What your child is learning

In Grade 8 students learn about the following five themes:

Understanding Societies Past and Present

• world view
• origins of human societies
• societies and civilizations
• understanding the past

An Early Society in Mesopotamia, Egypt, or the Indus Valley

• brief overview of world societies from 3500 to 500 BCE
• study of one early society: physical environment, history, culture, economy, politics, and technology

Ancient Societies of Greece and Rome

• brief overview of world societies from 500 BCE to 500 CE
• study of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome: physical environment, history, culture, economy, politics, and technology

Transition to the Modern World (500 to 1400)

• overview of the Middle Ages and world religions
• life in Medieval Europe
• rise of Islam and Ottoman Empire
• China and the Mongol Empire
• legacy of the Middle Ages: art, architecture, literature, ideas, science, and technology

Shaping the Modern World

• world Overview (1400 to 1850 )
• global exploration and colonization
• Renaissance and Reformation
• industrial Revolution
• achievements and contributions of diverse cultures: art, architecture, ideas, literature, science, and technology

Learning experiences help students respect diversity, collaborate, and resolve conflicts peacefully. Students learn to think historically as they formulate questions about the past, conduct research, evaluate primary and secondary information sources, interpret artifacts, and draw conclusions based on evidence. Students learn about the contributions of past societies and understand that history is an interpretation of the past and subject to debate.

To find out more about what your child is learning, we encourage you to talk to the teacher. You may also find helpful information on the Curriculum Essentials posters, which are interactive PDFs, designed for teachers that provide an overview of the knowledge, processes, and skills for this subject area.

The first page gives an overview of what your child will be learning, grouped into big ideas so that the curriculum is easier to understand. The letter and number codes correspond to the curriculum learning outcomes. The arrow at the top of the page highlights the skills and competencies, which are described in more detail on the third page. These should be integrated throughout the teaching and learning of social studies. The second page organizes the specific learning outcomes by the six general learning outcomes, along with a more detailed description of what your child will learn and the categories found on the provincial report cards regarding assessment.

You may also wish to refer to the Social Studies - Manitoba Curriculum Framework of Outcomes.

How your child is assessed

Assessment in Social Studies is based on the themes and topics in the tab WHAT MY CHILD IS LEARNING. Your child’s progress will be reported under three areas of learning:

• Knowledge and Understanding:
  What does your child know and understand about the social studies themes and topics?
• Research and Communication:
  How does your child gather, organize and share ideas in social studies? 
• Critical Thinking and Citizenship:
  How does your child apply social studies learning as a citizen in her/his community, Canada, and the world?

Resources

Activities to do with your children in the community

Visit art galleries, museums and historic sites. Here are just a few examples:

• The Winnipeg Art Gallery
• The Manitoba Museum
• The St. Boniface Museum
• The Canadian Museum for Human Rights (open September 2014),
• Lower Fort Garry
• The Forks
• community parks and landmarks
• commemorative sites
• local galleries and museums

Participate in cultural events such as:

• Festival du Voyageur
• Culture Days in Manitoba
• Local Canada Day celebrations
• National Aboriginal Day
• Heritage Day
• International days
• Remembrance Day
• other commemorative days

Make travel a learning experience
If you have opportunities for family travel near or far, prepare in advance using maps, pictures, stories and other types of research. While travelling, explore local sites and culture, take pictures, talk or write about experiences, share observations and memories.

Activities to do with your children in the home
Talk to your children about current events, look at maps and globes, look at artwork from various times and places, share stories of family and community history, read historical fiction, watch historical films.

Books and prints

• World History: Societies of the Past, student textbook, Portage and Main Press
• DK Eyewitness Books (select from world history titles)
• Adventures in World History, Emond Montgomery Publications

Suggested websites
British Museum, Ancient Civilisations

• Explore World Cultures
• Mesopotamia
• Ancient Egypt
• Ancient Greece

Mr. Dowling, Browse the World
Social Studies for Kids, World History
BBC, History for Kids

Frequently Asked Questions

How do Grade 8 students demonstrate citizenship? Grade 8 students demonstrate active democratic citizenship when they collaborate with others to establish and carry out group goals and responsibilities; resolve conflicts peacefully and fairly; treat others fairly and respectfully; make decisions that show fairness and equality in their interactions with others; make decisions that follow principles of sustainable development; negotiate with others to find a consensus and solve problems; recognize bias and discrimination and propose solutions; treat places and objects of historical significance with respect.

How do Grade 8 students demonstrate critical thinking? Grade 8 students use critical thinking skills when they plan topics, goals and methods for historical inquiry and research; evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of solutions to a problem; use research and evidence to draw conclusions; evaluate personal assumptions based on new information and ideas; distinguish fact from opinion and interpretation; observe and analyze material or visual evidence such as artifacts and photographs for research; assess the validity of information sources; compare differing viewpoints regarding global issues; compare diverse perspectives in the media and other information sources; interpret information and ideas in a variety of media such as art, music, and historical fiction; recognize that interpretations of history may change as new information is uncovered or acknowledged; analyze prejudice, racism, stereotyping, or other forms of bias in the media and other information sources.