This book begins with a short overview describing the four basic strategies in a research and theoretical base. The second chapter focuses on the three components of learning seen as universal to all lessons. These elements, "factual knowledge", "skill development", and "conceptual knowledge", remain in focus throughout the rest of the book. The second chapter also introduces the four families of specific strategies presented in greater detail in the following chapters. Chapter 2, in addition, offers the rationale for designing, building, and evaluating cooperative lessons. Activities are designed for classrooms that are not grouped by gender, socioeconomic, or ethnic background, culture, or ability. These activities are for classrooms that use mixed ability grouping and therefore represent the total diversity of the school. Each of the next four chapters begins with an overview of a specific strategy and then presents detailed examples of lessons. More than 100 lessons are offered. Strategies reflect the diversity found in the scope and sequence of any social studies curriculum for grades six through twelve. Although many of the activities favor secondary classrooms, the strategies can be generalized, modified, or reconstructed to fit many course and grade levels. Teachers can use exactly what is offered or modify to fit their needs. An appendix including samples of all forms is provided. Chapters 2 through 6 also offer strategies that build on one another. For example, the Interview Strategies in Chapter 3 involve one level of learning, and the Demonstration Strategies in Chapter 4 work at a higher order. Both the Trial Strategies in Chapter 5 and the Theory Building Strategies in Chapter 6 expand and incorporate the learning of the previous chapters. In this way a teacher can choose to intertwine the separate groups of strategies in one large project or simply use a particular strategy as the basis for a distinct lesson. (EH)