Middle School

Unit Overview

Unit Title

Literacy Lab

Unit Duration

August 27, 2025 - October 10, 2025

Total School Days: 29

# Lesson Days: 25

# Flex Days: 2

# Benchmark Days: 2

Unit Description / Summary

The Grade 6 ARC Literary Lab Launch Unit builds the foundation for a year of independent reading, writing, and inquiry. This unit is designed to cultivate a classroom culture where students see themselves as readers, writers, and thinkers. Students are immersed in a variety of high-interest fiction and nonfiction texts, allowing them to develop strong reading identities and habits through the 100 Book Challenge. 

In this Unit, students will:

 • As a class, read and discuss at least two related grade-level texts, one literature and   one informational 

• Write every day, for a variety of purposes and in a variety of modes. 

• Take at least two pieces of writing through to publication. 

• Practice applying a variety of Grade-Level Standards to both reading  and writing

Curriculum

American Reading Company (ARC)

Unit Overview

Unit Title

Latin America - Informational Research Lab

Unit Duration

October 14, 2025 - January 9, 2026

Total School Days: 50

# Lesson Days: 45

# Flex Days: 4

# Benchmark Days: 1

Unit Description / Summary

The second unit of ARC Core builds on the routines and inquiry skills developed in the Literacy Lab while introducing a deeper focus on thematic research within a Social Studies context. In this unit, students become an inquiry-driven research community as they investigate the geography, culture, histories, and current issues of Latin American countries. 

Each student selects a country to explore in depth, answering research questions that span topics such as biomes, historical milestones, ethnic and religious influences, government structures, economic systems, and contemporary challenges. Students read across genres and levels to build expertise and develop critical thinking. 

By the end of the unit, students will write, revise, and publish an original informational book that demonstrates both content knowledge and informational writing skills. This unit strengthens research habits, civic awareness, and cross-cultural understanding while developing students’ voices as informed writers. 

Curriculum

American Reading Company (ARC)

Unit Overview

Unit Title

World Mythology - Literature Genre Lab

Unit Duration

January 12, 2026 - March 27, 2026

Total School Days: 51

# Lesson Days: 45

# Flex Days: 3

# Benchmark Days: 3

Unit Description / Summary

The third unit of ARC Core invites students into a rich thematic exploration of world mythology and ancient civilizations, building on the reading, writing, and inquiry routines established in earlier units. Students engage as an inquiry community - reading widely, discussing deeply, and generating knowledge together. 

Through a study of Greek and Roman myths alongside global mythology, students examine how ancient stories convey cultural values, beliefs, and worldviews. They examine literary elements such as theme, character archetypes, plot structure, and setting, while also exploring the historical and cultural contexts from which myths emerge. 

The unit culminates in two major writing projects: a comparative literary essay analyzing different myths or retellings, and an original myth-inspired short story or picture book. These tasks allow students to demonstrate both critical thinking and creative expression as they apply what they’ve learned about literary craft and cultural storytelling. 

This unit strengthens students’ understanding of literature as a cultural artifact and encourages them to reflect on how ancient stories continue to shape the world today. 

Curriculum

American Reading Company (ARC)

Unit Overview

Unit Title

Ancient Civilizations - Argument Research Lab

Unit Duration

March 30, 2026 - June 16, 2026

Total School Days: 50

# Lesson Days: 45

# Flex Days: 1

# Benchmark Days: 4

Unit Description / Summary

This unit invites students to explore the essential question: What is civilization, and why are ancient civilizations so enduring and influential? From Egyptian embalming to Roman gladiators, students are drawn into the drama and complexity of early human societies as they investigate the rise and fall of civilizations across time. 

Throughout the unit, students conduct deep research on a selected ancient civilization - such as Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, Greece, Rome, or the Maya - using a structured set of inquiry questions. They explore geography, societal structures, technological advancements, government systems, religion, and cultural contributions. They also develop familiarity with archaeology and mythology as essential genres for understanding the past. 

The culminating task is an argumentative essay in which students take a clear position about the significance or legacy of their chosen civilization. They support their claims with evidence gathered through inquiry, while learning to reason, cite sources, and communicate persuasively. 

By the end of the unit, students gain a rich understanding of how civilizations shape human history - and how the beliefs, innovations, and conflicts of the past continue to resonate today. 

