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8th grade · Social Studies · Unit 3 of 12

Taking Part

Speak up, check facts, decide together

What your child practices

Ways to take part before and after 18, volunteering and civil society, petitions and peaceful protest, deliberating about tensions in our democracy, and checking news for reliability.

Arizona Academic Standards learning standard: 8.C1.4; 8.C4.1 · how citizens work for change and help their communities

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Before taking a position, research an issue from several reliable sources; misinformation is false or misleading information.
  2. To speak up, write a short, respectful letter with facts and a clear request, or join a deliberative discussion that weighs different views.
  3. Civic duties include jury service. Civil disobedience is peacefully breaking an unjust law and accepting the consequences.

Example: What makes a letter to an elected official most effective? Officials get many letters. Clear facts and a request are easy to act on. Being respectful helps them listen. Answer: a short, respectful letter with facts and a clear request

Taking Part in Arizona

In the Arizona Academic Standards, this is unit 3 of 12 in 8th grade Social Studies, after Rights & Amendments and before Media & Democracy.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: Arizona Department of Education

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    Which shows good digital citizenship?

    • Checking a claim before reposting it
    • Sharing private information
    • Posting rumors
    • Spamming officials

  2. Question 2

    Before taking a position on an issue, you should…

    • Ask one friend
    • Research it from several reliable sources
    • Read one headline
    • Guess

  3. Question 3

    Which source is most likely biased on a ballot measure?

    • The official voters' pamphlet's neutral explanation
    • The text of the measure itself
    • A nonpartisan fact-check
    • An ad paid for by one side's campaign

  4. Question 4

    What is lateral reading?

    • Reading only one site
    • Reading sideways
    • Leaving a site to see what other sources say about it
    • Skimming headlines

  5. Question 5

    Why do people join groups like neighborhood associations?

    • To pass federal laws
    • To vote twice
    • To avoid neighbors
    • To work with others on local issues

  6. Question 6

    A town debates a new park versus more parking. What should a good civic decision weigh?

    • Nothing
    • Costs and benefits for different groups
    • Whatever is loudest
    • Only what one person wants

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