Elementary

• This summer, the Virginia War Memorial is proud to host 1 three-day Teacher Institute and 1 single-day Institute.

• All of the Virginia War Memorial’s teacher programs are FREE, and open to all educators. Lunches are provided for all participants at in-person programs. Teachers are eligible to receive recertification points for each of these programs.

  • REGISTER FOR SUMMER 2024 TEACHER INSTITUTES HERE

Connecting Students to History: A Workshop on Research, Writing, and Photography

• • Tuesday, June 18, 2024

  • 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

  • This fantastic teacher workshop will focus on research strategies and skills for students of all ages. Virginia War Memorial Director of Education Jim Triesler and Archivist Sylvia Marshall will be joined by Major General Mari K. Eder, United States Army (Ret.).  MG Eder is the author of several books, including The Girls Who Stepped Out of Line, featuring untold stories of women during World War II. They will provide strategies and resources for teachers and students who wish to engage in the research process and make lasting connections to history.  We will focus on archival materials and research, teaching with primary sources, project-based learning, photo analysis, genealogical skills, and research methods beyond the archives.  This workshop is designed for history and English teachers, and anyone who loves learning about the past.

Normandy and Beyond: The Fight for Freedom

• • Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, July 16, 17, and 18, 2024 *Space is limited*

  • 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (Except July 17: 7:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. for Charter Bus Trip to the D-Day Memorial in Bedford)

  • Eighty years have passed since the Allies landed on the beaches of Normandy in the greatest amphibious assault in the history of modern warfare. Join us for a three-day look at World War II and the liberation of Europe.  Experience the newest gallery at the Virginia War Memorial, “D-Day + 80,” and its focus on the voices of those who were in France during the summer of 1944.  Acquire resources for lessons from material that has never been published. Enjoy a charter bus trip to the D-Day Memorial in Bedford as part of this institute.

• REGISTER FOR SUMMER 2024 TEACHER INSTITUTES HERE

•  July 25-26

• Longwood's 20th Summer Literacy Institute will be held on campus with the theme, Literacy Aloud. 

• Join young-adult author A.S. King, storyteller and author Donna L. Washington, and authors Lynsey Burkins and Franki Sibberson, in addition to a variety of concurrent sessions celebrating children’s and young adult’s literature. 

• Gain new teaching ideas for your classroom or library. 

• Earn professional development recertification points or graduate credits by attending. 

• Register today! 

CHOICE is expanding to 600+ additional teachers statewide and will now include PreK-12! As a reminder, CHOICE provides up to $2000 per teacher per year for self-selected professional learning opportunities and a supportive virtual professional learning community for all participants to learn, grow, and collaborate! 

While Cohort 1 continues into the 2024-2025 school year, we are adding Cohort 2 which is now open to PreK-12 teachers across Virginia who teach math, science, computer science, or CTE. Our goal is to enroll 600+ additional participants by early summer, each of whom will have access to $2000 for professional learning opportunities they choose. 

This online interest form allows teachers to indicate their interest to learn more about CHOICE and provides their contact information so we may reach out in the coming weeks with additional details. Please note that completing this form is NOT a commitment to enroll in the program.

Additionally, we are offering a few live information sessions for teachers and administrators to attend, learn more about CHOICE, and get questions answered. Please click on a link below to register for the session occuring on the date/time shown:

Tuesday, May 14, 4-5pm

Thursday, May 16, 2:30-3:30pm

Monday, May 20, 4-5pm

Tuesday, May 21, 3:30-4:30pm

About CHOICE

In its fourth year of implementation, CHOICE, a $10.8M initiative funded by the US Department of Education, is currently serving 400 math, science, computer science, and CTE high school teachers from 176 schools across the Commonwealth. With $2000 per year per teacher allocated for self-selected professional learning opportunities, these CHOICE Cohort 1 participants have attended state and national conferences; taken university courses for licensure, graduate degrees, and new endorsements; earned industry certifications; prepared for and taken Praxis assessments - and the list goes on. To date, over $2M has been allocated for Cohort 1 teachers to cover professional learning costs including registration/tuition, lodging, meals, airfare, mileage, and classroom materials for implementation. An additional $1.2M is set aside for Cohort 2 teachers participating during the 2024-2025 school year. All CHOICE participants receive direct support and assistance as needed from a team of dedicated Community of Practice Facilitators and Content Specialists, and there are ample opportunities offered for engaging and collaborating with peers statewide in our virtual professional learning community!

CHOICE Website: virginiaedstrategies.org

CHOICE Flier

NOTE: Please bear with us as we make updates to our website. Current information about CHOICE and our expansion to PreK-12 will show there soon!

VDOE-Sponsored Content Teaching Academies at James Madison University

• • The VDOE is sponsoring content teaching academies on June 24–27, 2024, at James Madison University. 

  • The academies are designed to provide professional development to participating Virginia educators to enhance the outcomes of students with disabilities using high-quality instruction and to promote inclusive practices. 

  • Detailed information about each academy is included in the VDOE-Sponsored Content Teaching Academies Information Summary. 

  • Registration for each academy may be accessed on the JMU Content Teaching Academy 2024 webpage. 

• Using VALLSS Data to Drive Literacy Instruction

• Join The Reading League-Virginia on May 21 from 6-7 p.m. to hear from educators from across our Commonwealth who will share how they use VALLSS data. 

• They will discuss using data to drive instructional grouping on targeted skills and monitor growth. 

