These are meant to be used with the slide deck Master the STAAR: The Ultimate 8th Grade U.S. History Thematic Review
 
What's include for each slide deck:
Guided Notes - fill-in-the-blank notes to use with the slide deck.
Guided Questions - open-ended questions to answer with the slide deck.
Both are available for each slide deck and cover similar material, but the format can be used depending on the needs/abilities of your class.
 
Thematic Organization for Deep Understanding
Unlike traditional chronological reviews, this deck is organized by major themes to help students make connections across different eras:
Theme 1: The Foundation of American Government & Civic Ideals – Explore the "roots" of democracy, from Enlightenment ideas and early colonial pacts to the drafting of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
Theme 2: Economic Systems & Technological Innovation – Analyze the mechanical side of history, including the Industrial Revolution, the transportation boom (steamboats, canals, and railroads), and the growth of the American free enterprise system.
Theme 3: Geography & Westward Expansion – Examine how geography dictated the destiny of the 13 colonies and fueled the drive of Manifest Destiny from sea to shining sea.
Theme 4: Culture, Religion, & Reform – Investigate the social movements that shaped the nation, including the Great Awakening, the Abolitionist movement, and the push for women’s suffrage.
Theme 5: Conflict, Compromise, & The Courts – Deconstruct the "ticking time bomb" of sectionalism, pivotal Supreme Court cases like Marbury v. Madison, and the ultimate test of the Union: the Civil War and Reconstruction.