This resource is a quick reference guide for students as they craft effective introduction paragraphs in response to persuasive writing tasks, such as the Writing SOL Short Paper. The resource includes essential components, stylistic options, guiding questions, and an exemplar paragraph based on a released SOL prompt.

This is an instructional strategy that has students work in small groups to construct a "honeycomb" that analyzes a text's structure. Students are given a set of ten honeycomb cards connected to their text and then must work together to assemble the honeycomb by ensuring that all connecting cards can be logically connected through careful analysis of the text. If they cannot successfully argue the connection between literary elements, they must reorganize the honeycomb until all the pieces work together seamlessly. This is a learning strategy that works well during a text unit (as opposed to before or after the unit) and is designed to help students understand the intentionality of a text's structure. It can be paired with any text, but I have provided a sample card set for "Frankenstein" and "The Picture of Dorian Gray" in this resource.

This is an instructional strategy that has students work in small groups to construct a "honeycomb" that analyzes a text's structure. Students are given a set of ten honeycomb cards connected to their text and then must work together to assemble the honeycomb by ensuring that all connecting cards can be logically connected through careful analysis of the text. If they cannot successfully argue the connection between literary elements, they must reorganize the honeycomb until all the pieces work together seamlessly. This is a learning strategy that works well during a text unit (as opposed to before or after the unit) and is designed to help students understand the intentionality of a text's structure. It can be paired with any text, but I have provided a sample card set for "Frankenstein" and "The Picture of Dorian Gray" in this resource.

Why is Engineering a Hot Job? Listen to 3 students from Virginia Commonwealth University's School of Engineering to find out. During the recent VCU Capstone (Senior) Design Expo hundreds of engineering students solved problems and developed new products that will make a difference. Learn why these three students went into Computer Engineering, Biomedical Engineering and Electrical Engineering.

There are several common minerals that tend to be referenced and used in texts, NY Regent Tests and released Virginia SOL tests.

I call these the Super 8.
Sulfur | Magnetite | Mica | Halite | Pyrite | Calcite | Quartz | Diamond

This resource requires samples of each mineral be sorted and available for manipulation. Students should perform this lab in small groups 3 or 4 and use the spreadsheet provided write the features observed according to categories the teacher wants students to master.

The lab should take about 20-30 minutes.

The Earth Science textbook by Glenco or the attached reference sheet may be used by students.

This is a review and introduction to climate change using videos from National Geographic. It includes a follow up research activity on the impact of climate change on specific biomes around the globe.

A quick guide to note pages for self-monitoring reading, and a list of journal prompts to reflect on daily independent reading.

The students will see how earlier historical documents influenced the creation of the Constitution of the United States. The graphic organizers will help the students understand the influence of five documents: the Magna Carta, the Charters of the Virginia Company of London, the Virginia Declaration of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom.

This article explains how interest groups differ from political parties, how to evaluate the different types of interests and what they do and to compare public and private interest groups. It also describes how interest groups influence the government through elections and through the lawmaking processes.
*Remixed to add student questions to engage them with the material.

This article explains how interest groups differ from political parties, how to evaluate the different types of interests and what they do and to compare public and private interest groups. It also describes how interest groups influence the government through elections and through the lawmaking processes.
*Remixed to add student questions to engage them with the material.

This is an extension of an activity that uses socrative question to discuss whether or not viruses are alive. I extended the activity by including an easy way to introduce the characteristics of life to precede the virus discussion.

Original resource: https://goopenva.org/courses/are-viruses-alive-sample-socratic-questions/view

In this activity students will use methods of collecting data, other than visual, to determine the contents of a small sealed box. They will make connections between this procedure and the procedures scientists use to study evolutionary theory. This activity has been specifically adapted to align with the high school biology standards to explore the limitations of studying the fossil record in a hands-on way.

In this lab activity students will try to develop methods of collecting data, other than visual, by trying to determine the contents of several small boxes. They will make connections between this procedure and the procedures scientists used to develop the modern model of the atom.

This resource pairs visual and written primary resources. The works of art with have been chosen from the American Art collection at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and the National Gallery of Art. Students will pair visual media with a paired piece of literature, in this case, Invisible Man by Ralph Waldo Ellison, to help explore the connection between and across art forms as well as the connection between art and its historical setting.

A K-W-L form is a great resource to have students complete to monitor growth. This activity can be used for any subject and any topic. Students will be surprised and amazed to see what they learn all semester. As a teacher, you will have at your disposal the ability to track progress in an alternative manner.

The teacher or Students will read the declarations of secession from each state joining the CSA. Students can be assigned to read all, a few, or just one. Students will use the listen and draw organizer to jot down any words or phrases that they feel are important. They may also draw images of anything that they find interesting. Students can write/share these with the class and then discuss any commonalities among the statements to determine the cause of the Civil War according the states that seceded.

The teacher or Students will read the declarations of secession from each state joining the CSA. Students can be assigned to read all, a few, or just one. Students will use the listen and draw organizer to jot down any words or phrases that they feel are important. They may also draw images of anything that they find interesting. Students can write/share these with the class and then discuss any commonalities among the statements to determine the cause of the Civil War according the states that seceded.

The teacher or Students will read the declarations of secession from each state joining the CSA. Students can be assigned to read all, a few, or just one. Students will use the listen and draw organizer to jot down any words or phrases that they feel are important. They may also draw images of anything that they find interesting. Students can write/share these with the class and then discuss any commonalities among the statements to determine the cause of the Civil War according the states that seceded.

The teacher or Students will read the declarations of secession from each state joining the CSA. Students can be assigned to read all, a few, or just one. Students will use the listen and draw organizer to jot down any words or phrases that they feel are important. They may also draw images of anything that they find interesting. Students can write/share these with the class and then discuss any commonalities among the statements to determine the cause of the Civil War according the states that seceded.