The links on this “Services for Teachers” Web page can
guide you to an assemblage of important documents and
images critical to Virginia’s past, many of which have
been transcribed for easy use in the classroom. Where
possible, these resources have been paired with lesson
ideas that correlate to the Standards of Learning (SOL)
established by the Virginia Department of Education.
In the Spotlight: From Williamsburg to Wills’s
Creek: The Fry–Jefferson Map of Virginia
"From Williamsburg to Wills's Creek: The Fry-Jefferson
Map of Virginia" an exhibition at the Library of
Virginia through December 20, 2008, focuses on the
Fry-Jefferson map, commissioned in 1750 by the Board of
Trade and Plantations in England from Joshua Fry and
Peter Jefferson, father of Thomas Jefferson. A special
activity book for children, “How Long is a Furlong?: The
History of Mapping in Virginia,” will be available in
the exhibition gallery for our youngest visitors.
In conjunction with this exhibition, the Library of
Virginia will host a special children’s program entitled
“From Compass to GPS: The History and the Future of
Mapping in Virginia” on Saturday, October 4th from 10:00
am to 12:30 pm. Young children will be given an
opportunity to learn about the history of maps and map
making in Virginia. Here future mapmakers will be able
to meet an 18th century surveyor, portrayed by character
interpreter Willie Balderson, as well as learn the
modern surveying techniques. There will also be a
special session of educators featuring the uses of GIS
mapping techniques for teaching history.
Additionally, on the evening of November 20, 2008 at
6:00 pm visitors to the library will be able to meet
Thomas Jefferson, portrayed by character interpreter
Bill Barker of Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, for a
discussion of his father’s map and Jefferson’s Notes on
the State of Virginia. Both events are free and open to
the public.
TEACHING RESOURCES
Notable African Americans in Virginia
History
In observation of African American History Month each
February and in keeping with the Library of Virginia’s
mission to preserve and provide access to the most
comprehensive information sources for and about Virginia
and Virginians, we are pleased to offer resources and
educational materials about the significant
contributions that African Americans have made to
Virginia’s history. Click here to find brief biographies
of our honorees and primary source materials relating to
their lives, as well as lesson plans based on the
Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) for the classroom.
Virginia Women in History
The Library of
Virginia recognizes and celebrates women’s
accomplishments in all walks of life during March, which
Congress has designated as National Women’s History
Month. The Library sponsors statewide activities that
include a traveling exhibition, a poster for public
display, and related learning activities tied to the
Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs). Use the resources
in the pages to learn more about our eight honorees and
how to bring them to life for your students. You can
also request your own copy of the 2008 Virginia Women in
History poster.
Teaching Resources for Freeing Art from Wood: The Sculpture of Leslie Garland Bolling
Derived from the Library of
Virginia’s exhibition of work of African American
wood-carving artist Leslie Garland Bolling, these pages
provide students with an opportunity to form a personal
connection to national themes in American history. From
segregation and the Harlem Renaissance, to the Great
Depression and the New Deal, Bolling’s story is one of
an ordinary man with extraordinary artistic ability
living in Virginia’s capital in the 1930s and
accomplishing much for a self-taught artist. Click here
to find primary sources related to Bolling’s life as
well as images of his art.
The Bill of Rights at the Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia owns one of the twelve
remaining original copies of the Bill of Rights. Guide
your students in an exploration of this vital founding
document in American history and discover more about its
history. Resources include images and transcriptions of
the English Bill of Rights, the Virginia Declaration of
Rights, and the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom,
along with background information and images of James
Madison, George Mason, and Thomas Jefferson.
Lesson Plans for Virginia
Cavalcade
The Virginia Cavalcade, published
quarterly by the Library of Virginia from 1951 to 2002,
contains well-written, illustrated articles on many
neglected aspects and people of Virginia’s past. The
articles in Virginia Cavalcade provide an
excellent basis for the discussion and exploration of
various parts of Virginia’s vast history. These pages
provide a table of the contents of each issue of the
Virginia Cavalcade, along with ideas for classroom
activities and writing assignments for some of the
articles.
Primary Sources for Advanced-Placement
U.S. History Courses
Looking for something to bolster a classroom
discussion of Virginia’s history? This page includes
dozens of historical excerpts representing diverse
authors, subjects, and points of view. Click here to
find segments from the writings and speeches of George
Washington, Patrick Henry, and Thomas Jefferson, as well
as petitions and letters on issues ranging from taxation
and slavery to women’s suffrage.
Online Exhibitions
In addition to our lesson plans, this Web page links
to the Library of Virginia’s online exhibitions that
offer explorations of important themes and subjects in
Virginia’s history, based in the Library’s collections.
With detailed narratives, vibrant images, and the
incorporation of primary documents, our online
exhibitions make great educational resources. Click here
to view a full list of our offerings.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Please explore the links below to find resources and
tools that you can incorporate into your classroom.
Tour the Library of Virginia
- Interested in exposing your students to the
Library of Virginia and its resources? Consider
scheduling a tour of the facility, which includes a
museum-quality exhibition gallery, café, and gift shop.
Click here for more details.
Virginia History on the
World Wide Web - Click here to find a
comprehensive subject guide to resources on the Internet
for Virginia history and culture.
Find It Virginia -
With a library card from any public library in Virginia,
you can use Find It Virginia to look up magazines and newspapers
articles, encyclopedias and other reference works, TV
and radio transcripts, company information and
investment reports, health and wellness information, and
homework help, plus photographs, charts, maps, diagrams,
and illustrations.
4th Grade Resource Guide
Virginia: The
History and Culture of a Commonwealth, based on original documents from Virginia's history, enables teachers
to help students interpret and analyze the people, places, and events of the state's past.
To order copies of Virginia: The History and Culture of a Commonwealth:
The Virginia Shop
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219-8000
(804) 692-3524
Price: $16.00 less 10% teacher's discount plus tax, postage and handling (postage and handling: $4.50 for one copy, 50
cents for each additional copy.)
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