• Register today!    

Moton Museum Teacher Institute-MMTI

• Registration is now open for MMTI '24!

• The Robert Russa Moton Museum is excited to announce that registration for this year’s Teacher Institute, themed "Civic Literacy & Educational Access," will open on April 8th. This year marks our 4th Moton Museum Teacher Institute, which will run from June 26th to June 28th. The three-day experience invites educators to explore the role of judicial review in America’s history, learn about the era of Jim Crow as it affected Black Americans, discover new primary resource analysis techniques, and become familiar with the rich history of the Moton Museum. We're proud to partner with the John Marshall House and to return to Twin Lakes State Park. Participants will have two weeks post-Institute to complete all assignments for a suggested 60 recertification points. 

• We updated the REGISTRATION link , with a cap of 20 spots. Preference will be given to Social Studies and Civic Teachers.

•  REGISTER NOW

We are offering our Team-Based Coaching Workshop, now with Part 1 and Part 2 Available!! 

More information is forthcoming, but for now, save these dates!

• July 17 (Part 1) and July 18 (Part 2) at TCC in Virginia Beach: REGISTER

• July 22 (Part 1) and July 23 (Part 2) at BRCC in Weyers Cave: REGISTER

• August 6 (Part 1) and August 7 (Part 2) at CTC@Hull in Chesterfield: REGISTER

July 22-25, 2024 • American Revolution Museum at Yorktown

During this multiday, immersive institute, teachers from around Virginia will explore the complex history of the American Revolution and founding of the United States through hands-on learning activities at the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown.  Learning will take place in the museum's re-created Revolution-era farm and Continental Army encampment as well as through classroom presentations.

Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the diverse peoples and opinions from 18th-century America and acquire a better understanding of the causes and consequences of the American Revolution. Each participant also will receive a kit of reproduction teaching objects they can take back to the classroom.

Highlights include

• • Participate in presentations to support and enhance SOL lessons.  

  • Enjoy a hands-on guided tour of the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown led by education staff.

  • Explore expanded historical content on the events of early colonial Virginia through primary sources and in authentic interactive learning experiences.

  • Experience aspects of daily life for American colonists both before and during the American Revolution.

  • Explore decisions made by Native Americans, free blacks, enslaved individuals and those of European descent during the war against Britain.

  • Collaborate with other Virginia teachers and Jamestown-Yorktown staff to develop classroom lessons related to 18th-century life and the American Revolution.

  • A resource kit to take back to the classroom along with ideas for how to use reproduction objects with your students.

Pre-conference activity

Participants are responsible for completing assigned readings of 18th-century/American Revolution historical content to prepare for the teacher institute. Online reading content will be shared in late spring to allow plenty of time for completion prior to July 22.

Important details

The 2024 Teacher Institute will begin at 1 p.m., Monday, July 22, and end at 1 p.m., Thursday, July 25. Participants will be actively engaged in both indoor and outdoor program activities between 8:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. on the second and third days of the institute. 

Donor funding covers meals, accommodations and a stipend for travel expenses.

At the conclusion of the program, a certificate of participation, including hours, will be issued to each participant.

The teacher institute is free for Virginia teachers, thanks to generous support by the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, Inc. Annual Fund, the Abbitt Family Foundation, the Charles S. and Millicent P. Brown Family Foundation, Audrael and John Chiricotti, Randy and Shelby Hawthorne, and Wilma and Marc Sharp.

Teachers Institute Application Form - Elementary Educators

• • Applications must be submitted by 9 a.m. Eastern Time on April 22, 2024.  

  • Complete the information requested in each box. Please fill in all fields.

  • Click the submit button.

  • You will see a message that your application has been submitted. If you don’t receive confirmation of your application submission, please contact teacher.programs@jyf.virginia.gov.

  • Within two weeks of submission, you will receive confirmation of receipt of your application along with instructions for submitting an administrator’s recommendation letter.

REGISTER TODAY

Weinstein Properties Teachers Institute – Story of Virginia

Session Held: Week of July 8

Description

The Story of Virginia Institute takes a timeline approach to exploring Virginia history, with each day of the 1 week program focused on a different time period, and the majority of gallery time spent in our award-winning Story of Virginia exhibition.

Participants will enjoy a mix of exhibit tours, primary source analysis, guest speakers, and self-guided time to explore. In addition, educators will strengthen their historical thinking skills – sourcing, contextualization, corroboration, and close reading. The VMHC team will provide examples of object-based activities, performance-based assessments, and tips and techniques for engaging students of all ages with primary sources. While yearly lecture and activity topics may change slightly, please view last year’s schedule to see the general structure of this program. 

This institute is open to all K-12 public or private school teachers, though content covered is most directly applicable to Virginia Studies, US 1, US II, and VA-US content. This institute includes stipends for all K-12 public and private school participants in addition to a limited number of travel scholarships. Details below:
•    Stipends - Upon successful completion of class requirements, participants will receive a $250 dollar stipend in addition to reimbursement of the $50 registration fee. 
•    Travel Scholarships - A limited number of travel scholarship are available for teachers that live more than 75 miles outside of Richmond, VA, and can be used to cover travel and lodging expenses. After registering to attend, please email mcreech@virginiahistory.org to apply. 

The cost to register and hold your spot is $50, which will be refunded upon completion of the class. Materials, lunch, and parking validations are provided free of charge, and participating teachers will be eligible for CEUs and recertification points. Please note, this is a week long institute, lasting Monday through Friday.

