Accelerated History 8 is designed to prepare gifted students to take the most challenging high school social studies courses, such as Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB). There is a heavy emphasis on writing and historical interpretation skills as well as more current events coverage. Students in this class should expect less repetition between the assigned readings and class discussion and therefore should have demonstrated the ability to read accurately for information during their seventh grade year.

Course of Study:

Unit I Utopia

· Atomic Bomb Research Paper

A. Historical Utopias

B. Communism in the Soviet Union

C. The Fall of Communism

D. Russia Today

Unit II Liberty

A. The United States Constitution

· Current Issues Research Paper

B. The Supreme Court and the Bill of Rights

Unit III Conflict

A. The Civil Rights Movement

B. America in Vietnam