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Skills available for District of Columbia eighth-grade social studies standards

Standards are in black and IXL social studies skills are in dark green. Hold your mouse over the name of a skill to view a sample question. Click on the name of a skill to practice that skill.

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K-12 Social Studies Standards (adopted in 2023): Global Opportunities for Action K-12 Social Studies Standards (adopted in 2023): Global Opportunities for Action
K-12 Social Studies Standards (adopted in 2023): How does the Government Function? K-12 Social Studies Standards (adopted in 2023): How does the Government Function?
K-12 Social Studies Standards (adopted in 2023): Media, Society, Government, and Digital Literacy K-12 Social Studies Standards (adopted in 2023): Media, Society, Government, and Digital Literacy
K-12 Social Studies Standards (adopted in 2023): Power and Access to Power in Society K-12 Social Studies Standards (adopted in 2023): Power and Access to Power in Society
K-12 Social Studies Standards (adopted in 2023): Protest and Resistance K-12 Social Studies Standards (adopted in 2023): Protest and Resistance
K-12 Social Studies Standards (adopted in 2023): Rights of the People K-12 Social Studies Standards (adopted in 2023): Rights of the People
K-12 Social Studies Standards (adopted in 2023): The Role of Government in Society K-12 Social Studies Standards (adopted in 2023): The Role of Government in Society
District of Columbia Social Studies Standards District of Columbia Social Studies Standards
Common Core State Standards: Grades 6-8 Literacy in History/Social Studies Common Core State Standards: Grades 6-8 Literacy in History/Social Studies

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1 The Role of Government in Society

8.1 Evaluate and compare competing ideas for the purpose of government and the role of the people across three different countries or Indigenous Nations.
8.2 Use excerpts from documents that shape constitutional democracy in the United States, such as the Declaration of Independence, the Preamble to the Constitution, and the Federalist Papers, to analyze principles about the role of the government.
8.3 Evaluate major tensions within the United States' constitutional democracy, including majority rule and individual rights, liberty and security, civil disobedience and the rule of law, local versus federal control, and the size and scope of the federal government.
8.4 Analyze the historical and philosophical influences on the creation of the American government, including the role of race, gender, religion and socioeconomic status.
- The Enlightenment: origins and natural rights (8-I.5)
- The Enlightenment: influences on government (8-I.6)
8.5 Evaluate how the role of the US federal government has expanded and contracted over time.
8.6 Analyze explicit liberties guaranteed by the US Constitution, and explain how these liberties have been used to influence the role and purpose of government.
8.7 Analyze the role of the Washington, DC government over time, including its power to enact local policies to address economic, social and political problems.
8.8 Construct a claim about the role of the government in the lives of citizens and residents of the United States.
- Purposes of government (8-A.1)
- The Constitution: structure and principles (8-B.1)

2 How does the Government Function?

8.9 Evaluate and compare the structures of government across three different countries or Indigenous Nations.
8.1 Analyze the structures and functions of the three branches of the US federal government.
8.11 Explain how a bill becomes a law in the federal government, and evaluate the efficacy of the current system.
- The Legislative Branch (8-A.2)
8.12 Analyze how a historic or current piece of legislation, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), impacts citizens.
8.13 Analyze a historic or current piece of legislation or law such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to evaluate the role of citizens, interest groups, corporations, and elected leaders in the legislative process.
8.14 Analyze a historic or current executive action to evaluate the power and limitations of presidential executive orders.
- The Executive Branch (8-A.3)
8.15 Analyze a recent Supreme Court ruling to understand the role of the court system in the United States.
- The Judicial Branch (8-A.4)
- The Constitution: interpretation (8-B.3)
8.16 Identify elected leaders in the legislative and executive branches of the federal and local governments, and identify multiple ways for citizens to contact government officials to advocate for legislation or public policy.
- Rights and responsibilities of active citizenship (8-D.2)
8.17 Evaluate the efficacy of different government policies in helping individuals increase their personal savings and economic resilience.
8.18 Assess the responsiveness of elected federal officials in enacting policies reflective of national public concerns and interests.
8.19 Explain the structure and powers of the Washington, DC government, including the features of the executive, legislative and judicial branches.
8.2 Evaluate the extent to which the interests of Washington, DC residents are represented in the federal government, and evaluate the impact of the relationship between the District and the federal government on local policy.
8.21 Evaluate the effectiveness of the structure and functions of the Washington, DC government in enacting policies that are reflective of community concerns.
8.22 Propose and advocate for specific changes to the structure and function of federal or local government to best meet the needs of the people, and/or propose a specific way to best create change within the current system.

