STAAR Grade 8th Govt and Citizenship - Little to No Prep (TEKS in description)

Notes, Activites and Stations (Check out my dashboard to see additional 8th-grade Social Studies TEKS activities)

Government and Citizenship The student will demonstrate an understanding of the role of government and the civic process on historical issues and events.

(15) Government. The student understands the American beliefs and principles reflected in the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and other important historic documents. The student is expected to

(A) identify the influence of ideas from historic documents, including the Magna Carta, the English Bill of Rights, the Mayflower Compact, and the Federalist Papers, on the U.S. system of government; Readiness Standard

(B) summarize the strengths and weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation; Supporting Standard

(C) identify colonial grievances listed in the Declaration of Independence and explain how those grievances were addressed in the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights; Readiness Standard

(D) analyze how the U.S. Constitution reflects the principles of limited government, republicanism, checks and balances, federalism, separation of powers, popular sovereignty, and individual rights; and Readiness Standard

(E) explain the role of significant individuals such as Thomas Hooker, Charles de Montesquieu, and John Locke in the development of self– government in colonial America. Supporting Standard

(16) Government. The student understands the purpose of changing the U.S. Constitution and the impact of amendments on American society. The student is expected to

(A) summarize the purposes for amending the U.S. Constitution; and Readiness Standard (B) describe the impact of the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments. Readiness

(17) Government. The student understands the dynamic nature of the powers of the national government and state governments in a federal system. The student is expected to

(A) analyze the arguments of the Federalists and Anti–Federalists, including those of Alexander Hamilton, Patrick Henry, James Madison, and George Mason; and Readiness Standard

(B) explain constitutional issues arising over the issue of states’ rights, including the Nullification Crisis and the Civil War. Readiness Standard

(18) Government. The student understands the impact of landmark Supreme Court cases. The student is expected to

(A) identify the origin of judicial review; Supporting Standard

(B) summarize the issues, decisions, and significance of landmark Supreme Court cases, including Marbury v. Madison, McCulloch v. Maryland, and Gibbons v. Ogden; and Supporting Standard

(C) evaluate the impact of the landmark Supreme Court decision Dred Scott v. Sandford on life in the United States. Supporting Standard

(19) Citizenship. The student understands the rights and responsibilities of citizens of the United States. The student is expected to

(A) define and give examples of unalienable rights; Readiness Standard

(B) summarize rights guaranteed in the Bill of Rights; and Readiness Standard

(C) identify examples of responsible citizenship, including obeying rules and laws, staying informed on public issues, voting, and serving on juries. Supporting Standard

(20) Citizenship. The student understands the importance of voluntary individual participation in the democratic process. The student is expected to

(A) evaluate the contributions of the Founding Fathers as models of civic virtue; and Supporting Standard

(B) analyze reasons for and the impact of selected examples of civil disobedience in U.S. history such as the Boston Tea Party and Henry David Thoreau’s refusal to pay a tax. Supporting Standard

(21) Citizenship. The student understands the importance of the expression of different points of view in a constitutional republic. The student is expected to

(A) identify different points of view of political parties and interest groups on important historical issues; Supporting Standard

(B) describe the importance of free speech and press in a constitutional republic; and Supporting Standard

(C) summarize historical events in which compromise resulted in a resolution such as the Missouri Compromise, the Compromise of 1850, and Kansas–Nebraska Act. Supporting Standard

(22) Citizenship. The student understands the importance of effective leadership in a constitutional republic. The student is expected to

(A) analyze the leadership qualities of elected and appointed leaders of the United States such as George Washington, John Marshall, and Abraham Lincoln; and Supporting Standard

(B) describe the contributions of significant political, social, and military leaders of the United States such as Frederick Douglass, John Paul Jones, Susan B. Anthony, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Supporting Standard