This book is directed at professional educators in the Australian public schools with the specific objective of the modernization of instruction in the social studies. The rationale is that too little attention has been devoted to teaching about man's social world while teaching about the physical environment has been the subject of much improvement. Accordingly, some models are given which could be used for improvement. Six specific social science disciplines are outlined along with a method for integrating the study of contemporary social problems into the work of the classroom. A final chapter discusses the prospects for changing the curriculum along the lines of the stated rationale. In addition, an appendix lists approximately sixty curriculum development projects in the United States as well as several in other parts of the world. (CWB)