How to Create a US History Curriculum

When planning out curriculum, language arts and math lessons are easy to come by. In fact, in many schools, all-inclusive curriculum programs are just given to you. But, more often than not, it is up to teachers to find or create a US History curriculum.

To help make this process quicker and easier for you, I have designed a free, editable long-range planning template for Google Sheets. I’ve included a step-by-step explanation of how to go about this planning process. I have also created a sample long-range US History plan to use as a reference in your own planning.

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What Is Long-Range Planning?

When creating a U.S. History curriculum, the first and most important step is to build a curriculum map — also called a long-range plan. In this process, you study your grade-level standards and map out when you’ll teach each one over the course of the school year.

Now, I know what you might be thinking: “I don’t have time for that!” And honestly, I get it. Even for experienced teachers, curriculum mapping can feel like a daunting task.

But here’s the thing… A little planning upfront saves you a lot of time and stress down the road. So grab your grade-level team, and let’s get started!

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Steps to Create a US History Curriculum

I’ve created an editable template using Google Sheets. To use the template, you will need a Gmail account.

How to Access the Template: 

• Open the long-range plan template. Make a copy of the template in your Google Drive.
• Notice that the template has multiple tabs. You can toggle between the tabs by clicking on the buttons on the bottom left.
  • The first tab is a blank template for you to customize.
  • The other tabs are examples of long-range plans.

Tab 1: Blank Template

Tab 2: Example Completed Curriculum Map Using Texas Standards

Watch this video tutorial for step-by-step instructions:

 

Once you have the template open, here’s how to fill it in:

• Add your subjects or classes across the top row.
• Add your school dates in the first column. I like to note any 3-day or 4-day weeks so I can plan accordingly. See example below.
• Add school breaks. You can insert a new row to indicate each break, then merge the cells and label it (e.g., “Thanksgiving Break”).

How to insert a row in Google Sheets:

1. Left-click on a row
2. Click “Insert 1 row above”
3. Name the row (e.g., “Thanksgiving Break”)
4. Merge the cells across the row

A few other things to block off while you’re at it:

• The first week of school for routines and procedures
• Time for an introductory unit
• End-of-year projects, performances, or testing

Finally, count up the total number of full weeks you have available to teach U.S. history standards. You’ll need this number for Step 4!

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Step 2: Study Your US History Standards

Each state has its own U.S. History standards, so start by printing out the standards for your grade level. Read through each one carefully to make sure you fully understand what students are expected to learn.

In the video below, I walk through my favorite method for highlighting and breaking down the standards so they’re easier to work with.

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Step 3: Group Standards Into Units

Once you’re familiar with your standards, the next step is to organize them into logical groups — these will become your units. In most cases, you’ll teach one standard per unit, though some may be grouped together if they’re closely related.

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Step 4: Decide How Many Weeks to Spend on Each Unit

Refer back to the total number of instructional weeks you counted in Step 1. Now, distribute that time across your units.

A few things to keep in mind:

• Standards with more sub-standards or objectives will naturally take longer to teach.
• Give extra time to units that are more complex or carry more weight in your standards.
• Your first few units may need a little more breathing room since you’ll still be establishing routines.
• A good rule of thumb: plan for units that are 2–3 weeks long.

Watch this video tutorial for step-by-step instructions:

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Step 5: Add Your Units to the Long-Range Planning Sheet

Now it’s time to bring it all together! Here’s how to add your units to the spreadsheet:

1. Click the cell to the right of the week the unit will begin.
2. Type the unit title.
3. Repeat for each unit.

Since most units span multiple weeks, I recommend merging the cells so each unit appears as one clean block on your map.

Watch this video tutorial for step-by-step instructions:

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Step 6: Print It Out and Celebrate!

You did it! Your curriculum map is complete!

Print out your finished map and keep it somewhere you can reference it often throughout the year. You may also want to share a copy with your administrators.

Planning an entire year of U.S. History can feel overwhelming, but having a clear roadmap makes all the difference. I hope this template saves you time and helps you head into the school year feeling prepared and confident!

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