More than 50 starter ideas for social studies projects and units for the primary and intermediate grades are presented. These help develop children's skills in social studies, reading, handwriting, and language arts, and stir their interest in local history and government. Activities can be used for new projects or to enrich ongoing ones. (PP)

Describes an instructional activity in which fifth graders identified geographic and economic factors that caused a town to become a ghost town. Discusses instructional procedures and materials used in the activity. Includes extension activities, maps, and suggestions for adapting the activity to other geographic regions. (CFR)