3 Media, Society, Government, and Digital Literacy

8.23 Compare the ways in which individuals in at least three different countries around the world receive information, including an analysis of the relationship between different governments and media.
8.24 Evaluate the credibility of a range of digital sources using civic online reasoning strategies including lateral reading and click restraint.
- Identify primary and secondary sources (8-T.1)
- Identify facts and opinions (8-T.2)
8.25 Evaluate the accuracy of a range of claims made by digital sources through lateral reading when information about the source is unavailable.
- Identify primary and secondary sources (8-T.1)
- Identify facts and opinions (8-T.2)
8.26 Identify resources to reference (e.g., fact checking and news organizations) while evaluating online sources and claims.
- Identify primary and secondary sources (8-T.1)
- Identify facts and opinions (8-T.2)
8.27 Analyze the point of view and evaluate the claims of an editorial, editorial cartoon or op-ed commentary on a public policy issue at the local, state or national level.
- Source analysis: the Boston Massacre (8-L.9)
8.28 Compare multiple accounts from different news or media sources about an issue of concern.
8.29 Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of traditional news media organizations (newspapers, magazines, and television) in creating an informed public, including an analysis of the use of fact checkers, editors, framing and focus.
- Identify primary and secondary sources (8-T.1)
- Identify facts and opinions (8-T.2)
8.3 Analyze historical examples of using art or mass media to successfully influence public policy outcomes.
- Source analysis: the Boston Massacre (8-L.9)
8.31 Analyze the role of social media in shaping political ideology, framing policy debates, and accurately informing the public about major policy issues within the United States.
8.32 Critically evaluate price, product claims, and quality of information from a variety of sources to make informed consumer decisions.
- Identify primary and secondary sources (8-T.1)
- Identify facts and opinions (8-T.2)
8.33 Develop a plan to use technology and online platforms for civic engagement and to drive social change.

4 Rights of the People

8.34 Analyze the rights of citizens in at least three countries around the world and how the government upholds or violates these rights, and evaluate the extent to which the public has the ability to influence the decision-making of different governments globally.
8.35 Analyze the history of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the rights enumerated in the document.
8.36 Identify the rights of individuals and groups codified in the US Constitution, and evaluate the extent to which those rights have been realized.
8.37 Analyze at least 3 historic Supreme Court cases that establish, extend or limit the rights of individuals.
- The Constitution: interpretation (8-B.3)
8.38 Evaluate the ways different activist groups have used the court system to expand or limit the rights of different individuals and groups.
8.39 Analyze a current economic issue that curtails or infringes on the rights of individuals and groups and offer alternative approaches to address the needs of different individuals, groups and society.
8.4 Evaluate contemporary debates about the proper enforcement of the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments.
8.41 Evaluate contemporary debates about the proper application of the rights reserved through the Bill of Rights, and develop a proposal for personal or collective action to address the issue.
8.42 Evaluate the status of Washington, DC in the federal government, the impact on the rights of the citizens and residents of the District and the movement for DC statehood.
8.43 Identify a local, national or international issue connected to human rights, conduct relevant research, identify and assess policy options to address the issue, and construct a public policy proposal designed to improve the situation.

