Designed to supplement a short course for middle school children and their parents, this manual provides sets of learning experiences about electronic communication devices. The program is intended to develop positive attitudes toward science and technology in both parents and their children and to take the mystery out of some of the electronic devices used in communication systems. The document includes information and activities to be used in conjunction with five sessions which are held at a science museum. The sessions deal with: (1) investigating circuits; (2) electromagnetism and the telegraph; (3) electromagnetic induction and the telephone; (4) crystal radio receivers; and (5) audio amplifiers. The sections of the guide which deal with each topic include an overview of the topic and descriptions of all of the activities and experiments to be done in class for that particular session. The students' and parents' manual gives directions for doing the experiments and also includes activities to be done at home. The appendices include optional activities and information along with reproducible participant materials and overhead transparency masters. (TW)