societies create and adopt systems of governance and how these systems address human needs, rights, and citizen responsibilities
SS8.3.7 Identifies strengths and weaknesses of various kinds of political philosophies
• Ancient Greece
• Ancient Rome
SS8.3.10 Evaluates issues regarding distribution of powers and responsibilities within national governments
• Ancient Rome
SS8.3.11 Explains the roots of contemporary political systems
• Ancient Greece
• Ancient Rome
(Science, Technology, and Society) Understands how societies have influenced and been influenced by scientific developments and technological developments
SS8.3.12 Analyzes effects of technology on the diffusion of culture and the preservation of cultural identity
• Ancient Rome
CA: CCCS: Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, & Technical Subjects 6-12, Grades 6-8, History/Social Studies
2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.
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.
Craft and Structure
4. Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.
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.
6. Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.
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
7. Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse formats and media, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.
7. Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.
8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.
8. Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a text.