Prince Edward Island · Grade 8
Social Studies, Grade 8
- 8SOCA
Prince Edward Island’s Grade 8 social studies course, from Canadian Identities to Inquiry.
- Units
- 5
- Lessons
- 10
- Skills
- 16
- Provincial exam
- None
- Official curriculum
- princeedwardisland.ca
Unit by unit
Every skill in the course, with its official code.
Unit 1 · 4 skills
Canadian Identities
Geography and Canadian Identity
Human and physical geography and identity
I can explain how human and physical geographic factors affect Canadian identity.
Official code: SCO1
What Shapes Our Understanding of Identity
Factors that shape individual identity
I can describe factors that shape a person's understanding of Canadian identity.
Official code: SCO2
Demographic Change and Movement
Demographic changes in Canada
I can analyse demographic changes in 20th-century Canada.
Official code: SCO3
The movement of people to and within Canada
I can analyse how the movement of people to and within Canada shaped its identity.
Official code: SCO3
The official wording · 4 outcomes
- SCO1
- explain the effects of human and physical geographic factors on Canadian identity.
- SCO2
- describe factors that shape an individual’s understanding of Canadian identity.
- SCO3
- analyse demographic changes and the movement of people to and within Canada that continue to shape Canadian identity.
- SCO3
- analyse demographic changes and the movement of people to and within Canada that continue to shape Canadian identity.
Key ideas
Physical geography includes landforms, climate, and resources.
Identity is shaped by family, culture, language, and experience.
Demographics describe a population - its size, age, and make-up.
Human geography includes where and how people live and work.
Region, heritage, and community all influence identity.
Watch out for
- Thinking geography has no effect on identity.
- Thinking there is only one Canadian identity.
- Thinking Canada's population stayed the same.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 2 · 6 skills
Citizenship, Power & Governance
Inequalities of Power and Authority
Inequalities of power and authority
I can explain inequalities of power and authority in 20th-century Canada.
Official code: SCO4
How an evolving society changed who held power
I can explain how an evolving society changed who held power in Canada.
Official code: SCO4
Government Policies and Indigenous Peoples
Government policies of assimilation and their impact
I can analyse the impact of government policies of assimilation on Indigenous Peoples.
Official code: SCO5
Advocacy, self-governance, and reconciliation
I can explain Indigenous advocacy, the fight for self-governance, and reconciliation.
Official code: SCO5
Technology, Prosperity, and Lifestyle
Technological change in the 20th century
I can analyse how 20th-century technology changed how Canadians lived.
Official code: SCO6
Socio-economic conditions and differing prosperity
I can analyse how socio-economic conditions led to differing prosperity in Canada.
Official code: SCO6
The official wording · 6 outcomes
- SCO4
- demonstrate an understanding of the inequalities of power and authority in an evolving Canadian society.
- SCO4
- demonstrate an understanding of the inequalities of power and authority in an evolving Canadian society.
- SCO5
- analyse the impact of government policies and the legacy of historical injustices on the Indigenous Peoples of Canada.
- SCO5
- analyse the impact of government policies and the legacy of historical injustices on the Indigenous Peoples of Canada.
- SCO6
- analyse the impact of changing technology and socio-economic conditions on differing prosperities and lifestyles in Canada.
- SCO6
- analyse the impact of changing technology and socio-economic conditions on differing prosperities and lifestyles in Canada.
Key ideas
Power and authority were not shared equally in Canadian society.
The Canadian government pursued a systemic policy of assimilation.
Major technologies transformed the 20th century: the automobile, telecommunications, and computers.
Some groups had more say and rights than others.
Policies included the Indian Act, residential schools, and the 60's Scoop.
Watch out for
- Thinking power was shared equally in the past.
- Thinking these policies had only minor effects.
- Thinking technology only affected industry, not daily life.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 3 · 4 skills
Decades of Challenge and Change
Canada and Global Conflicts
Canada's participation in global conflicts
I can describe Canada's participation in 20th-century global conflicts.
Official code: SCO7
The effect of conflict on Canadian society
I can explain how global conflict changed Canadian society at home.
