Participate Civics: Middle School
Participate MS is a curriculum developed by CPS in partnership with teachers, students and partners to meet the required state civics graduation requirement for Middle School signed into law in 2019.
Participate Civics Curriculum, Middle School
Part of an effort to correct historical imbalances, the curriculum is designed to ensure every CPS student develops the critical knowledge, skills, and dispositions they need to be powerful civic actors in our democracy and their communities at any age.
Two Essential Questions provide the underpinnings of the course and curriculum:
- What knowledge, skills, and dispositions does a person need in order to be a powerful civic actor in our democracy and in our community?
- How will I use my rights and responsibilities to promote the common good in our democracy and community?
Accessing the Participate Curriculum and Trainings
If your school adopted skyline:
- If your school has adopted Skyline, 8th grade Social Science teachers will participate in 2 asynchronous training sessions. These training sessions will allow participants to interact with Safari Montage while accessing the Skyline curriculum, receive an overview of how to use key components of the Skyline curriculum which includes the Teacher Facilitation Guides (TFG), student reader/journals, slates and how to leverage the anchor concepts for a powerful 8th grade year.
- Curriculum can be found on Skyline.
If your school did NOT adopt skyline,
- REQUIRED to receive Curriculum: Introduction to the CPS Civics Course and Curriculum Webinar Series for non Skyline adoptees: This 3-part webinar series is strongly recommended for ALL teachers teaching the course. These trainings will introduce participants to the new Civics Mandate, and the new Civics Curriculum. Upon completion of this 3-part series, teachers will receive access to the CPS Participate Civics Curriculum via a link provided at the end of Module 3.
Not sure what skyline is?
- Visit the Skyline Social Science page.
Curricular Resources and Units
- 6-12 Social Science Scope and Sequence: Provides educators with an outline for planning and facilitating culturally responsive, inquiry-based social science learning experiences for students.
- 6-12 Social Science Scope and Sequence Guide: Provides educators with a step-by-step guide to navigate the scope and sequence.
- Social Science History Content Mandates: Curricular supports for a more diverse curriculum related to CPS and Illinois mandates.
- K-12 Social Science and Civic Engagement Curriculum Index/Map: Outlines grade level topics, themes, essential questions and district developed and implemented curricula.
- Master Social Science Mandate Implementation Guidance: Information regarding policies that mandate content and/or curriculum that must be addressed in Chicago Public Schools.
- K-12 Illinois Social Science Learning Standards
- Facing History and Ourselves: Choices in Little Rock (8th Grade - visit this link for info on workshops to receive unit resources)
- Reparations Won (8th Grade)
- Service Learning Project