The curriculum shifts from broader social studies to history in seventh grade. Starting with Reconstruction and moving to the end of World War II, students study the forces and factions that helped to shape America in the 20th century and today. Through research projects, class debates, primary documents, and historical summaries, students explore the multi-faceted debates that impact us today: labor unions and corporate interests; progressivism; immigration populism, segregation, and integration; and imperialism and the emergence of the US as a global power. Students complete the Decades Project, where they work individually and as part of team to study the culture, politics, key events and figures of a decade from US history. Instruction in the class emphasizes that history is not black and white, but often grey; students are asked to tackle the complexity of those issues and develop solutions and perspectives based on a solid understanding of the events.

The eighth grade history class addresses 20th century world history through the lens of the US. Starting with the beginning of the Cold War, students explore the growth of the US as a global superpower. Because of the period of study is so recent, students take full advantage of first-person accounts of events through guest speakers; they are immersed in the experience of the events with video from the web; and they read primary documents. In the second semester, students complete a high school level research paper that requires them to utilize the Norwood library’s Internet research databases. One of the goals of the paper is to expose students to the rigors and demands of this kind of paper, preparing them for the work they will have in high school.