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Georgia Performance Standards for Social Studies – Grade 8
Connecting Themes/Enduring Understandings Used in DOE Samples
Students should be able to demonstrate understanding of selected themes (depending on the course) using
knowledge and skills acquired during the school year. Understanding of these themes is not the end product of a
single unit or lesson, but the product of long term, ongoing instruction. The bold terms represent the connecting
themes that appear in multiple units throughout the courses. Following the term is an enduring understanding that
gives focus to the theme and, in parentheses, the grades or courses where they appear. Enduring understandings
transcend specific units and courses and increase student understanding and retention of knowledge.
Beliefs and Ideals: The student will understand that the beliefs and ideals of a society influence the social,
political, and economic decisions of that society. (8, USH, AG)
Conflict and Change: The student will understand that when there is conflict between or within societies,
change is the result. (6, 7, 8, WH, USH)
Conflict Resolution: The student will understand that societies resolve conflicts through legal procedures,
force, and/or compromise. (AG)
Culture: The student will understand that the culture of a society is the product of the religion, beliefs, customs,
traditions, and government of that society. (6,7, WH, USH)
Distribution of Power: The student will understand that distribution of power in government is a product of
existing documents and laws combined with contemporary values and beliefs. (8, USH, AG)
Gain from Trade: The student will understand that parties trade voluntarily when they expect to gain.
(Economics)
Governance: The student will understand that as a society increases in complexity and interacts with other
societies, the complexity of the government also increases.(6, 7,WH)
Human Environmental Interaction: The student will understand that humans, their society, and the
environment affect each other. (6,7)
Individuals, Groups, Institutions: The student will understand that the actions of individuals, groups, and/or
institutions affect society through intended and unintended consequences. (8, WH, USH, AG)
Incentives: The student will understand that parties respond predictably to positive and negative incentives.
(Economics)
Interdependency: The student will understand that, because of interdependency, a decision made by one party
has intended and unintended consequences on other parties. (Economics)
Location: The student will understand that location affects a society’s economy, culture, and development. (6,
7, 8, WH, USH)
Movement/Migration: The student will understand that the movement or migration of people and ideas affects
all societies involved. (6, 7, 8, WH, USH)
Production, Distribution, Consumption: The student will understand that the production, distribution, and
consumption of goods/services produced by the society are affected by the location, customs, beliefs, and laws of
the society. (6, 7, 8, USH)
Rule of Law: The student will understand that in a democracy, rule of law influences the behavior of citizens,
establishes procedures for making policies, and limits the power of government. (8,AG)
Scarcity: The student will understand that scarcity of all resources forces parties to make choices and that these
choices always incur a cost. (Economics)
Technological Innovation: The student will understand that technological innovations have consequences, both
intended and unintended, for a society. (8)
Time, Change, Continuity: The student will understand that while change occurs over time, there is continuity
to the basic structure of that society. (6,7, WH)
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Social Studies  Grade 8  Curriculum Map
May 19, 2007  Page 1 of 5
Copyright 2007 © All Rights Reserved
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The following instructional plan is part of a GaDOE collection of Unit Frameworks, Performance Tasks, examples of Student Work, and Teacher Commentary. Many more
GaDOE approved instructional plans are available by using the Search Standards feature located on GeorgiaStandards.Org.
Georgia Performance Standards for Social Studies - Grade 8
Standards: The focus of this important
first unit is on the concepts and enduing
understandings rather than specific
standards
Unit focus:
Concepts used in
Georgia Studies
CONFLICT & CHANGE
DISTRIBUTION OF
POWER
GOVERNANCE
INDIVIDUALS, GROUPS
& INSTITUTIONS
LOCATION
MOVEMENT/
MIGRATION
PRODUCTION,
DISTRIBUTION &
CONSUMPTION
RULE OF LAW
TECHNOLOGICAL
INNOVATION
Standards: SS8G1a; SS8H1;
SS8E1
Standards: SS8G1d;
SS8H1b, c; SS8H2; SS 8G2;
SS8E1; SS8E2a
Standards: SS8H3; SS8H4;
SS8H5; SS8CG1; SS8E1;
SS8E2a
Unit focus:
The Prehistoric Period
Unit focus:
Unit focus:
Statehood
Understanding Geography and
Early Inhabitants of Georgia
LOCATION
Location of Georgia (G1a)
Georgia’s geographic regions
and features (G1b,c)
Georgia’s geography and
climate on development
(G1c,d)
MOVEMENT/
MIGRATION
Development of prehistoric
cultures (H1a)
Exploration and Colonization
Reasons for and events
surrounding early exploration
and colonization
CONFLICT & CHANGE
Reasons for exploration of the
new world (H2)
Conflict over land claims
(H1c; H2a; G2)
Georgia’s transformation
from a Trustee Colony to a
Royal Colony (H2c)
INDIVIDUALS, GROUPS &
INSTITUTIONS
Roles of important individuals
in Georgia’s beginnings (H2a)
