Frequently Asked Questions & Sample Pages
Fasttrack Civics
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Q:  What is Fasttrack Civics?

A:  Fasttrack Civics is a 168 page interactive learning guide / workbook that guides students and teachers through the essential facts, concepts, and vocabulary found in the Virginia Standards of Learning for middle school Civics and Economics.

   The book's pages provide a clear, concise, and graphic overview of the essential knowledge students need to master to succeed on the SOL end-of-year exam.
   Fasttrack Civics follows closely the framework specified by the Virginia Standards of Learning.  Working with the teacher, students complete the book's pages, which become highly effective graphic organizers of the knowledge they are gaining. 
   Fasttrack Civics was written by a Civics teacher in Virginia, and has been used successfully in hundreds of Civics classrooms. 


Q:  How well does this book align with the revised Virginia SOL for middle school Civics/Economics? 

A:  Our Second Edition of Fasttrack Civics gives solid coverage of the concepts, facts, and terms found in the revised Virginia SOL for middle school Civics and Economics.  It also guides students through the relevant background knowledge necessary for real comprehension of the SOL topics.


Q:  What does the word "Fasttrack" mean in the title of the book?

A.  Fasttrack is a term from the architecture profession.  In fasttrack construction, work on a building's foundation and framework is begun even before the detailed drawings of the interior are completed.  Similarly, students learn a complex subject like Civics most effectively if they immediately begin building a foundation and framework to support their continuing studies.
   For a great many students, the traditional textbook centered approach has proven less than effective.  The author believes that giving students a more focused and engaging guide, like that provided by Fasttrack Civics, helps all students achieve their true potential.

Q:  What about cost?

A:  Fasttrack Civics is produced and priced as a consumable so that schools can afford to issue a copy to each student to write in and complete the pages.  Our Internet support site is free to teachers and students alike, and requires no passwords.  Please see the page on prices and ordering for more information.
   

Q:  What support is available for teachers and students using the book?

A:  A full Teacher Key for Fasttrack Civics is available at a modest price.  We also make available at no cost the resources on our Internet support site, including PowerPoint presentations for teachers to use in their classrooms, unit review questions, and useful links to Civics topics.

Q:  May we buy one copy of Fasttrack Civics, or a class set, and photocopy pages for the rest of the students? 

A:  Fasttrack Civics is designed as a consumable, and priced so that schools can afford to provide each student with his or her own copy to write in and complete the pages.  You may not photocopy pages from the book.  Fasttrack Civics is copyrighted and registered with the U.S. Copyright Office.  Copying pages from the book is a violation of federal law, as well as a violation of academic ethics.  Thank you for respecting the author's right to his work by avoiding illegal copying.

Q:  How can I get more information?

A:  Please contact our office in Springfield, Virginia, by phone at:  (703)  644 - 4612,
or by email at:  ftm.contact@verizon.net
Copyright Information for Fasttrack Civics

Copyright 2006, 2010 by David A. Burns.  All rights reserved.  No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the copyright holder.   Contact:  Fasttrack Civics Project, 6215 Lavell Court, Springfield, VA 22152.

This work is a guide to the Virginia Civics SOL exam, and follows the organization and content of the Virginia Standards of Learning framework for that subject.  Some pages necessarily include phrases or sentences found in the Virginia SOL, which is available online from the Virginia Department of Education.  The author’s copyright extends to this work's original text and graphic content, unique design and layout, and other related material.
                       
Illustrations appearing in this publication are taken from sources in the public domain and from private collections used by permission.  Sources include: the Dover Pictorial Archive, the Library of Congress, The Hart Publishing Co., Corel Corporation and its licensors, Nova Development Corporation and its licensors, and others.  Maps were created or adapted by the author using reference maps from the United States Geological Survey and Cartesia Software.