The American History-Government program at Hillsboro High School, Hillsboro, Kansas consists of a learning package curriculum. Students must take six of eight nine-week learning packages--American, foreign policy, conflict, change, modern politics, decision making, Constitution, and civil rights. The rationale for this package organization is that the topical approach allows for in-depth study, group work, and individual projects. A learning package has three parts--basic, small group, and individual levels--that students can opt to take. Steps for building a learning package are described. They are: decide the time, decide the topic, gather materials, decide on basic materials, decide on small group materials, decide on the individual materials, assign grade point values, determine the cost, produce the learning package, and modifying the learning package. The American Revolution, foreign policy, and Constitution learning packages are given as exemplary nine-week courses. This guide concludes with article and book report forms, small group guides, evaluation form, bibliography, and a list of small group materials. (ND)