Curriculum

American Reading Company (ARC)

Unit Overview

Unit Title

Literacy Lab

Unit Duration

August 27, 2025 - October 10, 2025

Total School Days: 29

# Lesson Days: 25

# Flex Days: 2

# Benchmark Days: 2

Unit Description / Summary

In the first Unit of ARC Core, students will fall in love with reading through books that are too good to resist, a community of peers who read and talk about books together, and a teacher who believes in them and helps them develop both reading passions and reading skills. Students are immersed in a variety of high-interest fiction and nonfiction texts, allowing them to develop strong reading identities and habits through the 100 Book Challenge. 

In this Unit, students will:

 • As a class, read and discuss at least two related grade-level texts, one literature and   one informational 

• Write every day, for a variety of purposes and in a variety of modes. 

• Take at least two pieces of writing through to publication. 

• Practice applying a variety of Grade-Level Standards to both reading  and writing

Curriculum

American Reading Company (ARC)

Unit Overview

Unit Title

American Revolution & New Nation - Informational Research Lab

Unit Duration

October 14, 2025 - January 9, 2026

Total School Days: 50

# Lesson Days: 45

# Flex Days: 4

# Benchmark Days: 1

Unit Description / Summary

In this second unit of ARC Core, students deepen their reading, writing, and research skills by engaging in thematic inquiry into a major Social Studies topic: the American Revolution and the founding of the United States. Building on the routines from the Literacy Lab, students become a collaborative research community - reading widely, analyzing evidence, debating ideas, and constructing new knowledge together. 

Each student selects a significant historical event from the era to investigate. Through guided research questions, they explore its cause, geographic context, and impact on different groups, including African Americans, Native Nations, and women. They also examine connections to the Constitution and the event’s long-term legacy. 

The culminating project is an original, student-published informational book that integrates research findings with nonfiction text features such as timelines, maps, glossaries, and illustrations. Students present their work to an authentic audience, demonstrating both historical understanding and mastery of informational writing. 

This unit fosters critical thinking, civic literacy, and pride in authorship, while helping students recognize the complexities of America’s revolutionary past and its continued relevance today. 

Curriculum

American Reading Company (ARC)

Unit Overview

Unit Title

Early American Historical Fiction - Literature Genre Lab

Unit Duration

January 12, 2026 - March 27, 2026

Total School Days: 51

# Lesson Days: 45

# Flex Days: 3

# Benchmark Days: 3

Unit Description / Summary

The third unit of ARC Core builds upon the reading, writing, and inquiry routines established in the Literacy Lab and Informational Research Lab, while adding a new layer: thematic inquiry into a literary genre. In this unit, students explore Early American Historical Fiction to investigate how stories set in the past can reveal truths about identity, justice, freedom, and belonging. 

Students read widely across novels, biographies, and historical accounts to understand how authors portray real events through fictional lenses. They analyze literary elements such as characters, setting, plot, and theme while developing skills in comparative literary analysis. Alongside their analytical work, students draft and publish an original historical fiction short story or picture book that reflects their understanding of the genre and historical period. 

Throughout the unit, students continue to engage as an inquiry community - reading, writing, questioning, debating, and building knowledge together. This unit strengthens their capacity to think critically about the past and to craft compelling narratives that connect history to the human experience. 

Curriculum

American Reading Company (ARC)

Unit Overview

Unit Title

Westward Expansion - Argument Research Lab

Unit Duration

March 30, 2026 - June 16, 2026

Total School Days: 50

# Lesson Days: 45

# Flex Days: 1

# Benchmark Days: 4

Unit Description / Summary

During the 1800s, harsh economic conditions in Europe and Asia encouraged more immigration to the United States. For most of the first half of that century, the vast majority of the U.S. population lived east of the Mississippi. 

However, given the ambitions of France, England, and Spain, it became clear that the huge territory that lay to the west of the Mississippi must be populated by U.S. citizens if the fledgling government intended to hold on to it. The 1848 discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill, in California, added the promise of wealth to the lure of the West. 

Homesteaders established farms, clashing with Native American neighbors; merchants set up shop while struggling to create law and order; and cowboys worked the range while cattle barons created dynasties. Beginning in 1854, approximately 200,000 children rode orphan trains west for placement in new families. 

Everyday life was primitive on the Western frontier as settlers batted the elements to carve a living in the wilderness. During the upcoming weeks, your students will gain an appreciation for what the earth offers as they learn about pioneers in the Wild West. 

