Middle School History for Teachers Who Also Teach Civics
If you have been assigned both history and civics in middle school, the XXL History Teaching Bundle covers the history year for Grades 6–9 and includes units that overlap with civics: democracy, labor movements and European integration, plus ancient political systems. You can use those units to connect the two courses, while recognizing that a full civics course on your own government needs its own material.
See the history bundle →For a middle school teacher covering history and civics, the XXL History Teaching Bundle – Grades 6 to 9 ($249.90) gives a full history year with units that overlap civics: Greek and Roman political systems, democracy, labor movements and European integration. Every unit includes texts, differentiated worksheets, source tasks, creative writing, editable files, answer keys and rubrics. It is a history bundle, not a civics course on U.S. government.
The resources
XXL History Teaching Bundle, Grades 6–9
Start with the first resource; the others are optional add-ons. Open any cover for the full contents and price.
XXL History Teaching Bundle – Grades 6 to 9 | Complete Curriculum
World History: Complete Curriculum Bundle: Projects, Activities & Lessons (1000+ pages)
XXL Medieval History Bundle – Black Death, Feudalism & Society
Complete History Teaching Bundle: Lesson Plans, Worksheets & Resources Teachers
Teach-Life-Balance: The Complete Time-Saving Course for Teachers (incl. Planner, Guides & Templates)
The real problem
Two courses, one teacher
Teaching history and civics in the same year sounds efficient, since both deal with power, rights and government. In practice it often means two separate preps with no time to connect them. Civics asks students to understand ideas such as citizenship, representation and the rule of law, which are abstract for twelve- and thirteen-year-olds. History can make those ideas concrete: Athenian citizens voting in the assembly, workers organizing for better conditions, countries giving up some sovereignty to cooperate after a devastating war. But that only works if the history units actually address political systems rather than just events. Teachers in this situation also face a time squeeze. Civics often has its own required content and sometimes its own test, and history can get reduced to whatever is left. Students notice when the two courses feel unrelated. What helps is history material that treats government and participation as recurring themes, so a lesson on Roman government or labor movements also builds the vocabulary and reasoning students need in civics.
Why it fits
Where the bundle supports civics
These units give history lessons a civic thread. They supplement rather than replace your civics course.
- Greek and Roman political systems units introduce citizenship, voting and representation early.
- Democracy units in modern history trace how participation expanded and was contested.
- Labor movements units show citizens organizing to change laws and working conditions.
- European integration, a civics and history topic, shows states cooperating through shared institutions.
- Source tasks on political material build the reasoning students need for civic discussion.
- Critical thinking in the skills strand supports evaluating claims, a shared goal of both courses.
Getting started
Linking history and civics in practice
A suggested approach for connecting the two courses. Adjust to your civics requirements.
- List your civics key conceptsWrite down the main civics ideas you must teach, such as citizenship, rights and representation. Then note which history units touch each one, so you can plan where the two courses support each other.
- Teach ancient government as a previewUse the Greek and Roman political systems content early in the year. Refer back to it when civics introduces modern government structures, so students can compare ancient and modern ideas of citizenship.
- Pair democracy units with civics lessonsSchedule the history democracy unit close to related civics lessons, so students see the historical roots of ideas they are studying. Point out shared vocabulary in both classes.
- Use labor movements for participationUse the labor movements unit to discuss how ordinary people organized and pushed for change in laws and working conditions. It connects well to civic participation topics.
- Close with cooperation between statesTeach European integration to discuss how countries share decisions through common institutions. It gives students a useful comparison point for how governments cooperate and negotiate.
What to buy
What to buy for a history-and-civics load
The XXL History Teaching Bundle at $249.90 covers the full history year and gives you the overlapping units. If you want a focused civics and history resource, European Integration – Civics & History is also sold separately for $12.99, and Industrialization & Labor Movements costs $12.99. If your history course is world history with a strong focus on the development of democracy, the World History Complete Curriculum Bundle ($249.90) lists that topic among many others. With two preps, Teach-Life-Balance ($89.90) may help with the planning load.
Honest limits
What it does not cover
This is a history bundle. It does not teach the structure of the U.S. Constitution, branches of government, state government or any required civics test content; you need separate civics material for those. It makes no alignment claim for history or civics, so check it against both sets of requirements. Overlap is a suggestion based on unit topics. Team use needs a short message to Teach Lessons first. Should the bundle not suit your two-course load, a 7-day exchange for equal store credit is available; there is no cash refund.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Is it aligned to civics or history standards?
No. It is written for history across Grades 6 to 9 and makes no alignment or endorsement claim with any history or civics framework. Compare the overlapping units with your civics requirements and expect to use separate material for core civics content such as government structure, rights and responsibilities, and any required civics test.
Does it teach U.S. government?
No. The bundle's units cover periods from ancient civilizations to the contemporary era. Democracy and political systems appear, but not a study of U.S. government structure, the Constitution or the branches of government. Use dedicated civics material for those topics and let the history units provide background and comparison.
Which units overlap most with civics?
Greek and Roman political systems, democracy, labor movements and European integration overlap most. These give students historical examples of citizenship, participation and cooperation between states, which makes abstract civics vocabulary easier to understand when it comes up in your other course. Teaching them close to related civics lessons strengthens the connection.
Can I use it to prepare for a civics test?
It can build background knowledge and reasoning skills, such as weighing evidence and evaluating claims, but it does not include civics test content. Use dedicated civics material for test preparation, and treat the history units as context that helps students understand why civic institutions exist.
Does it treat political topics neutrally?
The units concentrate on events, evidence and weighing sources rather than opinions. They do not promote political views. You moderate discussions in your classroom, and in a civics setting that matters even more, so clear norms for disagreement and a habit of asking for evidence help keep conversations balanced.
How soon can I start planning?
Right after purchase. The files download immediately and remain in your account under Orders. With two courses to plan, it helps to map the overlapping units onto your civics calendar first and then fill in the rest of the history year around them, so both courses move in step where they share ideas.
Let your history units carry some of the civics load
Look at the democracy, labor and integration units on the product page before planning both courses.
See the history bundle →