Please contact Director of Education Maggie Creech at mcreech@virginiahistory.org with any questions or concerns. 

REGISTER TODAY

Weinstein Properties Teachers Institute – Our Commonwealth

Session: Week of July 22

Description

Participants will learn to approach Virginia’s vast history from a geographical and cultural perspective while enjoying a mix of exhibit tours, primary source analysis, guest speakers, and self-guided time to explore. Each day of the 1 week program will focus on a specific region of Virginia, and the VMHC team will provide examples of object-based activities, performance-based assessments, and tips and techniques for engaging students of all ages with primary sources. While yearly lecture and activity topics may change slightly, please view last year’s schedule to see the general structure of this program.

This paid institute is open to all K-12 public or private school teachers and includes stipends for all participants in addition to a limited number of travel scholarships.
•    Stipends - Upon successful completion of class requirements, participants will receive a $250 dollar stipend in addition to reimbursement of the $50 registration fee.
•    Travel Scholarships - A limited number of travel scholarship are available for teachers that live more than 75 miles outside of Richmond, Virginia, and can be used to cover travel and lodging expenses. After registering to attend, please email mcreech@virginiahistory.org to apply. 

The cost to register and hold your spot is $50, which will be refunded upon completion of the class. Materials and lunch are provided free of charge, and participating teachers will be eligible for CEUs and recertification points. Please note, this is a week long institute, lasting Monday through Friday.

Please contact Director of Education Maggie Creech at mcreech@virginiahistory.org with any questions or concerns. 

REGISTER TODAY

• Interested in pursuing your National Board Certification?

• December 2023 – May 2024 a variety of virtual and face-to-face workshops will be held to provide candidate support

• WORKSHOP SERIES FLYER

• Colonial Elementary in Botetourt County will be hosting a World Music Drumming workshop June 10-14, 2024. 

• World Music Drumming is a great curriculum for both elementary music classrooms and secondary general music classes. 

• It explores learning music in Latin, Caribbean, and West African traditions while creating a focus on community and respect. 

• These workshops bring in really great educators to share their knowledge and interested teachers from Bedford County are invited.

• LEARN MORE HERE

• The Virginia Council of Teachers of Mathematics will host their annual conference "Math Adventures" to be held June, 17-18 in Williamsburg.  

• Those interested in sharing their expertise with colleagues from across the Commonwealth should submit proposals by November 4. 

• Early bird registration is open until March 1.  

• Conference updates will be posted on the VCTM webpage.  

The University of Lynchburg's College of Education, Leadership Studies, and Counseling is once again pleased to offer three free dynamic professional development workshops for the 2023-2024 academic year to Lynchburg area educators and school divisions.  We hope that you will share this information with your faculty and staff.  These workshops are limited to 25 participants.  All participants will receive a Certificate upon completion of each workshop.  Our first workshop is a simulation and follow-up to last year's Dyslexia workshop.  

October 23, 2023 - Dyslexia Simulation

March 21, 2024 - Exploring Interactive Geography Tools for the Elementary Classroom

April 9, 2024 - Comprehensive Differentiation Part 2:  Differentiation and Instructional Planning

LEARN MORE HERE

• The Virginia Department of Education, Department of Special Populations is announcing its support program for paraeducators across the Commonwealth for the school year 2023-2024.

• This program provides free professional development, resources, and networking opportunities in partnership with the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). 

• All paraeducators in Virginia are encouraged to visit CEC’s Virginia Paraeducators webpage to activate their free membership. Join CEC’s Paraprofessional full membership and use code VAPARAS23. For questions or assistance, contact service@exceptionalchildren.org. This limited time offer is available to the first 5,000 paraeducators that register before September 15, 2023.

• The CEC paraprofessional one-year membership includes access to:

  • On-demand webinars and online learning opportunities;

  • Tools, templates, and resources to support your daily classroom work;

  • Peer-reviewed journals, TEACHING Exceptional Children and Exceptional Children, featuring the latest research-to-practice trends; and

  • A collaborative online community of paraeducator members to share information, experiences, and network with colleagues.

• Paraeducator members will also receive access to professional development opportunities, including:

  • Four virtual training sessions on High-Leverage Practices (HLPs) covering collaboration, assessment, instruction, and social/emotional/behavioral. Dates for these live sessions will be announced in early fall.

  • Effective and High-Leverage Practices for Paraeducators, an on-demand program with nine hours of instruction on how HLPs connect to the work of paraeducators.

• Inquiries about this program should be directed to Dr. Zenia Burnett, Director of Instructional Services, at Zenia.Burnett@doe.virginia.gov.

• This is a two-year professional development program that allows K-5 educators (teachers, ITRTs, and librarians) to become highly skilled in integrating the Virginia Computer Science SOLs into K-5 English, mathematics, science, and history and social science. 

• Participants will complete the Code VA K-5 Coaches Academy and earn microcredentials in CS Integration that are being offered by ODU, a stipend, receive a free Chromebook, and their choice of a classroom set of CS instructional technology. 

• Recorded presentations for teachers are available on the Growth Assessments page on the VDOE website. 

• The recordings currently posted on this webpage describe:

  • a method for using Standards of Learning assessment data to inform instruction, 

  • assist in using the Student Detail by Question data extract file, and 

  • provide an overview of the Grades 3-8 Reading and Mathematics Growth Assessments for the 2022-2023 school year and beyond. 

