Background information to help elementary and junior high school social studies teachers use the materials developed by the Minnesota Community Studies Project is provided. The primary concern of the 3-year project was to help students learn skills and content essential to understanding life in Minnesota's past, present, and future. There are 10 parts to the publication. Part 1 provides a brief introduction to the publication. Part 2 asks teachers to read and pick among statements which reflect their goals in teaching about Minnesota. A reading selection discusses the topic "What is Minnesota studies?" Part 3 describes in outline form the project materials developed. These include case studies on community growth and rural Minnesota and units of study dealing with living in the city, economic interdependence, ethnicity, and change. Part 4 briefly describes the project evaluation, which shows that the project materials were highly effective in achieving conceptual and inquiry objectives. Some of the basic considerations involved in decisions about the development of the project materials are discussed in parts 5 and 6. For example, why staff decided not to develop a textbook and the reasoning behind using the community concept are examined. Project goals are outlined in part 7. Part 8 describes the teacher's role and background. How the project materials can be adapted and supplemented is the focus of part 9. Tips for evaluating and selecting materials for a Minnesota studies course are provided in part 10. (RM)