I’m embarrassed to admit that until the 2023 History and Social Science SOLs were implemented, I had no idea that Virginia is nicknamed “the Mother of Presidents.” However, this has been a fun realization, and the Virginia Mother of Presidents lessons have quickly become some of my favorites. In this post, I’m sharing some of my favorite activities to go with this Virginia Studies SOL.
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Fun Facts About Virginia Presidents
Who served the shortest presidency, at about one month?
Who was the first person to become president without being elected by the people?
Who is considered to be the shortest president at 5’4”?
Do these questions have you thinking? They’ll likely get your students thinking, too! Starting your Virginia Mother of Presidents lessons with fun facts about Virginia’s presidents is a fun way to catch students’ attention.
I usually start this Virginia Studies unit with a worksheet of fun facts. Students circle the Virginia president whom they think is being described. Then, I reveal which president is actually being described. It is always fun to see students’ reactions when the true answers are revealed.
Virtual Field Trips to Presidential Homes in Virginia
With more presidents born in Virginia than in any other state, there are numerous presidential homes in the state. Most of these homes are located in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont regions and are not easily accessible to all classes for visitation.
If your class cannot physically visit one of these locations, that’s okay! Virtual field trips also work well when learning why our state is called “the Mother of Presidents.”
Some of my favorite presidential home virtual field trips include George Washington’s Mount Vernon, Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, and James Madison’s Montpelier. Virginia Trekkers videos and the presidential homes’ official websites provide videos and information that make for fun virtual field trips.
An important part of any virtual field trip is ensuring that students are engaging with the information. I have students complete comprehension questions and activities as we visit each of the presidential homes.
Use Virginia Maps
Understanding Virginia geography is a key component of Virginia Studies. By understanding the geography of the state, students can better visualize where important events took place and make connections between people and events.
I try to incorporate at least one activity that reviews Virginia’s geography and regions into every Virginia Studies unit. For the Virginia Mother of Presidents lessons, I have students keep a map where they label where each president was born.
As students add to the map, they will begin to notice that almost all of Virginia’s presidents were born near the coast, in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont regions. This can open doors for discussions regarding what Virginia looked like during its first decades and the migration of Virginians.
Create Timelines
Timelines are mentioned several times in Virginia’s History and Social Science Skills. There are many opportunities to create and analyze timelines throughout the Virginia Mother of Presidents lessons.
- when each Virginia president was born
- when each Virginian served as president
- the lives and accomplishments of each Virginia president
Create a Book of Virginia Presidents
I have students complete a worksheet about each of Virginia’s presidents throughout the unit, which includes information such as their birthplace, term as president, and most significant accomplishments during their presidency.
At the end of all the Virginia Mother of Presidents lessons, students assemble their pages into a book of Virginia presidents. These books can be used to help them prepare for their unit test or saved throughout the year to aid in SOL test preparation.
Virginia Studies Review Activities
My Virginia Mother of Presidents lessons always include a day for students to play review games. There are two review activities that students always love for this unit: a task card game and an escape room.
Virginia Mother of Presidents Task Cards
Task cards are not just for scoot games! I like to play a Survivor-style game to get students up and moving during their review of Virginia Studies. For this game–
- Cut out two sets of task cards and flip them over so they are upside down in a large pile.
- Divide students into teams. Each team should form a line.
- When you say “go,” the first person in each line will run to the pile and find a card labeled “1.” They will take the card back to their team, and the team will write their answer on a worksheet.
- Then, the next person in line will take that card back to the pile and find the card labeled “2.”
- The game continues until the teams have found all of the cards and recorded their answers.
- Be sure to review each question and answer as a class.
I have a Virginia Mother of Presidents Task Cards resource. The resource has 28 task cards that feature the types of questions that students will see on the Virginia Studies SOL test. Question types include multiple choice, multiple select, matching, labeling a map, and ordering events. The resource includes a PDF version and a self-checking digital version for Google Forms.
You can find a complete list of games to play with task cards HERE!
Virginia Mother of Presidents Escape Room
It is no secret that I love using classroom escape rooms to teach Virginia Studies. I explain more about using classroom escape rooms to make history hands-on HERE.
My Virginia Mother of Presidents Escape Room includes six challenges that incorporate math and critical thinking skills. As students complete each puzzle, they are reviewing the important information about the Virginia Studies SOL.
I continue to use escape rooms to review Virginia Studies because I frequently hear students discuss how much they enjoy these activities. Anytime a student is having fun learning, they are more likely to remember what they are learning.
At-Home Virginia Studies Review
Don’t forget to give students a study guide, so they can keep reviewing the SOL at home!
My Virginia Mother of Presidents Study Guide includes three versions– one completed study guide, one for student completion with review worksheets, and one digital study guide. It also has 10 short-response questions that model the critical thinking questions on the SOL test.
Where to Find Virginia Studies Resources…
The activities described can be replicated in your classroom, but I know planning time is limited. If you’re short on time, I’ve got you covered! You can find all of my Virginia Studies World Wars lessons and activities in my store, including:
- Virginia Mother of Presidents Unit: My unit includes detailed lesson plans, passages and comprehension questions, worksheets, digital activities, and assessments.
- Virginia Mother of Presidents Task Cards
- Virginia Mother of Presidents Escape Room
- Virginia Mother of Presidents Study Guide
All of my Virginia Studies resources are also bundled together for a discounted price.
- Virginia Studies Curriculum Bundle: Includes all of my Virginia Studies unit plans.
- Virginia Studies Task Cards Bundle
- Virginia Studies Escape Rooms Bundle
- Virginia Studies Study Guides Bundle
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