INFORMATIONAL

At the direction of the Board of Education, the Virginia 
Department of Education worked with the Virginia Consortium of 
Social Studies Specialists and College Educators (VCSSSCE) to 
produce a History and Social Science Teacher Resource Guide 
for the History and Social Science Standards of Learning 
(SOL). The Teacher Resource Guide amplifies the knowledge and 
skills presented in each standard. The guide does not 
constitute a revision of the History and Social Science 
Standards of Learning, but will serve as a tool to enable 
classroom teachers to teach more effectively the history and 
social science standards.

Once the amplifications identified in the Teacher Resource 
Guide are in place, only the information identified under 
Essential Understanding, Essential Questions, Essential 
Knowledge, and Essential Skills will be included on the state 
assessments for history and the social sciences.  It is 
anticipated that it will require one year for the assessment 
program to be fully aligned with the Teacher Resource Guide.

Enclosed is a copy of the Teacher Resource Guide and a 
diskette containing both DOS and MAC PageMaker 6.5 versions of 
the guide. Access to the guide is also available from the 
Department of Education website at http://www.pen.k12.va.us/. 
Also enclosed is a letter from Dr. Rebecca S. Hayes, president 
of VCSSSCE, acknowledging the assistance of that organization 
in production of the Teacher Resource Guide.

Please reproduce the guide as necessary to address the needs 
of your teachers and administrators. Questions about uses of 
the guide should be directed to Harvey R. Carmichael (804-
225-2891) and Joan L. Spence (804-786-7076), history and 
social science specialists, Virginia Department of Education.

PDS/HRC/hc

Enclosures:     A hard copy of this memo and its enclosures 
                will be sent to the superintendent's office.