This school year, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) is requiring students to take Standards of Learning (SOL) tests in Virginia Studies, Civics & Economics, World Geography, World History I, World History II, and Virginia & United States History. In Virginia Studies, Civics & Economics, and Virginia & United States History, students will be assessed on the 2015 standards. In World Geography, World History I, and World History II, students will be assessed on the 2008 standards. Please note: The only students who will need to take SOL tests in high school EOC courses (World Geography, World History I, World History II, and Virginia & United States History) are those who still need to earn a verified credit in Social Studies.

That being said, in alignment with our Framework for Quality Learning (FQL) and VDOE expectations around high-quality instruction and assessment, we want to continue to teach through our inquiry mini-units (IDMs) and through inquiry in general. We know that the important understandings, knowledge, and skills will stick if we frame our instruction around compelling questions and have students explore these compelling questions through supporting questions, tasks, and sources.

In elementary, our content pacing guides include all of our inquiry mini-units (IDMs). In secondary, our inquiry sheet includes all of our inquiry mini-units.

In third grade, sixth grade US I, and seventh grade US II, we are still teaching through our inquiry mini-units and performance tasks, and we’re still able to use those as our VDOE accountability measure. Please check content pacing guides and the inquiry sheet to find those inquiry mini-units.

Questions? Please reach out to Neeley Minton, Lead Coach for Social Studies.