The McGraw Hill curriculum has developed a social studies curriculum resource that is standards-based.  The curriculum is based on the adopted social studies standards from Rhode Island (2023). Portsmouth Middle School will begin piloting this new curriculum resource during the 2025-2026 school year, with a full implementation for the 2026-2027 school year.  This curriculum dovetails well with the ELA content, supporting students’ comprehension and writing skills through social studies topics. 

Having examined Rhode Island, the early United States, and global histories, grade 8 students engage in a deeper exploration of civic life and the roots, institutions, and structures of government at the national and state levels.  Additionally, students examine the relationships between government roles and entities, as well as the rights and responsibilities of citizens and the press.  This course has a culminating civics requirement that will earn students a graduation proficiency for high school.