5 Power and Access to Power in Society

8.44 Analyze how international alliances and agreements (e.g., the United Nations, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, North American Free Trade Agreement, International Monetary Fund, treaties with Indigenous Nations,) expand and limit people's access to power around the world.
- International organizations (7-EE.8)
8.45 Evaluate the impact of the federal system and the structure of the federal government on the abilities of individuals in different states, territories and Indigenous Nations to influence national policy.
- State and local government (8-A.6)
8.46 Compare the ability of different individuals and public and private interest groups to influence public policy.
- International organizations (7-EE.8)
8.47 Compare 21st-century voter suppression to voter suppression in previous centuries, and analyze the historic, racialized, and economic effects of voter suppression on various groups.
- The end of Reconstruction and the rise of Jim Crow (8-Q.2)
8.48 Analyze the way in which national or local policy has shaped access to resources and opportunity or increased exposure to harmful environmental effects and how people have sought to address this.
8.49 Evaluate the change in access to local and national power in Washington, DC over time and the impact of these changes on the government of Washington, DC.
8.5 Identify and analyze opportunities to access political power in Washington, DC to initiate and support change.
8.51 Analyze the impact of urban geography and zoning on access to power and opportunity in Washington, DC.
8.52 Identify a local, national or international issue connected to access to power and representation, conduct relevant research, identify and assess policy options, and construct a public policy proposal designed to improve the situation.

6 Protest and Resistance

8.53 Analyze global examples of citizen action to enact change through protests and resistance to government action, and evaluate their success in achieving their stated purpose and the long-term effects of the action.
8.54 Analyze how the First Amendment of the US Constitution has been interpreted to limit or provide opportunities for citizen action to protest, resist and influence government policy.
- The Bill of Rights (8-B.4)
8.55 Compare the tactics, strategies, leaders, major events and enduring impacts of at least two different social movements within the US.
- Antebellum reform movements (8-O.3)
- The abolitionists (8-O.6)
8.56 Analyze the ways in which media and technology have been used as tools for resistance and protest.
8.57 Evaluate lasting and short-term impacts of protests to economic, social and environmental policy.
8.58 Analyze the significance of Washington, DC as a historic and current location for national protests, rallies or other demonstrations.
8.59 Evaluate the effectiveness of non-governmental organizations in Washington, DC at participating in and creating change.
- International organizations (7-EE.8)
8.6 Analyze an individual or a group involved in a historic or current protest movement to evaluate their efforts to achieve reform or improve society.
- Antebellum reform movements (8-O.3)
- The abolitionists (8-O.6)
8.61 Evaluate the role and efficacy of civil disobedience, mass protest and strikes in creating change.
- Rights and responsibilities of active citizenship (8-D.2)
8.62 Identify a local, national or international issue, assess options for taking action, and construct an action proposal designed to make change.

7 Global Opportunities for Action

8.63 Analyze the ways in which governments, organizations or individuals from at least three different countries impact policy beyond their borders.
- International organizations (7-EE.8)
8.64 Compare the effectiveness of methods used by the United States government to enact foreign policy, including sanctions, aid, diplomacy, military force, coalition building and deterrence.
- The Executive Branch (8-A.3)
8.65 Analyze common risk factors and warning signs that indicate a country is at risk for genocide or mass atrocity, and identify how they were present during the Holocaust and at least one other genocide, such as the Armenian Genocide, Cambodian genocide or Rwandan genocide.
8.66 Evaluate the ways in which countries and international organizations recognize and respond to indications that a country is at risk for genocide or mass atrocity.
8.67 Propose and advocate for a specific method of action that can be taken by the federal government to best respond to a current situation in which a country is at risk for genocide or mass atrocity.

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1 The Role of Government in Society

8.1 Evaluate and compare competing ideas for the purpose of government and the role of the people across three different countries or Indigenous Nations.

8.2 Use excerpts from documents that shape constitutional democracy in the United States, such as the Declaration of Independence, the Preamble to the Constitution, and the Federalist Papers, to analyze principles about the role of the government.

