Virginia SOL 2.1.a
The Standard
- 2.1
- The student will apply history and social science skills to distinguish between the rights and responsibilities that individuals have in the United States including, but not limited to
exercising freedom of expression
Virginia Standards of Learning for History and Social Science
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students share ideas and opinions through speaking, writing, pictures, or signs. They express themselves respectfully while allowing others to share different views.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student can state an opinion, choose a way to communicate it, and give a simple reason. The student listens without interrupting or insulting someone who disagrees.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may think they can say anything without consequences. They may also think disagreement is disrespectful, or that ideas can only be shared by speaking.
How to Assess It
- Give this exit ticket: “Draw or write one respectful way to share your opinion about a new playground rule.”
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give students paper speech bubbles to write or draw different respectful opinions about one classroom choice.
Ask, “How can you disagree with a classmate without being unkind?” and have students write one sentence.
Play Respectful or Not by reading opinion statements and having students hold up green or red cards.
Examine a school poster, announcement, or student newspaper and identify how people use it to share ideas.
Free download
Printable 2.1.a Worksheet

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 2.1.a, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.
PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.
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Related Standards
- S.USI.h
engaging and communicating as a civil and informed individual with persons with different perspectives
- 2.1.g
respecting the rights, beliefs, and opinions of others
- S.CE.h
engaging and communicating as a civil and informed individual with persons with different perspectives
- 2.1.b
exercising freedom of religion
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