Middle School Civics Curriculum When Your School Gives You None
Civics Complete – Middle School is for the grades 6–8 teacher who was told to teach civics but given no curriculum, textbook or unit plan. It provides 50+ resources on the purpose of government, constitutions and founding documents, separation of powers, checks and balances, and federal, state and local government, taught through real sources, charts and political cartoons.
See the civics curriculum →Civics Complete – Middle School is a no-prep civics curriculum for grades 6–8 with 50+ resources, starting at $149.90. For a teacher whose school offers no civics curriculum, it covers rights and responsibilities, the purpose of government, democracy and the rule of law, constitutions and founding documents, separation of powers, checks and balances, and federal, state and local government, using constitutions, laws, court cases, infographics and political cartoons.
The curriculum
Civics Complete – Middle School, Grades 6–8
Start with the full curriculum. The other resources below are optional add-ons. Open any cover for the full contents and price.
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The real problem
Why civics is harder to build than it looks
Civics looks simple from the outside: three branches, a few amendments, how a bill becomes a law. Teach it that way and students memorize a diagram and forget it by summer. Without a curriculum you also have to decide, on your own, how to handle a subject that touches current politics. Every example you choose can feel loaded to someone. A teacher working from scratch either avoids anything real, which makes the class dull, or reaches for news stories without a structure, which can turn discussions into arguments about personalities. What middle schoolers actually need is a way to reason. They should be able to read a short passage from a constitution or a court case and explain what it says, look at a chart or a political cartoon and identify the claim, and build a civic argument with evidence instead of opinion. They need to understand why separation of powers and checks and balances exist, not just name them. And they need to see that government is local too: city councils, school boards and state legislatures shape their lives more often than Congress does. Building all that from nothing is a lot.
Why it fits
How the curriculum gives civics structure
It grounds each topic in sources and evidence, which keeps the class rigorous and the discussions productive.
- Constitutions, laws and court cases give students real documents to read instead of summaries only.
- Separation of powers and checks and balances are taught as reasons, beyond a branches diagram.
- Political cartoons, charts and infographics teach students to read civic claims critically.
- Civic argument tasks require evidence, which keeps discussions about issues grounded and fair.
- Federal, state and local government units show students where decisions about their lives are made.
- Rights and responsibilities lessons connect founding principles to students' own role as citizens.
Getting started
Your first two weeks with it
A suggested opening. Pacing is up to you; the curriculum offers units, not a calendar.
- Start with why government existsOpen with the purpose of government lessons. Asking what problems government solves gives students a reason to care before they meet any branch, amendment or diagram.
- Set discussion rules with evidenceEarly on, use a civic argument task to show that claims in this class need evidence from a source. It sets a norm that protects later discussions from becoming personal.
- Read a founding document closelyWork through an excerpt from a constitution or founding document with the source tasks. Students see that the text is readable and that its wording matters.
- Add a cartoon or chart lessonTeach how to read a political cartoon or infographic. It is a fast way to engage students who struggle with dense text and builds media skills they use outside school.
- Bring it localPair the federal, state and local government lessons with your own town or district as an example. Students understand separation of powers faster when it is about their own community.
Which version
Which version, and whether to combine
The $149.90 version includes all 50+ civics resources and is what you need to run the course. The $189.90 version adds Teach-Life-Balance, a digital course with a planner, guides and templates for teacher workload; it adds no civics content. Many middle school social studies teachers also teach history to the same students. If that is you, World History Complete follows the same structure, and code TEACHMORE15 gives 15% off when you buy two or more Complete Curriculum packages, which makes it easier to plan both courses together.
Honest limits
What it does not cover
It does not include current-events material, since that changes constantly; you choose any news examples yourself. Details of your own state and local government vary, so you supply the local specifics. Check the units against your state or district civics requirements, including any required civics test, before you rely on it. If colleagues want to use it too, send Teach Lessons a short message first. If it does not suit your class, you can exchange it within 7 days for store credit of equal value; no cash is paid out.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Does this curriculum meet my state's civics requirements?
It is written for U.S. middle school classrooms but is not endorsed or adopted by any state or district, and it makes no claim to match a particular state framework or civics test. Compare the units with your state's civics standards and any required assessment, and plan to add state-specific content where your requirements call for it.
How does it handle political topics without taking sides?
The curriculum focuses on structures and reasoning: the purpose of government, constitutions, rule of law, separation of powers, checks and balances, and civic arguments built on evidence. That framework lets students discuss issues by examining sources and claims rather than personalities. Which current examples you bring in is your choice.
Does it cover state and local government?
Yes, federal, state and local government are part of the government and democracy content. Because details differ from place to place, you will want to add facts about your own state legislature, governor and local bodies so students can apply the general ideas to where they live.
Are court cases too hard for middle schoolers?
The curriculum uses court cases as sources within tasks designed for grades 6–8, and worksheets are differentiated for mixed-ability classes. Students work with short excerpts and guided questions rather than full legal opinions. Preview the first case before teaching so you can add vocabulary support if needed.
Is 50+ resources enough for a full year?
That depends on how often civics meets. If your civics course runs one semester, 50+ resources cover that comfortably. For a full-year course you may extend units with local government projects or current events. The ethics bundle shown on this page is a separate option for adding more discussion material.
How fast can I get started?
Immediately. A download link arrives by email after purchase, and the files stay in your customer account under Orders. Materials work for print or digital classrooms, so you can begin with the purpose of government lesson right away and add your local examples as the first weeks unfold.
Teach civics with sources, not just diagrams
See the product page for everything included and decide whether it covers the civics course you were assigned.
See the civics curriculum →