8.3 Evaluate major tensions within the United States' constitutional democracy, including majority rule and individual rights, liberty and security, civil disobedience and the rule of law, local versus federal control, and the size and scope of the federal government.

8.4 Analyze the historical and philosophical influences on the creation of the American government, including the role of race, gender, religion and socioeconomic status.

8.5 Evaluate how the role of the US federal government has expanded and contracted over time.

8.6 Analyze explicit liberties guaranteed by the US Constitution, and explain how these liberties have been used to influence the role and purpose of government.

8.7 Analyze the role of the Washington, DC government over time, including its power to enact local policies to address economic, social and political problems.

8.8 Construct a claim about the role of the government in the lives of citizens and residents of the United States.

2 How does the Government Function?

8.9 Evaluate and compare the structures of government across three different countries or Indigenous Nations.

8.1 Analyze the structures and functions of the three branches of the US federal government.

8.11 Explain how a bill becomes a law in the federal government, and evaluate the efficacy of the current system.

8.12 Analyze how a historic or current piece of legislation, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), impacts citizens.

8.13 Analyze a historic or current piece of legislation or law such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to evaluate the role of citizens, interest groups, corporations, and elected leaders in the legislative process.

8.14 Analyze a historic or current executive action to evaluate the power and limitations of presidential executive orders.

8.15 Analyze a recent Supreme Court ruling to understand the role of the court system in the United States.

8.16 Identify elected leaders in the legislative and executive branches of the federal and local governments, and identify multiple ways for citizens to contact government officials to advocate for legislation or public policy.

8.17 Evaluate the efficacy of different government policies in helping individuals increase their personal savings and economic resilience.

8.18 Assess the responsiveness of elected federal officials in enacting policies reflective of national public concerns and interests.

8.19 Explain the structure and powers of the Washington, DC government, including the features of the executive, legislative and judicial branches.

8.2 Evaluate the extent to which the interests of Washington, DC residents are represented in the federal government, and evaluate the impact of the relationship between the District and the federal government on local policy.

8.21 Evaluate the effectiveness of the structure and functions of the Washington, DC government in enacting policies that are reflective of community concerns.

8.22 Propose and advocate for specific changes to the structure and function of federal or local government to best meet the needs of the people, and/or propose a specific way to best create change within the current system.

3 Media, Society, Government, and Digital Literacy

8.23 Compare the ways in which individuals in at least three different countries around the world receive information, including an analysis of the relationship between different governments and media.

8.24 Evaluate the credibility of a range of digital sources using civic online reasoning strategies including lateral reading and click restraint.

8.25 Evaluate the accuracy of a range of claims made by digital sources through lateral reading when information about the source is unavailable.

8.26 Identify resources to reference (e.g., fact checking and news organizations) while evaluating online sources and claims.

8.27 Analyze the point of view and evaluate the claims of an editorial, editorial cartoon or op-ed commentary on a public policy issue at the local, state or national level.

8.28 Compare multiple accounts from different news or media sources about an issue of concern.

8.29 Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of traditional news media organizations (newspapers, magazines, and television) in creating an informed public, including an analysis of the use of fact checkers, editors, framing and focus.

8.3 Analyze historical examples of using art or mass media to successfully influence public policy outcomes.

8.31 Analyze the role of social media in shaping political ideology, framing policy debates, and accurately informing the public about major policy issues within the United States.

8.32 Critically evaluate price, product claims, and quality of information from a variety of sources to make informed consumer decisions.

8.33 Develop a plan to use technology and online platforms for civic engagement and to drive social change.

4 Rights of the People

8.34 Analyze the rights of citizens in at least three countries around the world and how the government upholds or violates these rights, and evaluate the extent to which the public has the ability to influence the decision-making of different governments globally.

8.35 Analyze the history of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the rights enumerated in the document.

8.36 Identify the rights of individuals and groups codified in the US Constitution, and evaluate the extent to which those rights have been realized.

