Instructional Links

These Web sites are a resource for K -3 teachers to aid in expanding knowledge of social studies strategies and instructional practices.

http://curry.edschool.virginia.edu/go/readquest/
ReadingQuest: Making Sense in Social Studies is a Web site for social studies teachers who wish to more effectively engage their students with the content in their classes. Kindergarten through grade three teachers can explore this site filled with many valuable resources and strategies to enhance the curriculum.

http://www.middleweb.com/MWLresources/marzchat1.html
Researchers at Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL) have identified nine instructional strategies that are most likely to improve student achievement across all content areas and across all grade levels. This site offers an outline of the Nine Essential Instructional Strategies.

http://chumby.dlib.vt.edu/melissa/posters/posterset.html
Here are poster sets for kindergarten through grade three that can be used as social studies curriculum resources. These posters include information from the Essential Knowledge of the Virginia Standards of Learning.

http://www.educationalsynthesis.org/
Mrs. P’s Famous Americans has links to biographies covered in the Kindergarten through Grade Three History and Social Science Standards of Learning.

http://edsitement.neh.gov/
Welcome to EDSITEment, The Best of the Humanities on the Web from the National Endowment for the Humanities in partnership with the National Trust for the Humanities and the MarcoPolo Education Foundation.

http://interactive2.usgs.gov/learningweb/teachers/mapadv_guide.htm
U.S. Geological Survey offers seven geography lessons for kindergarten through grade three students through Map Adventures.

http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Instruction/info.pdf
This is the Primary Knowledge of Economics Concepts and Principles for the Economics Strand of K-3 History and Social Science Standards of Learning.

http://ecedweb.unomaha.edu/K-12/K-5.cfm?Grade_Level=yes
EcEdWeb, the Economic Education Web, is your portal to economic education resources in all forms and for all levels.

http://bensguide.gpo.gov/
Ben’s Guide to Government offers many resources to assist teachers with civics and history information covered in the Kindergarten through Grade 3 History and Social Science Standards of Learning.

http://www.socialstudies.org
An information service for educators from the National Council for the Social Studies is provided at this site.

Civics Education Instructional Resources

http://www.civnet.org
CIVNET is an online resource and service for civic education practitioners (teachers, teacher trainers, curriculum designers), as well as scholars, policymakers, civic-minded journalists, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) promoting civic education all over the world.

http://www.civiced.org/index.php?page=online_curricular_materials
The mission of the Center for Civic Education is to promote an enlightened and responsible citizenry committed to democratic principles and actively engaged in the practice of democracy in the United States and other countries. Selected curricular materials available from the Center for Civic Education are available at this site. Materials may be printed or downloaded.

http://bensguide.gpo.gov/pt/index.html
Ben’s Guide to U.S. Government for Kids is the educational component of GPO Access, the Government Printing Office’s (GPO) free online service of official Government information from all three branches of the U.S. Government. Ben’s Guide provides information and activities specifically tailored for educators, parents, and students in K-12.

http://wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/cfapps/free
Civics lessons from the U.S. Department of Education (ED), on behalf of the FREE Working Group, to support federal agencies that would partner with teachers to develop online learning materials and learning communities around agency resources.

http://www.kidsvotingusa.org
Kids Voting USA combines dynamic, hands-on civics activities with an authentic voting experience to get students involved and ready to be active citizens.

http://www.youthleadership.net
Youth Leadership Initiative develops free K-12 civic education resources designed to encourage student interest and participation in the American political process.

http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/civics
Teaching with Historic Places lesson plans have activities that promote civic action by getting students involved in their own community. Many lessons take participation in public service, advocacy for participation in the political process, interest in social issues, civil discourse, and other activities as the focus of the lesson.

http://www.constitutioncenter.org/education
The National Constitution Center created this section to help teachers teach the Constitution and other civic-related topics to students of all ages. Each month this page will feature a new lesson plan highlighting recent Constitutional issues as well as historical events such as the Constitutional Convention.

http://servicelearning.org/resources/lesson_plans
Lesson Plan Library – Civics from Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL)

http://www1.va.gov/opa/feature/celebrate
From the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Celebrating America ’s Freedoms is a collection of stories about some of America ’s most beloved customs and national symbols.

http://eduref.org/cgi-bin/lessons.cgi/Social_Studies
A collection of civics lesson plans from the Educator’s Reference Desk (Information Institute of Syracuse).

Just as the Standards of Learning are not designed to be objectives for individual lessons, no strategy or resource link on the site by itself will satisfy an entire SOL. These links are meant for teachers' use. As with all material found on the Internet, teachers should consider the age appropriateness of the site and be very careful in allowing students to explore these sites unless direct supervision is provided. The Virginia Department of Education is not responsible for the content of various links beyond the initial levels linked in this site and does not officially endorse any software or other products mentioned on the linked sites.