• Check out the video Using Standards of Learning Assessment Data to Inform Instruction in Mathematics from VDOE! 

• This video focuses on how to use the most current, comprehensive data aligned to the 2016 Mathematics Standards of Learning and available to teachers before the school year even begins, including data from the spring 2022 SOL test administration.

• Check out the video Using Standards of Learning Assessment Data to Inform Instruction in Reading from VDOE! 

• This video focuses on how to use the most current, comprehensive data aligned to the 2017 English Standards of Learning and available to teachers before the school year even begins, including data from the spring 2022 SOL test administration.

• NEW VDOE Mathematics Professional Learning Asynchronous Courses 

• VDOE Deeper Learning by Design Mathematics Institute: Differentiating Instruction Using Vertical Math Tasks are being offered to Virginia mathematics teachers and teacher leaders. 

• Four Canvas courses: Grades K-2, GR 3-5, GR 6-8, and GR 9-12 will be offered September 19-December 18. 

• The six modules within these Canvas courses are intended to provide an opportunity for participants to explore various differentiation strategies and tools that may be used to deepen student understanding of mathematics. 

• A team of Virginia mathematics educators, who worked closely in the development of these courses, will assist with facilitation of each course. 

• Several optional ‘office hour’ synchronous support sessions will also be provided. 

• Participants will receive a certificate of completion for 24 hours which can be submitted to the local school division for recertification points. 

• Registration will close August 31. 

• Registrants will receive a confirmation email with information about joining the course. 

• This practice guide provides five recommendations for teaching math to children in preschool, prekindergarten, and kindergarten. 

• Each recommendation includes implementation steps and solutions for common roadblocks. The recommendations also summarize and rate supporting evidence. 

• This guide is geared toward teachers, administrators, and other educators who want to build a strong foundation for later math learning.

  1. Teach number and operations using a developmental progression.

  2. Teach geometry, patterns, measurement, and data analysis using a developmental progression.

  3. Use progress monitoring to ensure that math instruction builds on what each child knows

  4. Teach children to view and describe their world mathematically.

  5. Dedicate time each day to teaching math, and integrate math instruction throughout the school day.

• The practice guide is accompanied by supplemental resources, including a practice guide summary and quick overview for understanding the guide. 

• ACCESS these training materials 

• Conscious Discipline is a research based program specializing in social emotional support

  • The Conscious Discipline Brain State Model recognizes three basic brain / body / mind states likely to produce certain behaviors. Intentional, state-specific responses enable access to advanced skills. 

  • Skills transform everyday discipline issues into teachable moments, equipping children with the social-emotional and communication skills needed to manage themselves, resolve conflict and develop healthy behavior. 

• Sampling of Webinar Topics

  • Pre-K Virtual Lesson Example 

  • Visual Morning Schedule

  • COVID-19 Stress: How Uncertainty Affects the Brain 

  • Home Learning and Brain Smart Starts 

  • Make a Multi-sensory Breathing Pinwheel

  • and many more topics!

• Access full title list of webinars HERE

• 200 free digital resources including printables, song lyrics, and extension activities: CLICK HERE

  • Promote literacy and healthy social skills using planning guides, discussion points and worksheets with our Shubert books

  • Brighten your classroom with songs and chants designed to foster connection and optimize learning. Includes album lyrics. 

  • Free resources to support families and educators in their response to the COVID-19 global pandemic. 

  • Discover posters, tools and activities to simplify and strengthen implementation. Includes templates and ritual plans. 

• The Deeper Learning video series illustrates deeper learning across the Commonwealth of Virginia. 

• These segments were designed to provide real-life examples of teachers implementing deeper learning and how it looks in a variety of settings.

• This series was produced by WHRO Education in partnership with Jobs for the Future, Inc., the Virginia Department of Education, and with generous funding support from The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. 

• LEARN MORE TODAY!

• Sampling of short videos in the playlist: (many more on the site)

  • Deeper Learning: Sounds Like a Plan!

    • Watch as Poquoson High School students apply the 5 C's to solve a real-world problem.

  • Deeper Learning: Senior Projects

    • Watch seniors from Cumberland High School present their culminating senior projects to a panel of evaluators and mentors.

  • Deeper Learning: Virginia STAR

    • Watch as students at Cumberland Middle School learn how to fix computers to give back to community members through the Virginia STAR program.

  • Deeper Learning: What are you thinking?

    • Watch how Whitney Beck, a third grade teacher from Henrico County Public Schools, engages students in her classroom to be thinkers.

  • Deeper Learning: Bari"STARS" in the Making

    • Watch as Poquoson Middle School students run a Cool Beans Cafe and learn real-life work skills.

  • Deeper Learning: Performance Assessment

    • Watch this video to learn about how Rockingham County Public Schools implemented some division-wide history and social science performance assessments.

  • Deeper Learning: What a great idea!

    • Watch Cumberland County elementary students become problem solvers and lead instruction.

• Sign up for this course in Unified Talent today!

  • If you need help signing up for a course in Unified Talent, please access these helpful resources.

• By reading, watching videos, and doing activities, you'll learn cutting-edge strategies for integrating Google in your classroom. 

• You can start and stop lessons at any time; we'll track your progress through the course. 

• At the end of this course, you'll be ready to take the exam to become a Google Certified Educator Level 2. 

