Homework Response Posts

A friendly reminder that a discussion question has been added to Edmodo, and is due by Friday for 6th and 7th grade. 8th Grade students should finish their document analysis through Edmodo by Friday. 

8th Grade: Program at a Glance!

Wicomico County’s eighth grade social studies curriculum includes several content areas, which focus on the study of World History. This course is a continuation of where 6^th Grade Ancient History left off. Through the course, students study the Roman Empire, Medieval Times, the Americas, Exploration and Conquest, and Renaissance and Reformation. As a result of this study, students will be able to develop values and habits which will help them become critical thinking citizens who contribute to our democracy. In order to become critical thinking citizens who contribute to our democracy, students need to be prepared for post-secondary study and the 21^st century workforce. To accomplish this, this course will utilize a STEM instructional approach. STEM education is an approach to teaching and learning that integrates the content and skills of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Students will engage in inquiry, logical reasoning, collaboration, and investigation through hands-on-learning and project-based-learning experiences. For more information on the course expectations, as well as units of study, please visit the links below.

• Classroom Guidelines/ Expectations
• Unit Outline

8th Grade/ Fact v. Legend?

Homework Response Post [Due by Fri. 5/15]:
How do historians decide what is fact and what is legend?

8th Grade/ Castle!

Homework Response Question:
What was the purpose of the Castle in the Middle Ages? Was it to show wealth, to protect the King, or was it simply a living space? Defend your opinion with evidence.

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8th Grade/ Feudal Society!

Homework Response Question:
How would society during a Zombie Apocalypse compare to Feudal Society in the middle ages?

8th Grade/ Architecture!

Homework Response Question [Due by Friday, 4/10/15]:
Compare Greece and Rome to the Architecture in Washington D.C. How are they similar? What architectural elements do you see in each?

8th Grade/ Fall of Rome

From 50 BCE until the year 200 CE, the Roman Empire was the superpower of the Mediterranean world. During that time, the empire’s wealth, territory and international status grew and grew. But even as the empire prospered, it was slowly starting to fall apart. Some of its problems were internal- coming from within Rome itself- and others were external. Our next investigation explores the factors that led to the eventual fall of one of history’s most powerful and influential empires. This will allow us to answer the question: what were the primary reasons for the “fall” of Rome?  

Homework Response Question [Due by Friday, 3/20/15]:

What were the primary reasons for the "fall" of Rome? 

8th Grade/ From Republic to Empire!

The expansion of Roman power took place over approximately five hundred years, from 509 B.C.E. to 14 C.E. At the start of this period, Rome was a tiny republic in central Italy. Five hundred years later, it was the thriving center of a vast empire. At its height, the Roman Empire included most of Europe, together with North Africa, Egypt, much of the present-day Middle East, and Asia Minor.

The growth of Rome’s power happened gradually, and it came at a price. Romans had to fight countless wars to defend their growing territory and to conquer new lands. Along the way, Rome itself changed. The Romans had once been proud to be governed under a republic of elected leaders. Their heroes were men who had helped to preserve the republic. By 14 C.E., the republic was just a memory. Power was in the hands of a single supreme ruler, the emperor. Romans even worshiped the emperor as a god.

In the class periods to come, you’ll see how this dramatic change occurred. You’ll trace the gradual expansion of Roman power. You will also explore the costs of this expansion, both for Romans and for the people they conquered.

Homework Discussion Post [Due by Friday, Feb. 27, 2015]:

Did the benefits of Roman Expansion outweigh the costs? Explain, and respond to your classmates posts. 

8th Grade/ Etruscan and Greek Culture-- Rome!

Homework Discussion Post [Due by Friday, 1/23/2015]:

Which aspects of Etruscan and Greek culture do you think had the most important influence on Rome?

8th Grade/ Ship Building!

Homework Discussion Post [Due by Friday, 1/16]:
Based upon the planning and building of your ship, what factor do you think is the most difficult to plan for? How did your team overcome this difficulty? Explain in detail!

8th Grade/ Greek Sea Travel and Trade!

      You are a Greek merchant on the colony of Cyprus.  You need to ship your cargo of timber and wool across the Mediterranean Sea to the mainland of Greece.  The people on the mainland are willing to pay top dollar for your goods and the more quickly you ship them, the more money you will make because there will be less competition.  You need to build a ship to be fast, carry the maximum cargo, and cost the least to build.