This curriculum guide is intended to provide a common core of competencies from which to design an effective secondary marketing education program. Introductory materials include a definition of marketing education, objectives, outline of instructional content, and questions and answers regarding the curriculum guide. These practical materials are provided: a topical outline, sample student achievement record, and training plan. The remainder of the guide is organized around tasks in instructional areas reflected at the career-sustaining level of general merchandise retailing. They are business operations, communications, credit, economic fundamentals, human relations, management, marketing fundamentals, mathematics, physical distribution, selling, visual merchandising, and vocational student organization. Within each instructional area or duty are a number of tasks. Each task is presented on a separate sheet that provides the following information: achievement indicators, criteria, tools and equipment, resources, and learning activities and related necessary resources. A bibliography is appended. (YLB)