Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR)
TX.STAAR.8. STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies Assessment
Reporting Category 1: History - The student will demonstrate an understanding of issues and events in U.S. history.
(8.1) History. The student understands traditional historical points of reference in U.S. history through 1877. The student is expected to:
8.1 (A) Identify the major eras and events in U.S. history through 1877, including colonization, revolution, drafting of the Declaration of Independence, creation and ratification of the Constitution, religious revivals such as the Second Great Awakening, early republic, the Age of Jackson, westward expansion, reform movements, sectionalism, Civil War, and Reconstruction, and describe their causes and effects. Readiness Standards (STAAR)
(8.9) History. The student understands the effects of Reconstruction on the political, economic, and social life of the nation. The student is expected to:
8.9 (A) Evaluate legislative reform programs of the Radical Reconstruction Congress and reconstructed state governments. Supporting Standard (STAAR)
8.9 (C) Explain the economic, political, and social problems during Reconstruction and evaluate their impact on different groups. Readiness Standards (STAAR)
Reporting Category 2: Geography and Culture - The student will demonstrate an understanding of geographic and cultural influences on historical issues and events.
(8.10) Geography. The student understands the location and characteristics of places and regions of the United States, past and present. The student is expected to:
8.10 (C) Analyze the effects of physical and human geographic factors on major historical and contemporary events in the United States. Readiness Standards (STAAR)
Social Studies Skills: These skills will not be listed under a separate reporting category. Instead, they will be incorporated in the test questions in reporting categories 1-4 and will be identified along with content standards.
(8.29) Social studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and use information acquired through established research methodologies from a variety of valid sources, including electronic technology. The student is expected to:
8.29 (A) Differentiate between, locate, and use valid primary and secondary sources such as computer software, databases, media and news services, biographies, interviews, and artifacts to acquire information about the United States. (STAAR)
8.29 (B) Analyze information by sequencing, categorizing, identifying cause-and-effect relationships, comparing, contrasting, finding the main idea, summarizing, making generalizations and predictions, and drawing inferences and conclusions. (STAAR)
8.29 (D) Identify points of view from the historical context surrounding an event and the frame of reference which influenced the participants. (STAAR)
(8.30) Social studies skills. The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms. The student is expected to:
8.30 (A) Use social studies terminology correctly. (STAAR)