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Minnesota Academic Standards in Social Studies

K–12 Standards

Grade 8
Other Minnesota Social Studies sets
Grade K
Kindergarten: Foundations of Social Studies—Family and Community
First Grade: Foundations of Social Studies – Communities and Culture
Grade 1
Grade 2
Second Grade: Foundations of Social Studies – People and the Environment
Grade 3
Third Grade: Ancient World
Fourth Grade: Contemporary World
Grade 4
Fifth Grade: Early American Studies
Grade 5
Grade 6
Sixth Grade: Minnesota Studies
Grade 7
Seventh Grade: United States Studies
Eighth Grade: Global Studies
Ethnic Studies
Grades 9-12: Ethnic Studies
Grades 9–12: Citizenship and Government
Grades 9–12: Economics
Grades 9–12: Geography
Grades 9–12: History
Grades 9, 10, 11, 12

Grade 8: Global Studies

1.
Citizenship and Government
1. 1.
  Civic Skills
  1.
  Democratic government depends on informed and engaged citizens who exhibit civic skills and values, practice civic discourse, vote and participate in elections, apply inquiry and analysis skills and take action to solve problems and shape public policy.
  1.
  Exhibit civic skills including participating in civic discussion on issues in the contemporary world, demonstrating respect for the opinions of people or groups who have different perspectives, and reaching consensus.8.1.1.1.1
2. 5.
  Relationships of the United States to other nations and organizations
  12.
  International political and economic institutions influence world affairs and United States foreign policy.
  1.
  Explain why governments belong to different types of economic alliances and international and regional organizations.8.1.5.11.1
  13.
  Governments are based on different political philosophies and are established to serve various purposes.
  1.
  Explain how different types of governments reflect historically and culturally specific understandings of the relationships between the individual, government and society.8.1.5.12.1
2.
Economics
1. 1.
  Economic Reasoning Skills
  1.
  People make informed economic choices by identifying their goals, interpreting and applying data, considering the short- and long-run costs and benefits of alternative choices and revising their goals based on their analysis.
  1.
  Apply reasoned decision-making techniques in making choices; explain why different governments faced with the same alternatives might make different choices.8.2.1.1.1
2. 3.
  Fundamental Concepts
  4.
  Economic systems differ in the ways that they address the three basic economic issues of allocation, production and distribution to meet society's broad economic goals.
  1.
  Identify factors which affect economic growth (percentage changes in Gross Domestic Product-GDP) and lead to a different standard of living in different countries.8.2.3.4.1
  2.
  Identify characteristics of command, mixed, and market-based (capitalist) economies; classify the economic systems of countries in a given region.8.2.3.4.2
3. 5.
  Macro-economics
  12.
  International trade, exchange rates and international institutions affect individuals, organizations and governments throughout the world.
  1.
  Explain why trade is mutually beneficial to countries; define and apply absolute and comparative advantage with respect to international trade.8.2.5.12.1
3.
Geography
1. 1.
  Geospatial Skills
  1.
  People use geographic representations and geospatial technologies to acquire, process and report information within a spatial context.
  1.
  Obtain and analyze geographic information from a variety of print and electronic sources to investigate places or answer specific geographic questions; provide rationale for its use.8.3.1.1.1
  2.
  Create and use various kinds of maps, including overlaying thematic maps, of places in the world; incorporate the "TODALSS" map basics, as well as points, lines and colored areas to display spatial information.8.3.1.1.2
  2.
  Geographic inquiry is a process in which people ask geographic questions and gather, organize and analyze information to solve problems and plan for the future.
  1.
  Formulate questions about topics in geography; pose possible answers; use geospatial technology to analyze problems and make decisions within a spatial context.8.3.1.2.1
2. 2.
  Places and Regions
  3.
  Places have physical characteristics (such as climate, topography and vegetation) and human characteristics (such as culture, population, political and economic systems).
  1.
  Use appropriate geographic tools to analyze and explain the distribution of physical and human characteristics of places.8.3.2.3.1
3. 3.
  Human Systems
  5.
  The characteristics, distribution and migration of human populations on the earth's surface influence human systems (cultural, economic and political systems).
  1.
  Describe the locations of human populations and the cultural characteristics of the United States and Canada.8.3.3.5.1
  2.
  Describe the locations of human populations and the cultural characteristics of Latin America, including how the contemporary pattern of cities resulted from a combination of pre-European contact, colonial, and industrial urban societies.8.3.3.5.2
  3.
  Describe the locations of human populations and the cultural characteristics of Europe and Russia, including the role of migration patterns, and the impact of aging population and other effects of demographic transition8.3.3.5.3
  4.
  Describe the locations of human populations and the cultural characteristics of Southwest Asia and North Africa.8.3.3.5.4
  5.
  Describe the locations of human populations and the cultural characteristics of East Asia and Southeast Asia, including how the demographic transition has influenced the region's population, economy and culture.8.3.3.5.5
  6.
  Describe the locations of human populations and the cultural characteristics of South Asia and Central Asia, including causes for the differences in population density in the region, and implications of population growth in South Asia on the future world population.8.3.3.5.6
  7.
  Describe the locations of human populations and the cultural characteristics of Africa South of the Sahara, including the causes and effects of the demographic transition since 1945.8.3.3.5.7
  8.
  Describe the locations of human populations and the cultural characteristics of Australia/Oceania.8.3.3.5.8
  6.
  Geographic factors influence the distribution, functions, growth and patterns of cities and human settlements.