8.37 Analyze at least 3 historic Supreme Court cases that establish, extend or limit the rights of individuals.

8.38 Evaluate the ways different activist groups have used the court system to expand or limit the rights of different individuals and groups.

8.39 Analyze a current economic issue that curtails or infringes on the rights of individuals and groups and offer alternative approaches to address the needs of different individuals, groups and society.

8.4 Evaluate contemporary debates about the proper enforcement of the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments.

8.41 Evaluate contemporary debates about the proper application of the rights reserved through the Bill of Rights, and develop a proposal for personal or collective action to address the issue.

8.42 Evaluate the status of Washington, DC in the federal government, the impact on the rights of the citizens and residents of the District and the movement for DC statehood.

8.43 Identify a local, national or international issue connected to human rights, conduct relevant research, identify and assess policy options to address the issue, and construct a public policy proposal designed to improve the situation.

5 Power and Access to Power in Society

8.44 Analyze how international alliances and agreements (e.g., the United Nations, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, North American Free Trade Agreement, International Monetary Fund, treaties with Indigenous Nations,) expand and limit people's access to power around the world.

8.45 Evaluate the impact of the federal system and the structure of the federal government on the abilities of individuals in different states, territories and Indigenous Nations to influence national policy.

8.46 Compare the ability of different individuals and public and private interest groups to influence public policy.

8.47 Compare 21st-century voter suppression to voter suppression in previous centuries, and analyze the historic, racialized, and economic effects of voter suppression on various groups.

8.48 Analyze the way in which national or local policy has shaped access to resources and opportunity or increased exposure to harmful environmental effects and how people have sought to address this.

8.49 Evaluate the change in access to local and national power in Washington, DC over time and the impact of these changes on the government of Washington, DC.

8.5 Identify and analyze opportunities to access political power in Washington, DC to initiate and support change.

8.51 Analyze the impact of urban geography and zoning on access to power and opportunity in Washington, DC.

8.52 Identify a local, national or international issue connected to access to power and representation, conduct relevant research, identify and assess policy options, and construct a public policy proposal designed to improve the situation.

6 Protest and Resistance

8.53 Analyze global examples of citizen action to enact change through protests and resistance to government action, and evaluate their success in achieving their stated purpose and the long-term effects of the action.

8.54 Analyze how the First Amendment of the US Constitution has been interpreted to limit or provide opportunities for citizen action to protest, resist and influence government policy.

8.55 Compare the tactics, strategies, leaders, major events and enduring impacts of at least two different social movements within the US.

8.56 Analyze the ways in which media and technology have been used as tools for resistance and protest.

8.57 Evaluate lasting and short-term impacts of protests to economic, social and environmental policy.

8.58 Analyze the significance of Washington, DC as a historic and current location for national protests, rallies or other demonstrations.

8.59 Evaluate the effectiveness of non-governmental organizations in Washington, DC at participating in and creating change.

8.6 Analyze an individual or a group involved in a historic or current protest movement to evaluate their efforts to achieve reform or improve society.

8.61 Evaluate the role and efficacy of civil disobedience, mass protest and strikes in creating change.

8.62 Identify a local, national or international issue, assess options for taking action, and construct an action proposal designed to make change.

7 Global Opportunities for Action

8.63 Analyze the ways in which governments, organizations or individuals from at least three different countries impact policy beyond their borders.

8.64 Compare the effectiveness of methods used by the United States government to enact foreign policy, including sanctions, aid, diplomacy, military force, coalition building and deterrence.

8.65 Analyze common risk factors and warning signs that indicate a country is at risk for genocide or mass atrocity, and identify how they were present during the Holocaust and at least one other genocide, such as the Armenian Genocide, Cambodian genocide or Rwandan genocide.

8.66 Evaluate the ways in which countries and international organizations recognize and respond to indications that a country is at risk for genocide or mass atrocity.

8.67 Propose and advocate for a specific method of action that can be taken by the federal government to best respond to a current situation in which a country is at risk for genocide or mass atrocity.