Educational reformers have been concerned about an apparent lack of depth in most social studies curricula with the traditional pressure to "cover" vast amounts of content leading to limited student retention of knowledge. Observational studies have analyzed numerous high school social studies classrooms in which teacher-led lecture/recitation and mundane rote tasks are the norm. Such teacher-dominated classrooms limit student opportunity to learn critical thinking skills since students are rarely asked to construct substantive knowledge. This paper discusses the findings of a study in which the instructional practices of 12 U. S. history teachers in 6 schools and 24 classes were examined. Information concerning teaching methods, goals, tasks required, and classroom management strategies were examined to assess student opportunity to learn from the instruction. The findings indicated increasing student opportunity to learn, especially the opportunity to learn critical thinking skills, may well involve changing some teaching environments, and insuring that all teachers have the requisite content and pedagogic knowledge and skills to choose and implement the goals and activities that will come closer to the ideal social studies classroom envisioned by reformers. Numerous charts and tables are included. (DB)