This guide was planned for a program to acquaint seventh and eighth grade students with the importance of the computer in society and to ensure uniformity of instructional objectives among teachers assigned to teach a beginning-level course in computer literacy. It includes the history of the computer, operating and controlling the computer, applications of the computer and its influence on daily activities, limitations of the computer, and moral and ethical issues related to the growing computer age. The major portion of the course is geared toward the BASIC programming language and the TRS-80 microcomputer. The guide is divided into 16 units of study (1-9 for the seventh grade and 10-16 for the eighth grade); it has also been used with a one-semester high school elective course. For each unit, the purpose, resource materials, teacher preparation, content objectives, presentation activities, and procedures for assessment are described. Also included are 17 study guides for student use, a 34-item reference list for teachers, and an index. (LMM)