Official code: SCO7
Transforming Canada
Internal forces transforming Canada
I can evaluate internal forces that transformed Canada in the later 20th century.
Official code: SCO8
External forces transforming Canada
I can evaluate external forces that transformed Canada in the later 20th century.
Official code: SCO8
The official wording · 4 outcomes
- SCO7
- demonstrate an understanding of Canada’s participation in global conflicts and its effect on Canadian society.
- SCO7
- demonstrate an understanding of Canada’s participation in global conflicts and its effect on Canadian society.
- SCO8
- evaluate the significance of internal and external forces in transforming Canada in the later half of the 20th Century.
- SCO8
- evaluate the significance of internal and external forces in transforming Canada in the later half of the 20th Century.
Key ideas
Canada participated in major global conflicts, including the World Wars.
Internal forces are changes that come from within Canada.
Canadians served overseas and contributed on the home front.
Examples include rights movements and constitutional change.
Participation grew Canada's role on the world stage.
Watch out for
- Thinking Canada played no significant role in global conflicts.
- Thinking change only came from outside Canada.
- Thinking only soldiers were involved - the home front mattered too.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 4 · 1 skill
Contemporary Canada
Continuing and Emerging Issues
Continuing and emerging issues
I can analyse a continuing or emerging issue in Canada's history.
Official code: SCO9
The official wording · 1 outcomes
- SCO9
- analyse continuing and emerging issues in Canada’s history.
Key ideas
Some issues from Canada's history continue or newly emerge.
Current events connect the past to the present.
Analysing an issue means examining its causes and impacts.
Understanding issues helps us be informed, engaged citizens.
Watch out for
- Thinking past issues are irrelevant today.
- Thinking an issue ends when it leaves the news.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 5 · 1 skill
Inquiry
Historical Inquiry
Using inquiry and historical thinking
I can use the inquiry process and historical thinking to evaluate a 20th-century event.
Official code: SCO10
The official wording · 1 outcomes
- SCO10
- evaluate issues, events, and developments of historical importance using the inquiry process and the Concepts of Historical Thinking.
Plan the term
Pick your term and the days you study. Each unit gets its share of the weeks and comes back a week later for a review. The last two weeks go over the whole course.
The official curriculum
This page follows Prince Edward Island’s own curriculum for Social Studies, Grade 8.
Textbooks
The textbooks PEI Department of Education and Early Years lists for Social Studies, Grade 8:
- Canadian Identity
From Intermediate Program of Studies and Authorized Materials, 2026-2027, read October 27, 2026. princeedwardisland.ca
Study it in MapleMind
MapleMind teaches Social Studies, Grade 8 one skill at a time. Each skill gets a short lesson, practice as you go and a check worth up to three stars. It remembers where you stopped.
Course Companion
Your year in one workbook
A fun way to keep Social Studies, Grade 8 organized, get to know your child better and see early when they need a hand. Fill it in on a screen, or print it.
- Pages
- 32
- Fillable fields
- 1,250
- Price
- $4.99
Questions about Social Studies, Grade 8
What is Social Studies, Grade 8?
Prince Edward Island’s Grade 8 social studies course: 5 units and 16 skills, from Canadian Identities to Inquiry.
What units are in Social Studies, Grade 8?
1. Canadian Identities, 2. Citizenship, Power & Governance, 3. Decades of Challenge and Change, 4. Contemporary Canada and 5. Inquiry.
Is there a provincial exam for Social Studies, Grade 8?
No. Prince Edward Island gives no provincial exam for Social Studies, Grade 8.
What textbook does Social Studies, Grade 8 use?
The textbooks PEI Department of Education and Early Years lists for Social Studies, Grade 8: Canadian Identity, Nelson Education.
What comes after Social Studies, Grade 8?
Social Studies, Grade 9.
Can MapleMind help with Social Studies, Grade 8?
Yes. MapleMind teaches every skill of Social Studies, Grade 8, step by step, with practice and checks, and its tutor answers questions about any of them. It’s free with daily limits, on iPhone, Android and the web.
Get ready for Social Studies, Grade 8
Practise every skill of Social Studies, Grade 8 in MapleMind, free with daily limits.
