Curriculum
Should you have questions about our curriculum, please contact Social Science Department Coordinator Stephanie Quinn at quinns@chelmsford.k12.ma.us or 978-251-5111 ext. 5520.
Grade 5: United States History to the Civil War and the Modern Civil Rights Movement
Building on their knowledge of North American geography and peoples, students learn more about the history of the colonies, the American Revolution, the development of the Constitution, Bill of Rights, the early Republic, and the westward expansion of the United States. They study the sectional conflicts over slavery that led to the Civil War and the long struggle in the 19th and 20th centuries for civil rights for all.
Grades 6 and 7: World Studies I and II
Sixth grade students examine how the perspectives of political science, economics, geography, history, and archaeology apply to the study of regions and countries. They study the development of prehistoric societies and then focus on area studies of Western Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Central America, the Caribbean Islands, and South America. Grade 7 examines the physical and political geography and ancient societies of South and East Asia, Oceania, and Europe as well as an investigation of major religions throughout the first millennium.
Additional information regarding the curriculum and resources for grades 5-7: The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s “Investigating History” program serves as the basis of our curriculum and materials. This program provides an invaluable open educational resource (OER) that champions inquiry-based pedagogy. This curriculum empowers students to actively engage with historical questions, fostering critical thinking and analytical skills by guiding them through the examination of primary and secondary sources. The benefits of this approach extend beyond content mastery, promoting deeper understanding, intellectual curiosity, and the development of essential historical reasoning abilities.
Grade 8: Foundations of Democracy
Students study the roots and foundations of democratic government through an exploration of the historical events and theories that lead to the American Revolution and development of the Republic. Through primary documents, such as the United States and Massachusetts Constitutions; students study how and why government institutions developed; how government evolves through legislation and court decisions; and how individuals exercise their rights and civic responsibilities to maintain a healthy democracy in the nation and the Commonwealth.
All Grade 8 students will participate in an Action Civics Project designed to engage students in research, investigate root cause, consider potential solutions and create an action plan for their community.
Classroom resource links for students:
Nystrom World (Grades 5-8 supplemental Atlas and Activities)
Savvas Realize (Grades 5-7 supplemental online Text and Activities)
IXL-Social Sciences (Grades 5-7 supplemental Activities)
ICivics (Grades 5-8 Free Resource for Civic Learning and Practice)
Investigating History (Massachusetts OER for grades 5-7)