Support your professional learning journey and hear from leading authors, researchers, and practitioners via our archived webinars. These recordings cover best practices in literacy instruction, family and community engagement, summer learning, and more. 

• The “Why Not?” Workshop: Let’s Talk About Race

• Creating Sustainable Culturally Responsive Teaching: Beyond Current Events

• Phonics-Powered Prevention and Intervention

• Many other topics available

Learn about what resources are available HERE.

• Self paced training modules

• Badges can be earned

• Variety of topics: 

  • Edpuzzle Level 1

  • Edpuzzle and Canvas Level 1

  • Edpuzzle Flipped

  • Gamification in Class 

  • Many more to choose from

• Learn more HERE

• Young students can learn complex vocabulary if given the right supports and scaffolding. 

• This brief REL West video walks teachers through a three-step, evidence-based routine for teaching academic vocabulary to young students. 

• Chalk It Up to Experience! Tips from Real Co-Teachers of Virginia was created by demonstration site teams to celebrate the first five years of the Excellence in Co-Teaching Initiative. Teams share practical advice for effective co-teaching and practices they consider critical to establishing a strong collaborative relationship. This document will serve as an instructional resource for co-teaching teams and administrators to inform their co-teaching practices. 

• Co-Teachers of Virginia – Elementary

  • This series of webshops showcases the products created by real co-teachers of Virginia, select teams of elementary co-teachers participating in the Virginia Department of Education’s Excellence in Co-Teaching Initiative.

• Real Co-Teachers of Virginia Discuss High Leverage Practices (HLPs) - Elementary

  • How are the “special” needs of students with disabilities met in a co-taught classroom? What drives the thinking of co-teachers as they co-plan, co-instruct and co-assess to meet the needs of all their students?

• Learn more HERE

• Edulastic is a technology-enhanced assessment solution for teachers and school/district administrators. It is easy enough for classroom formative assessments, yet sophisticated enough for common interim and benchmark assessments that mirror state tests.

• Edulastic empowers teachers with instant classroom data that shows who’s on track and who needs help so that they can take action and see growth.

• Explore this SITE that has been compiled by BCPS ITRTs to explore this tool

  • "How To" videos detailing how to create a class, create assessments, add students, and navigating the class board

• If you need additional support after exploring the site, please reach out to your building ITRT

• Newsela asynchronous professional learning session

•  Link to course: https://training.newsela.com/bedford-county-public-school-asynchronous-newsela-professional-learning-session

• This asynchronous session consists of 7 sections to support educators in using Newsela to promote student engagement and agency. 

  • Target Audience: Grades 2-12

  • The course lessons explore engaging content resources, cover standards alignment, review approaches for building student background knowledge, and consider how to connect students to authentic and active learning tasks. 

  • The session includes an optional resource to support teachers in connecting their students and classes to Newsela using Clever. 

• Educators will need to log into their Newsela accounts to access the course. 

• Virtual Virginia Strategic Services presents webinars on Canvas topics to smooth the transition for Virginia teachers

• Pre-Recorded Webinars on the following topics:

  • Discussions and Collaborations in Canvas

  • Assessment in Canvas

  • Asynchronous and Synchronous Learning in Canvas

  • Using Google and Canvas

  • Consistent and Simple Access to Learning with Canvas

• Access recordings on a variety of Canvas topics HERE

• In Module 2: Using PALS Data to Support All Students, details of how to use PALS data to determine children’s risk for later reading difficulty and to identify which children need more explicit instructional support are shared. 

• Although remote data is not specifically discussed, the key messages is applicable to both testing scenarios. 

• To view Module 2, login to PALS, then go to the Professional Learning tab_ Modules_ Using PALS Data More Fully Across the Year series_ Module 2.  

  • More information on remote testing coming in 2021. 

• A recording of the Evidenced Based Specially Designed Instruction in Mathematics Webinar is now available on the VDOE Learning Disabilities in Mathematics Webpage.  

• This webinar highlighted strategies found in the Students with Mathematics Disabilities:  Frequently Asked Questions and the Evidenced Based Specially Designed Instruction in Mathematics Resource Guide.   

• PALS Data Use Professional Learning Module 3 Released!

• In this module, A Shared Solution-Supporting At-risk Students with a Scientifically-based Approach to Instruction, PALS describes how to examine data to determine a focus on skills and instructional targets to use in small groups. 

• To view, login to PALS, then go to the Professional Learning tab> Modules>Using PALS Data More Fully Across the Year series>Module 3 

The VDOE English Professional Development Packages focus on best practices in K-12 literacy instruction aligned to the 2017 English Standards of Learning (SOL). Packages are bundled and sorted by topic for ease of use and focused professional learning.  Through the collaboration of the Student Assessment Office, the Office of Humanities, the Office of English Learner Education and the Office of Special Education, the Virginia Department of Education’s goal is to offer timely, relevant, and instructionally sound support to Virginia educators. Check out all available resources HERE!

