Washington State
Curriculum Based Assessment [CBA] Links to the National Archives and Records Administration's Primary Documents located at [web]www.ourdocuments.gov
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8th Grade

Humans & the Environment (Geography)

Student assignment:

In a persuasive paper or presentation, you will:

  1. compare and contrast two groups’ uses of the environment with specific similarities and differences,
  2. explain two plausible alternatives to groups’ uses of the environment that address costs and benefits, and
  3. explain how human actions and interactions affect and are affected by the environment with specific examples.

Primary source documents from "Our Documents, 100 Milestone Source Documents from the National Archives and Records Administration," relating to this Curriculum Based Assessment [CBA]:

Important notes for using this section:

  • Following each sub-topic is a list representing specific documents that are believed to best illustrate a topic. Each document is linked to an interactive digital copy of the record itself, complete with description, background information, a transcribed copy [for convenience and for students having difficulty reading handwriting] and teaching suggestions, from the "Our Documents" web site [see [web]www.ourdocuments.gov]. Just click on the document title and it will take you to the specific "Our Documents" page.
  • In addition, there is a "Document Only" link which can be used in classrooms with fewer web connections. This is an "Adobe Acrobat" [.pdf] file and can be opened in advance and copied by the instructor or student directly, without a web connection, on any type of computer, as long as Adobe Acrobat is loaded on the computer. For a free copy of the Adobe Acrobat program [web]click here.

Sample Topics and Associated Primary Sources:

Old World versus New World populations

Developments That Might Have Impacted the Environment in the United States

US Conservation Policies

US Land Use

Associated Washington State Standards {EALR}

  • Geography 3.1.2a . Analyze the different ways people use the environment, identify the consequences of use, and consider possible alternatives.
  • Geography 3.1.2b - Explain how the actions and interactions of human societies affect and are affected by the environment with regard to air, water, and land issues.

Scoring
EALR Scoring
(*for additional levels, see OSPI Scoring Rubric)
Geography 3.1.2.a *at highest level... Compares and contrasts two groups’ uses of the environment with three (or more) specific similarities and differences (including at least one similarity and one difference).
AND
Explains two plausible alternative to groups’ uses of the environment that address costs and benefits.
Geography 3.1.2b *at highest level... Provides reasonable explanations of how human actions and interactions affect, and are affected by the environment with three specific, accurate examples.
National Archives and Records Administration
6125 Sand Point Way NE
Seattle, WA 98115
http://www.archives.gov/pacific-alaska