In this unit, students explore these varied and often conflicting narratives through a thematic inquiry into Westward Expansion. Working as a research community, they select a specific group - such as Native Nations, settlers, immigrants, enslaved people, women, or children - and investigate that group’s experiences, contributions, and challenges during the 19th century. 

The unit culminates in a research-based argument essay in which students take a clear position on a topic connected to their group’s experience. They gather evidence, analyze primary and secondary resources, and craft an argument that reflects both historical complexity and persuasive reasoning. Some students may also share their arguments through debates and oral presentations. 

By the end of the unit, students will gain a deeper understanding of how Westward Expansion was shaped by opportunity, conflict, displacement, and survival - and how the stories of many different people converged to shape the United States as we know it today. 

Curriculum

American Reading Company (ARC)

Unit Overview

Unit Title

Literacy Lab

Unit Duration

August 27, 2025 - October 10, 2025

Total School Days: 29

# Lesson Days: 25

# Flex Days: 2

# Benchmark Days: 2

Unit Description / Summary

The first unit of ARC Core Grade 8 is designed to help students fall in love with reading through high-interest books, a supportive community of peers, and intentional teacher guidance. This Literacy Lab focuses on developing students’ identities as readers by fostering authentic engagement, independent reading habits, and reflective goal setting. 

Students build their reading stamina and deepen their comprehension through the 100 Book Challenge, which encourages daily independent reading in and out of the school. 

In this Unit, students will:

 • As a class, read and discuss at least two related grade-level texts, one literature and   one informational 

• Write every day, for a variety of purposes and in a variety of modes. 

• Take at least two pieces of writing through to publication. 

• Practice applying a variety of Grade-Level Standards to both reading  and writing

Curriculum

American Reading Company (ARC)

Unit Overview

Unit Title

Modern American Historical Fiction - Literature Genre Study

Unit Duration

January 14, 2026 - March 27, 2026

Total School Days: 51

# Lesson Days: 45

# Flex Days: 3

# Benchmark Days: 3

Unit Description / Summary

The third unit of ARC Core deepens students’ reading, writing, and inquiry skills by immersing them in the literary genre of modern American historical fiction. Building on the structures established in earlier units, students engage as an intellectual community - reading widely, analyzing deeply, and using literature to interrogate history, identity, and justice. 

Students examine how authors use fiction to spotlight real historical events and social issues - such as war, civil rights, immigration, labor, and gender inequality. They analyze literacy elements (characterization, setting, plot, and theme) alongside the factual and fictional aspects of each novel. 

This unit challenges students to think critically, write with purpose, and use fiction to explore truth - preparing them to be informed readers and storytellers in a complex world. 

Curriculum

American Reading Company (ARC)

Unit Overview

Unit Title

Civics - Argument Research Lab

Unit Duration

March 30, 2026 - June 16, 2026

Total School Days: 50

# Lesson Days: 45

# Flex Days: 1

# Benchmark Days: 4

Unit Description / Summary

We always hear about the rights of democracy, but the major responsibility of it is participation. - Wynton Marsalis 

Democracy cannot succeed unless those who express their choice are prepared to choose wisely. The real safeguard of democracy, therefore, is education. - Franklin D. Roosevelt

If we desire a society of peace, then we cannot achieve such a society through violence. If we desire a society without discrimination, then we must not discriminate against anyone in the process of building this society. If we desire a society that is democratic, then democracy must become a means as well as an end. - Bayard Rustin

This culminating unit of ARC Core Grade 8 invites students into a powerful, inquiry-based exploration of democracy and civic responsibility. Building on the reading, writing, and research practices developed earlier in the year, students step into the role of informed citizens by investigating one of the fundamental rights or responsibilities of U.S. citizenship. 

Students begin by selecting a specific responsibility - such as voting, freedom of speech, access to education, or serving on a jury - and explore its historical origins, development over time, and relevance today. They examine inequities, such as how certain groups have been excluded from accessing this right, and investigate the roles that local, state, and federal governments, as well as advocacy organizations, play in protecting or enforcing it. 

The unit culminates in a research-based argument essay where students take a clear stance on an issue related to their chosen topic. They use evidence from historical documents, current events, and civic texts to support their claims and propose how individuals and institutions can uphold or expand democratic participation. 

By the end of the unit, students are not only more informed about the U.S. government, politics, and law - they are also empowered to see themselves as active participants in shaping a just and equitable society. 

Curriculum

American Reading Company (ARC)