Early Literacy

•  Best Practices in K-2 Reading Instruction

• K-2 Writing: Integrated Language Arts

PALS Supports

•  PALS: How to use reports to inform instructional decisions in your school

• K-2 Reading: Examining PALS Data to Ensure the Value and Investment of Early Screening (PPT)

• PALS Support Activities

Elementary Reading

•  Best Practices in Grades 3-5 Reading Instruction:  The Reading/Writing Connection

•  Comprehensive Literacy-Best Practices for Elementary Reading Blocks

•  Best Practices in K-2 Reading Instruction

Middle Education Literacy

•  Reading in the Middle

• Middle School Writing: Why We Need To Write In Middle School (PPT)

• Middle School Writing: Middle Schoolers Can Write (PPT)

• Secondary Writing: Reflective Writing (PPT)

Interdisciplinary Instruction

•  Webinar: Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Integrating the English standards into other content areas

• Killing Two Birds with One Stone: An Innovative Approach to Teaching English and Government (PPT)

•  Balanced Assessment: Middle School Writing in the History Classroom

• Instructional Plans:

  • Social Pressures Paired Passages (6.5 6.6 7.5 7.6 8.5 8.6) (Word)

  • Analyzing the Rhetoric of Persuasive Speeches (9.5 10.5 11.5) (Word)

Virtual/Hybrid Learning

•  Integrating the Four Strands in a Hybrid Model

• K-5 Remote Learning Instructional models (PDF)

• VDOE Virtual Learning Hub

Learning in Place

•  Routines and Structures for Learning in Place

•  Best Practices for Literacy Learning in Place

Integrated Instruction

•  Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Integrating the English Standards into other Content Areas

• Digging In to Get the Learning Out: Paired Passages as Part of an Integrated Unit Grades 3-5 (PPT)

• Integrating Strands Using Thematic Planning (PPT)

• How Can I Teach it All? How Can I Teach Multiple Strands during a Whole Group Lesson? (PPT)

Co-Teaching

•  Co-teaching in the English classroom

• VDOE: Special Education

Social Emotional Learning & Reading

•  Elementary: Social & Emotional Learning and Reading

•  Secondary: Social & Emotional Learning and Reading

• Social Emotional Learning Resources

Academic Language: EL Learners in the English Classroom

•  Academic Language-English Learners in The English Classroom

• English Learner Education Resources

Additional VDOE Resources

• Comprehensive Literacy Plans Webpage

• Comprehensive Literacy Webinar Series Webpage

• VDOE English Deeper Learning Conference General Session Presentation (PPT)

• Verified Credit Plan: End-of-Course Writing (under Emergency Guidelines for the Use of Local Performance Assessments to Verify Credits in Writing for the 2020-2021 School Year) (Word)

•  Assessment Supports for 2020-2021

• Virginia's Road Map to Equity (PDF)

Performance Assessments: Middle School

• Performance Assessment

• English: Writing Grade 8

Performance Assessments: Elementary School

• Performance Assessment

• English: Writing Grade 5

• 3-5 Moving In the “Write” Direction for the SOLs (PPT) (2018) Deeper Learning Conference

• Performance Assessment Instructional Plans: 

  • Persuasive Writing (Word)

  • Narrative Writing: Writing an Effective Conclusion (Word)

  • Expository Writing (Word)

Understand Scoring

• Understand Scoring

• Grade 8 Scoring Rubrics

•  Understand Scoring Webinar

Assessment Supports: Elementary with Instructional Plans

•  Assessment Supports: Grade 3 Webinar

• Annotated Passages: Grade 3 (Word)

•  Assessment Supports: Grade 4 Webinar

• Annotated Passages: Grade 4 (Word)

•  Assessment Supports: Grade 5 Webinar

• Annotated Passages: Grade 5 (Word)

• Instructional Plans:

  • Making, Confirming, and Revising Predictions (3.5C) (Word) 

  • Asking and Answering Questions in Fiction (3.5G) (Word) 

  • Using Text Features in Nonfiction (3.6C) (Word)

  • Story Elements and Plot (4.5F) (Word) 

  • Using Details to Determine Main Idea: Grades 3-5 (4.6D) (Word)

  • Using Context to Determine Meaning of Unfamiliar Words (5.4A) (Word) 

  • Comparing and Contrasting Details in Text (5.5L) (Word)

  • Using and Gathering Information with Text Features (5.6A) (Word) 

  • Cause and Effect and its Impact on Plot (5.6H) (Word)

Assessment Supports: Middle with Instructional Plans

•  Assessment Supports: Grade 6 Webinar

• Annotated Passages: Grade 6 (Word)

•  Assessment Supports: Grade 7 Webinar

• Annotated Passages: Grade 7 (Word)

•  Assessment Supports:Grade 8 Webinar

• Annotated Passages: Grade 8 (Word)

• Instructional Plans:

  • Comparing and Contrasting Details in Texts (6.5) (Word)

  • Word Choice in Paired Texts (6.5, 7.5, 8.5) (Word)

  • Main Idea in Nonfiction (5.6, 6.6, 7.6, 8.6) (Word)

PALS Data Use Professional Learning Module 4 Released!

• The fourth online professional learning module from the series Using PALS Data More Fully Across the Year is now available in your PALS Account. 

• In Module 4: A Shared Solution, Part 2: Supporting at-risk students with a scientifically-based approach to instruction, we focus on how to plan for children at elevated risk to receive more targeted and aligned instructional support that builds upon the classroom’s instruction. 

• To view this Module, login to PALS, then go to the Professional Learning tab > Modules > Using PALS Data More Fully Across the Year series > Module 4. 

Vocabulary A-Z

• Short videos and orientation guides to help you understand program navigation, features, and best practices for instruction

• Link to videos and training materials

Raz-Plus

• • Short videos and orientation guides to help you understand program navigation, features, and best practices for instruction

  • Link to videos and training materials

• We would love for you all to check out the newest episodes of the VCSS podcast, Content to Classroom. 

