This guide is intended as an aid to social studies classroom teachers as they develop and implement educational programs on the United Nations. The objective is to help to counteract the scarcity of available teaching materials on the role and scope of the United Nations and its specialized agencies in the contemporary world. The guide is presented in five sections. Section I deals with students' preconceptions about the United Nations and the media's role in shaping those perceptions. It provides an overview of two concepts--interdependence and development. Section II provides an overview of the United Nations' purpose as stated in its Charter. It also discusses the organizational structure of the United Nations and identifies some of the major substantive issues on the UN agenda. Section III offers an historical perspective on the United Nations. Section IV presents an outline which students can follow when conducting case studies of the work of the United Nations in various countries. The final section contains appendices, including rules for a global energy game, the agenda of the General Assembly, and a listing of UN conferences and special sessions. Within each section, information is organized in an expanded outline format. Outline headings vary slightly from section to section but generally include background, overview, discussion questions, activities, vocabulary, and a summary of the main points. A wide variety of activities is suggested, including analyzing selected readings related to the United Nations, administering world affairs questionnaires to classmates, collecting and analyzing news clippings, keeping daily accounts reflecting how and when the world impacts on daily life, playing educational games, and doing research projects on a variety of UN-related subjects. (Author/DB)