Written by Laura Delmore Lay, Central Virginia Representative

Now that cooler weather is here and our classrooms are in full swing, taking part in some indoor enrichment is much more appealing.  Whether you plan on visiting one of these dynamic spaces on a field trip or simply for enhancing your own knowledge, please pass the word on to fellow colleagues and students.  Central Virginia has so much to offer history lovers, and the excitement of the newest Smithsonian Institution inspired me to include some additional museums focusing on the African-American experience.  Please note that this list is in no way exhaustive; please write to us (or post on our Facebook page) about educational resources near you.  
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• National Museum of African-American History and Culture -- http://nmaahc.si.edu
  The website alone is absolutely stunning with loads of primary sources, access to collections, and a dedicated educator page that will continue to grow.  President Obama’s dedication speech is currently on the website; listening to the speech with students and perusing the current website would make for a wonderful introduction to this national treasure.
• Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia -- www.blackhistorymuseum.org
  Right in our backyard (at least for those in RVA) is the stunningly renovated Black History Museum, located in the historic Armory on Leigh Street.  There are rotating and permanent exhibitions which tell the story of the rich history, heritage, and accomplishments of African Americans in Virginia.  
• Robert Russa Moton Museum -- www.motonmuseum.org
  In Farmville, Virginia, sits an important museum for  understanding the student birthplace of the American Civil Rights Movement.  There is a short and very compelling video on the website about Prince Edward County’s massive resistance to school integration, culminating in the shutdown of public schools.  A moving book that provides a strong background about the plight of African-American students in Farmville is Something Must Be Done About Prince Edward County by Kristen Green.

As the campaign cycle continues, make the most of presidential election teachable moments by using the following resources and engaging your students in:  
evaluating, analyzing, synthesizing, and drawing conclusions 

Teaching about the presidential debates? 
Then take a look at the following attached Social Education resources which we think you will find useful:
(Not so) Unprecedented: Media Analysis of the 2016 Presidential Race and Its Historical Precedents
Memorandum about the First Nixon-Kennedy Debate
Media Construction of Presidential Campaigns
Political Polling in Past and Present

Looking for perspectives that your students can more easily relate to?
Then visit Chase the Race at: http://www.chasetherace2016.com/#main-about where you will find student led interviews and other activities to get your students ready to participate.

Interested in having your students participate in a mock election?
Find out how at National Student/Parent Mock Election: http://nationalmockelection.org/.  National student voting begins on October 24 and culminates on November 3,

Exploring more ways to teach about the election? 
Then visit the Teaching for Democracy Alliance website where you will find recommended resources to help you define your student engagement strategy: http://www.teachingfordemocracy.org/resources.html

Try these resources that were recently published in Social Education.

The YES! National Student Writing Competition is an opportunity for middle school through university students to write about something meaningful, and a chance to write for a real audience—not just you, the teacher.

Each quarter, students are invited to read and write an essay on a selected YES! Magazine article. We divide contestants into four categories: middle school, high school, university, and Powerful Voice (for authors whose essays are powerful and passionate). Winning essays in each category are published on the YES! Magazine website and in our online education newsletter.

Get more information here.