Members of the Virginia Social Studies Leaders Consortium (VSSLC) are leaders in the field who actively contribute to the advancement of social studies education across the Commonwealth and beyond. This subpage will feature articles, research, and innovative projects authored by VSSLC members, highlighting their collective efforts to strengthen curriculum, promote professional collaboration, and elevate the discipline through thoughtful leadership and scholarship.

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ARTICLES:

PROJECTS & FEATURES: 

Inquiry Over Indoctrination: Teaching the Truth by Asking the Right Questions
Published on the VEA website
In this compelling article published by the Virginia Education Association, Neeley Minton, VSSLC President-Elect, makes the case that inquiry-based social studies is not indoctrination, but strong, standards-aligned pedagogy rooted in critical thinking and transparency. Drawing on classroom examples from Albemarle County, she shows how compelling questions and primary sources empower students to grapple with complex history while building trust with families and communities. At a time of heightened scrutiny, this piece affirms inquiry as both a professional safeguard and a moral imperative.

Bluey! Markets, Money and Measurement
Published on SSRN, November 20, 2025
In this working paper published on SSRN, Stephen Day, Wayne Geerling, and Lauren Shifflett explore how the globally popular television series Bluey can be leveraged to teach core economic concepts at the high school and university levels. Using specific episodes, the authors develop lessons on market efficiency and welfare, the circular flow of income, and GDP measurement. As an early-stage research preprint, the paper contributes to ongoing scholarly conversation while offering practical, classroom-ready applications for economics educators.

Leveraging Community Partnerships to Reframe the Narrative in Elementary Social Studies
Published in Social Studies and the Young Learner (Nov/Dec 2024)
In this article, Vicki Hobson, John Hobson, and Neeley Minton highlight how Albemarle County Public Schools partnered with local historic sites, museum professionals, community members, and higher education collaborators to elevate elementary social studies. The piece outlines a strategic approach to strengthening teacher content knowledge, expanding pedagogical practice, and sharpening curriculum design, all while advancing inclusive and culturally responsive instruction. It offers a replicable model for divisions seeking to build capacity through meaningful community partnerships.

Teaching to a Better Test: Using the Inquiry Design Model to Reframe State-Mandated Assessment in Social Studies
​Published in Social Education (September 2024)
In this article, Beau Dickenson, Kathy Swan, and Gerry Swan chronicle how Virginia’s inquiry-based assessment reform created an opportunity to replace traditional multiple-choice SOL testing with Inquiry Design Model performance assessments. Focusing on Rockingham County Public Schools’ ninth-grade World Geography pilot, the authors detail the collaborative redesign of state-developed inquiries, PLC leadership structures, cross-scoring protocols, and iterative improvement cycles. The results included stronger alignment between curriculum, instruction, and assessment, increased teacher buy-in, measurable student growth, and a 93% pass rate. The study demonstrates that when inquiry becomes the test, teaching to the test can elevate practice.

Defending History: Educators Stand Up to Protect Virginia’s Social Studies Standards 
Published in Social Education (November/December 2023)
In this article, Beau Dickenson, Brendan Gillis, and Chris Jones document the origins of VSSLC’s statewide advocacy campaign, which began in response to a secret, politically driven rewrite of Virginia’s History and Social Science Standards. Working in coalition with the American Historical Association (AHA), the Virginia Association of Teachers of English and Literacy (VATLL), VASCD, VCSS, and others, educators moved from concern to coordinated civic action by building alliances, shaping public messaging, organizing testimony, and drafting the Collaborative Standards. The piece offers a blueprint for how professional communities can defend inquiry-based curriculum and protect the integrity of social studies education.

“This Is Your Moment—Seize It!”: Barbara Johns, Black Agency, and the Empowerment of Youth
Published in Social Studies and the Young Learner (March/April 2023)
​In this article, Beau Dickenson and Emma Thacker examine how fourth-grade teachers in Rockingham County, Virginia used the Inquiry Design Model to center Black agency and youth activism through the story of Barbara Johns and the 1951 Moton Student Strike. Grounded in culturally responsive practice and partnership with the Moton Museum, the inquiry reframes Virginia Studies by emphasizing empowerment, resistance, and student voice.  

Digital History, Humanities, and Social Science Project Hub
Contributor: Craig Perrier
Recognizing the absence of a centralized repository for digital social studies projects, Craig Perrier created this growing hub to curate classroom-ready digital history, humanities, and social science projects. New projects are added periodically, providing teachers with accessible tools to integrate meaningful digital inquiry into their instruction.
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Discussion Formats and Structured Conversations
Contributor: Craig Perrier
This collection of 31 structured discussion strategies supports purposeful student-to-student dialogue in every class period. Perrier’s formats promote deeper learning while helping teachers build a positive and academically rigorous classroom culture.

“Ready-to-Use” Visible Thinking Routines
Contributor: Craig Perrier
Inspired by Project Zero’s visible thinking routines, Perrier converted many of the original PDF-based tools into Google-ready formats. Teachers can make copies, adapt, share, and immediately implement these routines to scaffold student thinking and inquiry.

Transition Words and Phrases
Contributor: Craig Perrier
This slide deck organizes 14 types of communication transitions and provides students with examples they can intentionally incorporate into their writing. The resource supports clarity, coherence, and a stronger argumentative structure.