COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

PRINS. MEMO NO. 53

September 17, 2002

ELEMENTARY / MIDDLE / SECONDARY

TO:

Principals

FROM:

Patricia I. Wright

Assistant Superintendent for Instruction

SUBJECT:

Virginia Studies Web Site: An Online Resource for the Classroom

The Virginia Department of Education is pleased to provide teachers and school divisions with the Web site Virginia Studies: Ready Resources for the Classroom. The Web site supports the 2001 Virginia Studies History and Social Science Standards of Learning and provides online resources correlated to the skills, history, geography, economics, and civics strands of Virginia Studies.

The purpose of the Virginia Studies Web site is to enhance teachers’ content knowledge and their use of instructional strategies for teaching the Virginia Studies Standards of Learning. The Web site is designed for elementary teachers as a guide in the instructional planning process that includes sample lesson plans, maps, pictures, literature connections, and resources designed to support the 2001 History and Social Science Standards of Learning. The site will be a resource for teachers and students to find information on Virginia.

vastudies.pwnet.org. These materials are copyrighted, and all rights are reserved. Reproduction of these materials for instructional purposes in Virginia classrooms is permitted.

If you need additional information about the Web site: Virginia Studies: Ready Resources for the Classroom, please contact Betsy S. Barton (mailto:bbarton@mail.vak12ed.edu), elementary history and social science specialist, at (804) 225-3454; Beverly Thurston (mailto:bthursto@mail.vak12ed.edu), middle history and social science specialist, at (804) 225-2893; or Colleen Bryant (mailto:cbryant@mail.vak12ed.edu), secondary history and social science specialist, at (804) 786-4640.

PIW/BSB/vdg