2008 History and Social Science Standards of Learning: Using
Student Engagement To Support Active Learning and Assessment
January 2013
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2 We need to approach social studies instruction differently.
No longer is memorizing the facts enough. While students still need
to know the basic facts, they also need to be able to apply the
essential skills, make connections, compare and contrast, analyze
primary sources, interpret maps and charts, and organize
information in flow charts and time lines. Teachers need to focus
on "doing history" not just "knowing history."
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3 The Curriculum Framework amplifies the Standards of Learning
by defining the content understandings, knowledge, and skills that
are measured by the Standards of Learning assessments. Each
Standard of Learning includes at least one framework page divided
into four columns that include: essential understandings; essential
questions; essential knowledge; and essential skills. 2008 History
and Social Science Standards of Learning Curriculum Framework
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4 Assessment items may be drawn from any of the four columns
and items may not and should not be a verbatim reflection of the
information presented in the Curriculum Framework.
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5 Essential Skills in the Curriculum Framework
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6 Teaching Strategies to Support Rigor and Student Engagement
Using inquiry methods to help students seek their own answers
Finding ways to make learning relevant to the real world Using
content vocabulary to show understanding Integration of technology
Construction of understanding Using Backwards Design in lesson
planning Helping students learn strategies they need to attack
challenging text, detect bias, gather relevant information, and
decide how to put what theyve learned to work in a useful way
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7 Skills in Virginia Studies VS.1 The student will demonstrate
skills for historical and geographical analysis and responsible
citizenship, including the ability to a) identify and interpret
artifacts and primary and secondary source documents to understand
events in history; b) determine cause-and-effect relationships; c)
compare and contrast historical events; d) draw conclusions and
make generalizations; e) make connections between past and present;
f) sequence events in Virginia history; g) interpret ideas and
events from different historical perspectives; h) evaluate and
discuss issues orally and in writing; i) analyze and interpret maps
to explain relationships among landforms, water features, climatic
characteristics, and historical events.
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8 History and Social Science Assessments Released Items for
History and Social Science 2013 complete test in the spring 2011 -
7 sample items per test 2007 complete test 2003 10 sample items per
test
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9 2008 History and Social Science Standards of Learning
Assessment and Blueprint Information There have been no changes to
the number of items or the test format. Technology enhanced items
(TEI) are not included in the history and social science tests.
Each test continues to include items that have a range of
difficulty; however, the overall rigor of the tests has increased.
Approximately 50 percent of the questions on the new tests require
students to apply knowledge, compare information, or analyze and
interpret information in order to respond to the item.
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10 Virginia Studies Blueprint Summary Table
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11 Assessments Then and NowGrade 3
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12 Assessments Then and NowVirginia Studies
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13 Assessments Then and NowUnited States History to 1865
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14 Assessments Then and NowUnited States History 1865 to the
Present
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15 Assessments Then and NowCivics and Economics
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16 Assessments Then and NowWorld Geography
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17 Assessments Then and Now Virginia and United States
History
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18 THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO FOR YOUR STUDENTS!
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19 Thank you! Please contact me if I can be of any further
assistance! Betsy Barton, History and Social Science Specialist
E-mail: [email protected]@doe.virginia.gov
With acknowledgment to Dr. Beverly Thurston, retired history and
social science coordinator, who assisted with this
presentation.
