Grade Levels: 5th or 8th (aligns with ~50% of 5th and 8th grades common core standards)
Subjects: Social Studies - History, U.S. History, American History, World History
Resource Type: Curriculum, Homeschool Curriculum, Printables
Pages: 136
Bring U.S. history to life with this comprehensive, literature-rich Modern American History Curriculum! Covering 1870 to 1968 in 8 engaging units, this 136-page full-year course helps students explore the key events and movements that shaped modern America. Designed for family-style learning, it blends living books, hands-on projects, timelines, map activities, and critical thinking exercises to make history meaningful, accessible, and FUN for kids ages 9+.
This is a perfect course to complete after Early American History.
What’s Included:
- 8 complete units aligned with Social Science Standards
- Literature lists featuring living history books
- Hands-on projects, timelines, and mapping activities
- No-prep worksheets and printables
- Adaptable for multiple grade levels and co-op settings
Units & Standards Alignment:
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Unit 1: Second Industrial Revolution (1870–1914)
Standards: 5.8 (Industrial Revolution), 8.12 (Rise of industry & big business)
Skills: Cause/Effect, Timelines, Technological Innovations
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Unit 2: Immigration to America (1900–1915)
Standards: 5.9 (Immigration & diversity), 8.12.4 (Immigrant experience)
ELA Integration: Interview, Report Writing, Role Play
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Unit 3: World War I (1914–1918)
Standards: 5.10 (U.S. in WWI), 8.12.7 (WWI causes & effects), 10.5 (Global context)
Skills: Map Analysis, Propaganda Analysis, Timeline Sequencing
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Unit 4: Women’s Suffrage (1917–1920)
Standards: 8.12.6 (Political & social reform), Civic Engagement, Voting Rights
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Unit 5: The Great Depression (1929–1939)
Standards: 5.11 (Great Depression), 8.12.8 (Economic collapse & Dust Bowl), 10.8 (New Deal)
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Unit 6: World War II (1939–1945)
Standards: 5.10.5 (WWII Homefront), 8.12.9 (Causes, Holocaust, Internment), 10.6 (Global impacts)
Skills: Biographies, Mapping, Primary Sources
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Unit 7: The Cold War & Proxy Wars (1947–1991)
Standards: 8.12.10 (Foreign policy & Cold War), 10.9 (Ideological conflict, proxy wars)
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Unit 8: Civil Rights Movement (1954–1968)
Standards: 8.12.11 (Civil Rights era), 10.11 (Social justice, key leaders, legal changes)
Perfect For:
- Homeschool families
- 5th or 8th grade students (adaptable for 10th grade)
- Multi-age classrooms or co-op groups
- Teachers seeking story-based, American & World history
Created by a homeschool mom of three, this program is both rigorous and engaging—making history a subject your students will love.
This is the digital version. We also offer a printed version here.
*We offer a 30-day return on our printed products only. 30 days is calculated from the day you receive your item. Items must be returned in new condition. Customer will be responsible for return shipping cost.
