(1) An eighth grade student at the novice level is beginning to attain prerequisite knowledge and skills that are fundamental at each benchmark in social studies. He/she:

(a) sometimes applies an inquiry process to locate information for use in limited decision making scenarios, and seldom evaluates the information;

(b) sometimes describes, but seldom compares, the principles and structure of power, authority, and governance;

(c) seldom practices citizenship rights and responsibilities;

(d) inconsistently locates required geographic information, has difficulty relating this information to a larger geographic problem, and does not clearly understand when to apply specific geographic skills and tools to his/her work;

(e) seldom conducts appropriate research, but with assistance, draws a few obvious parallels between historical and current events;

(f) sometimes recognizes fundamental economic issues but seldom illustrates how they interrelate and affect families, communities, cultures, and nations; and

(g) sometimes explains, but seldom compares, how culture influences and diversity contributes to human development, identity, and behavior.