This manual contains 56 teacher-developed activities which can be used in social studies courses to improve students' basic skills. The activities teach location and map skills, writing and study skills, time skills, and thinking skills. Students also learn how to use reference books and how to read and interpret charts and graphs. Each activity is self contained, includes concise background explanatory material for the student to read, and provides practice material. Students answer questions using a sample entry from a dictionary, outline parts of their social studies text, summarize the events of a television show in sequence, construct time lines, draw maps and make their own keys, and write essays about teenage problems. The manual also contains a section with ten basic suggestions to help social studies students improve their writing. Pre- and post-test questions for all activities are also included. (RM)