This guide, which has been developed for Utah's home economics and family life education program, contains materials for use in teaching a life management course emphasizing the problem-solving skills required for independent living. Discussed first are the assumptions underlying the curriculum, development of the guide, and suggestions for its use. The remainder of the guide consists of materials for use in teaching units on the following topics: course overview, values and goals, relationships, life roles, resources, the process of practical reasoning, choosing a place to live, meeting transportation needs, managing finances, planning food for optimum health, selecting and caring for clothing, preparing for marriage, thinking about parenthood, and leadership. Each unit contains some or all of the following: unit objectives; unit outline listing the life essential/skill and subproblem(s) covered, unit value assumption, unit objective, and topics of the unit's lessons; resource list cross-referencing student handouts, teacher materials/information sheets, and transparency masters for each lesson; and unit lessons. Each unit lesson contains some or all of the following: statement explaining the lesson's focus, list of suggested activities, student handouts, teacher information sheets, transparency masters, and lesson test activity/test bank. (MN)