Escaping Ordinary: Digital Escape Rooms in the Classroom

• • Guest teacher Jennifer Gosselin says, "Escape Rooms have been all the rage over the past few years. For those that don't know, escape rooms are just that... a room you must escape from. Usually, there is a theme to an escape room, and it is up to you and whomever you're with to solve a series of puzzles in under an hour to "escape" the room. As an avid escape room hobbyist, I wondered if this concept could be applied to the classroom. Sure enough, it can! Through a variety of different platforms, teachers can use or create their own escape room right in the classroom. It encourages collaboration amongst groups, critical thinking and evaluation, and to just have fun! This concept can be used to introduce content, review content, or even teach content." 

Creating "Our Commonwealth" - Stories and People that Define Virginia

• • In this session VMHC Educator, Maggie Creech, discusses several of the stories spotlighted in new VMHC permanent exhibit "Our Commonwealth" and highlights new opportunities for educators and students to engage with the museum. In May 2022 VMHC will be opening multiple new exhibits, including a new permanent exhibit - Our Commonwealth - which will focus on the regions of Virginia and how geography can play a role in our unique identities, as well as our shared idea of "Virginia."

Bonus Episode! Discussing the War in Ukraine with CEUTTSS at Virginia Tech

• • This INCREDIBLY interesting bonus episode explores the War in Ukraine with Dr. Yannis Stivachtis and Colin Baker from the Center for the European Union and Transatlantic Transeuropean Space Studies at Virginia Tech. You'll find a nuanced explanation of the War along with resources for how to connect the War to topics in your classroom! 

You can find these episodes on all of your favorite podcast platforms! 

• • Spotify

  • Itunes

  • Anchor & more! 

Happy listening!

• Professional Development Opportunities to Support Best Practices for English Learner Instruction for All Educators

  • Multiple professional development opportunities for division and school staff (including general educators, EL teachers, leaders, counselors) who support ELs will be offered from June through December 2022. 

  • TRAINING SCHEDULE provides session descriptions, recommended audiences, registration links, and registration deadlines for the professional development opportunities. 

    • All sessions will be delivered virtually using the Zoom platform. 

• Access activities available to all families with students for grades PK-3

• Topics include phonological awareness activities and literacy skill building activities

• https://pals.virginia.edu/public/tools-activities.html

• Thoughtful Learning: 3-5 Writing Units

• Free license for 3 months

• LEARN MORE TODAY

• Topics:

  • Journaling and Blogging

  • Writing Paragraphs

  • Writing Essays

  • Writing Short Reports

  • Writing Summaries

  • Writing Fiction Reviews

  • Writing Narrative Paragraphs

  • Writing Personal Narratives

  • Writing Process Essays

  • Writing Classroom Reports

  • Writing Opinion Letters

  • Writing Opinion Essays

  • Writing Problem-Solution Essays

  • Summarizing, Paraphrasing, and Quoting

  • Writing Nonfiction Reviews

  • Reading and Writing for Assessment

  • Practice Test for Reading and Writing

• The Commonwealth Learning Partnership works to advance, align and amplify high-quality professional learning opportunities and resources for Virginia’s education community. 

• The Commonwealth Learning Partnership aims to take the Profile of a Virginia Graduate from vision to practice by investing in aligned and high-quality professional learning and upskilling opportunities for educators and education leaders. 

• Goal is to assist with at home learning

• Resources include:

  • Writing Prompts for all Grade Levels

  • Google Teach From Home

  • Families Front and Center

  • Tools for Facilitating Online Learning 

  • Much More!

• LEARN MORE TODAY!

• New Digital Content from NASA's eClips Series

  • Launchpad: Life Cycle of a Star

  • Launchpad: Engineering Design to Support Scientific Discovery 

  • Real World: Planetary Volcanoes 

  • Real World: The Carbon Cycle -- Essential for Life on Earth 

  • Real World: Computer Simulations -- Turning Complex Ideas Into Solvable Equations

  • Real World: From Idea to Physical Prototype

  • Real World: Close Encounters with An Asteroid 

  • Real World: Small Bodies Orbiting the Sun 

  • Real World: Earth's Energy Balance: Small Changes, Big Impact 

  • Real World: Earth's Energy Balance: Energy In and Energy Out 

  • LEARN MORE TODAY

• Support Building Social-Emotional Skills with Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum

  • Engage students with Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum, a PBS KIDS series based on the Ordinary People Change the World books by Brad Meltzer and Christopher Eliopoulos.

  • The show follows the adventures of Xavier Riddle, his sister Yadina, and their friend Brad as they travel back in time to meet real life historical figures when they were kids. Use these video clips, teaching tips, and historical figure biosketches to support students’ social-emotional, literacy, and social studies skills.

  • LEARN MORE TODAY

• The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) is pleased to announce the addition of newly developed resources into #GoOpenVA. #GoOpenVA is an open education resource that provides a platform for teachers to share openly-licensed digital learning resources with other educators. It also provides an online space to afford educators the opportunity to collaborate on the creation of resources in support of Virginia Standards of Learning and initiatives tied to the Virginia is for Learners campaign. 

• Two new Collections of resources from Virginia Schools divisions provide shared materials for fall 2020 return to school plans and for professional learning resources that can be used to help teachers move to virtual and hybrid learning: Fall 2020 Recover, Redesign, Restart 2020 School Division Plans and Moving to Virtual and Hybrid Learning: Professional Learning for Teachers.  We invite every division to continue to add to these resources so that we can all share the load that our new educational reality demands.

