Designed to provide social studies educators with specific information for the development of local school district K-12 curriculum, this guide is organized into eight sections. Following an introduction, section 1 provides a rationale, goals, and major themes for the social studies and social sciences. Section 2 presents a scope and sequence organization by grade level. Section 3 examines thinking and reasoning as educational objectives and presents a rationale for an "Integrated Skills Network." Section 4, which focuses on evaluating and improving the social studies program, is followed by a discussion of the use of computers and software in the social studies. In section 6, resources and references for teachers are listed including professional organizations, information sources, and books for the social studies professional. Section 7 examines the changing curriculum, limitations of textbooks in an information age, the coordinating of schooling and education, the remodeling of the structure of knowledge and logic, balancing the fragmenting and binding forces of schooling, and the radical reconstruction of education. Appendices (section 8) provide information on graduation requirements, minimum allocated instructional time, writing in the social studies, the Directed Reading/Thinking Activity (DRTA), state social studies publications and observance days, instructional television programs, and the use of informal classroom drama. (LH)