  1.
  Describe how the physical and environmental features of the United States and Canada affect human activity and settlement.8.3.3.6.1
  2.
  Describe how the physical and environmental features of Latin America affect human activity and settlement.8.3.3.6.2
  3.
  Describe how the physical and environmental features of Europe and Russia affect human activity and settlement.8.3.3.6.3
  4.
  Describe how the physical and environmental features of Southwest Asia and North Africa affect human activity and settlement.8.3.3.6.4
  5.
  Describe how the physical and environmental features of East Asia and Southeast Asia affect human activity and settlement.8.3.3.6.5
  6.
  Describe how the physical and environmental features of South Asia and Central Asia affect human activity and settlement.8.3.3.6.6
  7.
  Describe how the physical and environmental features of Africa South of the Sahara affect human activity and settlement.8.3.3.6.7
  8.
  Describe how the physical and environmental features of Australia/Oceania affect human activity and settlement, including how the human populations have adapted to and changed the landscape differently over time.8.3.2.6.8
  7.
  The characteristics, distribution and complexity of the earth's cultures influence human systems (social, economic and political systems).
  1.
  Describe independence and nationalist movements in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, including India's independence movement.8.3.3.7.1
  8.
  Processes of cooperation and conflict among people influence the division and control of Earth's surface.
  1.
  Describe the impact of nationalist movements in the twentieth century on contemporary geopolitics in Southwest Asia and North Africa.8.3.3.8.1
4. 4.
  Human Environment Interaction
  10.
  The meaning, use, distribution and importance of resources changes over time.
  1.
  Explain how the changing patterns of industrialization and trade between the United States, and Canada or Mexico, have resulted in close connections between the countries in terms of manufacturing, energy and finance.8.3.4.10.1
  2.
  Describe the impact of comparative advantage, the international division of labor, and de-industrialization on manufacturing regions and commercial districts within urban areas in the United States and Canada.8.3.4.10.2
  3.
  Describe the changing role of Latin America in global trade networks.8.3.4.10.3
  4.
  Describe the role of Europe in the global economy today.8.3.4.10.4
  5.
  Describe how the distribution and development of oil and water resources influence the economy and societies of Southwest Asia and North Africa.8.3.4.10.5
  6.
  Identify the characteristics of a market economy that exist in contemporary China; describe how China's changing economy has impacted the United States and the global economic system since 1970.8.3.4.10.6
  7.
  Analyze the role of comparative advantage in the rise of the Indian market economy in the global economic system.8.3.4.10.7
4.
History
1. 1.
  Historical Thinking Skills
  2.
  Historical inquiry is a process in which multiple sources and different kinds of historical evidence are analyzed to draw conclusions about how and why things happened in the past.
  1.
  Pose questions about a topic in world history; gather and organize a variety of primary and secondary sources related to the questions; analyze sources for credibility and bias; suggest possible answers and write a thesis statement; use sources to draw conclusions and support the thesis; and present supported findings and cite sources.8.4.1.2.1
2. 3.
  World History
  13.
  Post-World War II political reorganization produced the Cold War balance of power and new alliances that were based on competing economic and political doctrines. (The World After World War II: 1950-1989)
  1.
  Analyze connections between revolutions, independence movements and social transformations during the Cold War era. (The World After World War II: 1950-1989)8.4.3.13.1
  2.
  Explain the major differences in the political and economic ideologies and values of the Western democracies and the Soviet bloc. (The World After World War II: 1950-1989)8.4.3.13.2
  3.
  Describe political challenges and struggles of newly independent countries during the Cold War era. (The World After World War II: 1950-1989)8.4.3.13.3
  14.
  Globalization, the spread of capitalism and the end of the Cold War have shaped a contemporary world still characterized by rapid technological change, dramatic increases in global population and economic growth coupled with persistent economic and social disparities and cultural conflict. (The New Global Era: 1989 to Present)
  1.
  Describe causes of economic imbalances and social inequalities among the world's peoples in the post-colonial world and efforts made to close those gaps. (The New Global Era: 1989 to Present)8.4.3.14.1
  2.
  Compare and contrast the development of diasporic communities throughout the world due to regional conflicts, changing international labor demands and environmental factors. (The New Global Era: 1989 to Present)8.4.3.14.2
  3.
  Describe varieties of religious beliefs and practices in the contemporary world including Shamanism/Animism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. (The New Global Era: 1989 to Present)8.4.3.14.3
  4.
  Analyze how Pacific Rim countries have achieved economic growth in recent decades. (The New Global Era: 1989 to Present)8.4.3.14.4
  5.
  Assess the state of human rights around the world as described in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. (The New Global Era: 1989 to Present)8.4.3.14.5
  6.
  Describe how movements and social conditions have affected the lives of women in different parts of the world. (The New Global Era: 1989 to Present)8.4.3.14.6
  7.
  Assess the influence of television, the Internet and other media on cultural identity and social and political movements. (The New Global Era: 1989 to Present)8.4.3.14.7
  8.
  Describe how groups are reviving and maintaining their traditional cultures, identities and distinctiveness in the context of increasing globalization. (The New Global Era: 1989 to Present)8.4.3.14.8

Frequently asked questions

What grade levels do these standards cover?: Grade 8
When were these standards adopted?: 2011
Where can I read the official document?: Minnesota Academic Standards in Social Studies

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