• Other recent additions to #GoOpenVA include resources generated by VDOE instructional teams, lessons produced by teachers in the Commonwealth through several grant opportunities, and state and nationally recognized resources from a variety of Virginia educational institutions.  One national non-profit has also provided some new resources for elementary mathematics and English.  

• These recent additions include:

  • Twenty-seven modules generated by the VCU OER Science Curriculum Project.  These can be found in the Collection VCU STEM Project;

  • Ten lessons (and growing) from the Virginia K-12 Computer Science Pipeline (a joint project between Loudoun and Chesapeake);

  • VDOE Science Instructional Plans generated in collaboration with Virginia teachers.  These plans and other science resources are being uploaded daily and can be found in the Science VDOE Collection;

  • Mathematics Instructional Plans, written by Mathematics Educators with the VDOE;

  • Documents and other educational resources to support the new Fine Arts Standards of Learning.  These are located in the VDOE Fine Arts Collection;

  • Science Inquiry from Home resources developed to support asynchronous elementary science instruction.  These can be found in the Science VDOE Collection;

  • Several sets of lesson plans contributed by the Virginia Geographic Alliance; 

  • Forty-eight lesson plans from New American History;

  • A continually-growing collection of resources from WHRO Education;

  • Twenty-five videos produced by Virginia Public Media for the Wildlife Center of Virginia; and

  • Elementary English, Mathematics, and cross-curricular resources provided through Match Fishtank.

• Teachers can access #GoOpenVA without having an account; however, logging in using their division network to access #GoOpenVA allows increased opportunities for teacher collaboration, as well as, for the sharing and revising of resources aligned to the Virginia Standard of Learning.  All educators in Virginia are learning new ways of teaching and learning at this time.  #GoOpenVA provides a great opportunity to leverage our collective experiences and knowledge through the sharing of creative solutions.

• If you have any further questions about technical support, please contact Jean Weller, Teaching and Learning Technology Integration Specialist at jean.weller@doe.virginia.gov, or (804) 225-2825.

• Discover best practices for supporting virtual learning, find tips on lesson planning and assessment strategies, and access professional learning resources

• Virtual learning has become an integral part of our educational system. Virtual learning can aid in

• Increasing student engagement and choice,

• Supporting personalized learning experiences for students, and

• Increasing equity in access to high quality learning experiences.

• Virtual learning programs offer flexibility to students while providing instruction aligned with the Standards of Learning. A number of Virginia school divisions provide opportunities for their students to take online courses as a part of their regular course offerings.

• Access the virtual learning hub today!

We’ve created collections in eMediaVA in core contents for PK-5. These digital resources include short videos, lessons and interactive games you can use with your students today.

Early Learners

• Virus Information and Prevention, PreK-5

• Teaching Coronavirus Resources

• Greenbeats!

• Printables for At-Home Learning | Grades PreK-K

• Printables for At-Home Learning | Grades 1-2

• Molly of Denali Collection

• Article: Schools Closed? How to Make a New Home Routine

• Staying Well with Sesame Street

• Sesame Street Vocabulary Resources

• Sesame Street Letter of the Day Resources

• Sesame Street Math Resources for Early Learners

• Sesame Street Number of the Day Resources

• Good to Know Math Video Collection | Pre-K-4

Elementary Science

• Virus Information and Prevention, PreK-5

• Plants

• Animals

• Matter

• Magnets

• Simple Machines

• Structures in Nature

• Space

• Weather/Clouds

• Force, Motion, Energy, Electricity

• Scientific Method

• Sound and Light

• Cells

• GreenBeats: Get Outside - K-2 | 3-5

• GreenBeats: Paper, Bottles and Cans - K-2 | 3-5

• GreenBeats: Scoop the Poop - K-2 | 3-5

• GreenBeats: Skip the Straw - K-2 | 3-5

• GreenBeats: Good Bugs - K-2 | 3-5

Elementary Social Studies

• Economics

• Maps and Transportation

• Geography

• Famous Americans and Holidays

• American Indians

• Ancient Egypt

• Ancient China

• Jamestown

• American Revolution

• Civil War

• Civil Rights

 Elementary Math

• Counting and Writing Numbers

• Math Sorting and Classifying

• Place Value

• Addition/Subtraction

• Multiplication/Division

• Decimals

• Fractions

• Rounding

• Geometry

• Time

• Graphing

• Order of operations

• Measurement

• Probability

• Math Mess Series

• Good to Know Math Video Collection | Pre-K-4

• Counting to 20 with Sesame Street

Elementary ELA

• Great American Read Collection, Elementary School Titles

• Sesame Street Vocabulary Resources

• Sesame Street Letter of the Day Resources

• ELA Resources | K-2

• Communication and Media Literacy | 3-5

• Reading | 3-5

• Writing | 3-5

• Research | 3-5

• Punctuation

• No Nonsense Grammar Series

• Teaching Media Literacy | Elementary Resources

• Ruff Ruffman: Humble Media Genius | Media Literacy Resources

Elementary Fine Arts

• Fine Arts Resources | Young Learners and Elementary

• A World of Stories

• Songs for Unusual Creatures

• Classical MPR Class Notes

• Pinkalicious & Peterrific®

• Artopia

• The Majesty of Music and Math

• ArtQuest