Department of Social Sciences

Check List for Social Studies Departments in Preparation for

7th Grade Civics End of Course Test

Have I reviewed the Test Item Specifications for the Civics End of Course Exam?

  • The Test Item Specifications can be found on the Department of Social Sciences website by clicking on the blue box, titled, Documents. Once you click the blue box, scroll down and find the blue box, titled, End of Course (EOC) (right bottom side of web page), click and then find the title: Civics EOC Item Specifications. Click to open file and view.

Am I using the most updated Pacing Guide to plan for instruction?

  • District Pacing Guides support the teaching of the required Next Generation Sunshine State Standards for Social Studies and should be a useful planning tool for Social Studies teachers. Updated Pacing Guides are posted on the Department of Social Sciences website at The Pacing Guides can be found in the center of the webpage in the blue box, titled, Pacing Guides / Lessons. Once you click on the blue box, scroll down under the NGSSS-Social Studies Pacing Guides title to find 7th grade Pacing Guides, listed by each nine week grading period.

In the Civics Pacing Guide, you will find the following:

  • Content Benchmarks highlighted in red are tested on the End of Course Exam for Civics. There are 35 tested content Benchmarks. There are five additional Also Assessed content Benchmarks that each fall under a particular tested Benchmark.
  • Associated with each red highlighted Benchmark is a link to a lesson plan (highlighted in yellow) complete with a detailed lesson plan, all readings, handouts, and a pre-post quiz to be used during instruction in order to emphasize the importance of tested Benchmarks.
  • The five Also Assessed content Benchmarks that are also assessed on the End of Course Exam for Civics are highlighted in green throughout the Pacing Guide. Although separate lesson plans do not exist for the five Also Assessed Benchmarks, the Also Assessed Benchmarks need to be covered when teaching the 35 tested Benchmarks.
  • Associated with each tested Civics End of Course Exam Benchmark is a link to the pages from the Civics End of Course Assessment Test Item Specifications which provides a clarification and breakdown of the Benchmark. These are highlighted in blue.

 Have I utilized all content tested Benchmark lessons with my students?

  • All lesson plans are complete with a detailed lesson plan, readings, handouts, and a pre/post quiz to be used during instruction. There are two ways to access lesson plans.

1. Clicking on the yellow links on the pacing guide.

2. On the website in the center of the page on the blue box, titled, Pacing Guides / Lessons. Once you click the blue box, all lesson plans are listed in order from the Pacing Guide and by benchmark on the right side of the page under the title,7th Grade Civics End of Course Exam Lesson Plans.To access a lesson, click on the +Lessons icon. A listing of 28 lesson plans will appear. Some lessons cover more than one tested benchmark.

  • The password for all lessons is miami-dade-civics. The password is case sensitive, include the dashes.

 Have I reviewed the Civics Exam Blue Print on the Department of Social Sciences website and am I knowledgeable of the 35 Benchmarks that will be tested and five additional Benchmarks that will also be assessed?

  • The blue print information can be found on the Department of Social Sciences website by clicking on the blue box, titled, Documents. Once you click the blue box, scroll down and find the blue box, titled, End of Course (EOC) (right bottom side of web page), click and then find the title: Civics Test Blue Print. Click to open file and view.

How can I access the Year at a Glance document for the 7th Grade Civics course?

  • The Year at a Glance document can be found on the Department of Social Sciences website by clicking on the blue box, titled, Pacing Guides / Lessons. Once you click the blue box, scroll down under the NGSSS-Social Studies Pacing Guides title to find the 7th grade section. Find the document titled Year at a Glance - Civics. This document is a reference guide to major topic headings that will be covered throughout each of the four nine week grading periods.

 Am I using the Social Studies Task Cards to support Language Arts/Reading and providing opportunities for my students to understand complex informational text that may be assessed in the EOC test?

  • Task Cards to support informational text and primary source document analysis can be found on the Department of Social Sciences website by scrolling down on the main website page ( and clicking on the blue box, titled, Documents. Once you click on the blue box, scroll down to the right and click on the blue box, titled, Task Cards. Click the Task Cards blue box to access the task cards, with the middle school task cards labeled Task Cards Grades 6-8 (Part 1, 2, and 3) and Individual Task Cards (Groups 1-3).

 Have I reviewed the multiple resources in the Civics Toolbox and the Civics Toolbox Powerpoint (which includes links to pacing guides, lesson plans, item specifications, Edusoft assessment and resources, item analysis and data based instruction, the Civics curriculum wheel, the textbook and additional resources in preparation for the Civics End of Course exam)?

  • The Civics Tool Box can be found on the Department of Social Sciences website by clicking on the blue box, titled, Documents. Once you click the blue box, scroll down and find the blue box, titled, End of Course (EOC) (right bottom side of web page), click and then find the title: Civics Tool Box. Click to open file and view.
  • The Civics Tool Box Powerpoint can be found on the Department of Social Sciences website by clicking on the blue box, titled, Documents. Once you click the blue box, scroll down and find the blue box, titled, End of Course (EOC) (right bottom side of web page), click and then find the title: Civics Tool Box Powerpoint. Click to open file and view.

All Power Points, Pacing Guides, and Weekly Briefings with information regarding the 7TH Grade Civics End of Course exams are posted on the Department of Social Sciences website: