Begun in 1995, the Virginia Museum of Natural History coordinates the annual Virginia Science Standards Institute in cooperation with the Virginia Department of Education, the Science Museum of Virginia, and a number of local and state agencies. This week-long summer learning experience is for fourth and fifth grade teachers and is designed to closely support the Science SOL and provide detailed training, print, and hands-on resources on the SOL content and skills. Professional development points toward recertification are available. The institute is often underwritten by the Virginia Department of Education. Click here to go to the Superintendent's Memo announcing 2009 VSSI.