COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 80

June 7, 2002

INFORMATIONAL

TO:	Division Superintendents
FROM:	Jo Lynne DeMary Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT:	Information Regarding the History and Social Science Standards of Learning Resource Mali: Ancient Crossroads of Africa website

The Virginia Department of Education is pleased to provide teachers and school divisions with the website Mali: Ancient Crossroads of Africa. The website highlights the Virginia History and Social Science Standards of Learning (3.2, 3.4a, b, c, 3.8, USI.4c, WHI.1d, WHI.10a, b, d, WHII.1d, WHII.2a, WG.3a, b, c, and WG.4) and provides information about the early West African empire of Mali.

Mali: Ancient Crossroads of Africa is designed for elementary, middle, and secondary teachers as a guide in the instructional planning process for teaching the history, geography, and economics of the early West African empire of Mali. The Mali website includes information, pictures, maps, videos, lesson plans, links, and resources to support the 2001 Virginia History and Social Science Standards of Learning. The site will be a resource for teachers and students to find information on historical and modern Mali.

Mali: Ancient Crossroads of Africa is available at the following website address: http://mali.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 Mali: Ancient Crossroads of Africa website, 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.

JLD/BSB/vdg