Tennessee Middle School World History: One Curriculum for Grades 6 and 7

The resources

World History Complete – Middle School, Grades 6–8

Start with the first resource; the others are optional add-ons. Open any cover for the full contents and price.

World History Complete – Ready-to-Use Curriculum for Middle School History

Grades 6–8from $149.90

XXL History Teaching Bundle – Grades 6 to 9 | Complete Curriculum

Grades 6–9$249.90

World History: Complete Curriculum Bundle: Projects, Activities & Lessons (1000+ pages)

Grades 6–10$249.90

Middle School History Units Bundle | Black Death, Peasants, Pompeii, Industrialization, Migration & U.S. Presidents | 9 Resources | Grades 7–9

Grades 7–9$74.99

Teach-Life-Balance: The Complete Time-Saving Course for Teachers (incl. Planner, Guides & Templates)

All grades$89.90

The real problem

Two grades, one long story, and a split in the middle

Tennessee's 2017 social studies standards title Grade 6 World History and Geography: Early Civilizations Through the Fall of the Western Roman Empire, and Grade 7 World History and Geography: The Middle Ages to the Exploration of the Americas. Grade 8 then turns to United States history from colonization to Reconstruction, with an emphasis on Tennessee. The revised standards adopted in February 2024 keep ancient world history in Grade 6; state pages list their start as 2026–27 or 2027–28, so check with your district. The split creates a coordination problem that a single teacher cannot solve alone. If the Grade 6 class stalls in Egypt, Rome gets rushed in May. If Grade 7 assumes students saw Rome's fall in detail, the Middle Ages start with a gap. Both courses also carry geography in the title, which means maps and place matter as much as dates. Materials bought separately for each grade often use different routines, so students relearn how to read a source or a timeline every fall. Using one program across both years keeps the routines steady and lets the two teachers agree on exactly where Grade 6 stops.

Why it fits

Which content areas go to which grade

Here is a rough sort against Tennessee's two course titles. Check each unit before you assign it to a year.

• Early civilizations and ancient societies open Grade 6 with river valleys, writing and early states.
• Classical civilizations and belief systems carry Grade 6 toward Rome and the end of the Western Empire.
• Medieval worlds and global connections give Grade 7 its starting point in the Middle Ages.
• Early modern periods and cultural exchange lead Grade 7 toward exploration and contact with the Americas.
• Maps, timelines and source tasks in every area support the geography half of both course titles.
• Differentiated worksheets help when one class mixes strong readers with students still building skills.

Getting started

Splitting the program between two teachers

These steps assume a Grade 6 and a Grade 7 teacher share one approach. Treat the timing as a suggestion.

1. Agree on the handoff pointSit down with your colleague and mark where Grade 6 ends: the fall of the Western Roman Empire. Everything before goes to Grade 6, the medieval and early modern units to Grade 7.
2. Grade 6: build the source routine earlyUse the first early civilizations units to teach how to read a source, a map and a timeline. Students carry the same routine into Grade 7, which saves weeks of re-teaching.
3. Grade 6: leave time for RomePlan backward from the end of the year so the classical units and the end of the Western Empire get full attention, not a rushed final week before summer.
4. Grade 7: start in the medieval worldOpen with medieval worlds and global connections. If you also own the Middle School History Units Bundle, its Black Death and medieval peasants units make strong additions here.
5. Grade 7: end at explorationFinish with early modern exchange and exploration of the Americas. Add a short bridge on colonization for students heading into Grade 8 U.S. history with its Tennessee focus.

What to buy

What to buy for one classroom or a whole team

One Tennessee Grade 6 or Grade 7 teacher needs World History Complete at $149.90, or $189.90 with the Teach-Life-Balance course ($89.90 on its own). Each teacher buys their own copy or writes to Teach Lessons about team use first. If your Grade 7 course wants more medieval depth, the Middle School History Units Bundle ($74.99, parts $123.91) adds the Black Death, peasant life and Pompeii. The XXL History Teaching Bundle ($249.90) and the World History Complete Curriculum Bundle ($249.90, 1000+ pages) reach far past the Middle Ages, into the World Wars and the Cold War, which suits schools that teach Grades 6–9 from one source.

See the full contents on the product page →

Honest limits

Plain limits for Tennessee teachers

Good to know

Frequently asked questions