This guidebook is designed for use in teaching students enrolled in secondary pre-employment laboratory education (PELE) child care programs. The first of two major sections includes an overview for teachers in planning, conducting, and evaluating a child care program. Specific topics discussed in section 1 include (1) the school-operated center, (2) the public child care center, (3) student selection, (4) scheduling, (5) laboratory experiences, (6) classroom instruction, and (7) evaluation. Section 2 presents the PELE child care curriculum. Lesson plans are presented within eight areas: introduction to child care services, environment, development, behavior, routines, children's program, special groups, and center management. Each lesson plan follows a typical format that includes six parts: subject title, competency, objectives, sub-competencies, laboratory skills, and classroom concepts. A detailed reference list is appended. (LRA)