Roles of various diverse
cultures on the development
of Georgia (H2b)
MOVEMENT/MIGRATION
Impact of Europeans on
Native Americans (H1b)
Reasons for colonization of
Georgia (G2; E1; E2a)
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Social Studies  Grade 8  Curriculum Map
May 19, 2007  Page 2 of 5
Copyright 2007 © All Rights Reserved
Significant events leading up to
independence for the US and
Georgia
CONFLICT & CHANGE
Causes of the Revolution (H3a)
Georgia’s role in the Revolution
(H3a,b)
Expansion/Trail of Tears (H5b,d)
GOVERNANCE
Birth of Federalism (H4; CG1)
Constitutions (CG1)
INDIVIDUALS, GROUPS &
INSTITUTIONS
Influential people of the era (H3b;
H4b)
PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION
& CONSUMPTION
Goods and services related to
development of Georgia (E1; E2a)
TECHNOLOGICAL
INNOVATION
Technology influencing Georgia’s
development (H5c)
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Georgia Performance Standards for Social Studies – Grade 8
Standards: SS8H6; SS8G2;
SS8E1; SS8E2a
Standards: SS8H7a, b, c;
SS8G2a, b; SS8E3a, b
Standards: SS8H8; SS8H9
Standards: SS8H10; SS8E1;
SS8E2b; SS8E3a
Unit focus:
The Civil War
Unit focus:
The New South
Unit focus:
The 20th Century
Unit focus:
Post WWII Georgia
Impact of significant events and
influential people of the Civil War
CONFLICT & CHANGE
Sectionalism and various forms
of legislation impacted civil
unrest (H6a)
Significant events of the Civil
War and Reconstruction (H6)
Significant events and legislative
action during Reconstruction
(H6c)
INDIVIDUALS. GROUPS &
INSTITUTIONS
Influential people of the period
(H6)
Significant groups that affected
reconstruction (H6c)
PRODUCTION,
DISTRIBUTION, &
CONSUMPTION
Effects on trade in and out of
Georgia (E1, E2a)
Significance of the blockades
(E2a; H6b)
Social, Economic and Political
Changes of the New South Era
CONFLICT & CHANGE
Conflict of political ideals
between significant groups
(H7a)
Conflict and societal ideals
(H7a,b)
Political and societal
segregation of races (H7b)
INDIVIDUALS. GROUPS
& INSTITUTIONS
Significant people who
contributed to the
development of industrialized
Georgia (H7a)
Influential early civil rights
leaders (H7c)
PRODUCTION,
DISTRIBUTION, &
CONSUMPTION
Depression and Recovery after
WWI
CONFLICT & CHANGE
Reasons for WWI and
Georgia’s contributions (H7d;
E1; E2a)
GOVERNANCE
New deal influence on
government (H8d)
INDIVIDUALS. GROUPS
& INSTITUTIONS
Political figures significan to
this era (H8c,d; H9c,d)
PRODUCTION,
DISTRIBUTION, &
CONSUMPTION
The Great Depression (H8a,b)
Important impact of bases and
industry related to WWII
(H9a,b)
Development of an
industrialized Georgia (H7a;
E3c)
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Social Studies  Grade 8  Curriculum Map
May 19, 2007  Page 3 of 5
Copyright 2007 © All Rights Reserved
Political and Social development
leading to growth of the state
INDIVIDUALS. GROUPS &
INSTITUTIONS
Impact of significant figures on
growth of Georgia (H10b,c)
MOVEMENT/
MIGRATION
Political and Social changes of
Atlanta which resulted in growth
for the State (H10b; E2b; E3c)
TECHNOLOGICAL
INNOVATION
Impact of agricultural changes on
Georgia growth (H10a; E1)
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Georgia Performance Standards for Social Studies – Grade 8
Standards: SS8H11
Standards: SS8H12
Standards: SS8H12a;
SS8CG1; SS8CG2;
SS8CG3; SS8CG5, E4
Standards: SS8CG4; SSCG6
Unit focus:
Civil Rights
Unit focus:
Modern Georgia
Unit focus:
State and Local
Unit focus:
Adult and Juvenile
Justice System
Significant events and personalities
of the Civil Rights movement
relative to changes in Georgia
CONFLICT & CHANGE
Major developments in Civil
Rights from the 1940’s -1950’s
Major developments in Civil
Rights from the 1960’s-1970’s
INDIVIDUALS. GROUPS &
INSTITUTIONS
Impact of significant individuals
and organizations (H11)
Significant developments
contributing to a Modern
Georgia
GOVERNANCE
Developments in political
practices and beliefs that
effect change (H12a,c,d)
INDIVIDUALS. GROUPS
& INSTITUTIONS
Significance of Jimmy Carter
in state and national politics
(H12b)
MIGRATION/
MOVEMENT
Contributions of immigrants
and their communities on a
modern society (H12)
PRODUCTION,
DISTRIBUTION, &
CONSUMPTION
Impact of the 1996 Olympics
(H12d; E1)
Analyze the role of the Judicial
Branch for Adult and Juvenile
Justice in our state
DISTRIBUTION OF
POWER
The structure and function of
state and local government
(CG2; CG3; CG4; CG5)
What and how government
services are provided to the
people (E4)
GOVERNANCE
The roles and responsibilities
of citizens with regard to state
and local government (CG1;
E4)
Reapportionment, unit system
(H12a)
RULE OF LAW
The safeguards contained
within the government
(CG1b)
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Social Studies  Grade 8  Curriculum Map
May 19, 2007  Page 4 of 5
Copyright 2007 © All Rights Reserved
RULE OF LAW
The structure and function of the
courts (CG4a)
Differentiate between civil and
criminal law as well as different
jurisdictions: adult vs. juvenile
law (CGb,c)
Peaceful resolution to problems
(CG4d)
Juvenile process (CG6)
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Georgia Performance Standards for Social Studies – Grade 8
Standards: SS8E5
Unit focus:
Personal Finance
Fiscal Responsibility
PRODUCTION,
DISTRIBUTION, &
CONSUMPTION
Personal money management
(E5)
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Social Studies  Grade 8  Curriculum Map
May 19, 2007  Page 5 of 5
Copyright 2007 © All Rights Reserved