This manual for social studies teachers examines the current status of computer use in social studies classrooms, suggests reasons to use the computer, and discusses five ways computers can be used in social studies; i.e., as a method of delivering content, as a tool for retrieving and analyzing information, as an example of technology use in society, as a tool for developing thinking skills, and as a classroom management aid. Specific applications are then described, including drill and practice and four commercial simulations: "Sell Bicycles" (economics); "Geography Search: A Geography Simulation"; "Oregon: A Historical Simulation"; and "People Using Computers: Exploring Computing's Social Impact." Consideration is given to the effective integration of computers into instruction and the classroom management issues raised by computer use. Information is provided on sources of social studies computing materials, including software directories, software catalogs, commercial publishers, and professional journals. A discussion of computer materials evaluation covers instructional and computer-related criteria and criteria for product support. A final chapter considers the relationship of social studies computing activities (or products) to the school's overall instructional program. (LMM)