In the spring of 2000, five Springfield, Missouri, elementary schools piloted the first semester of a WorldCom/Campus Compact Grant called "Students as Citizens: Linking Families, Schools, Communities and Universities to Enhance Learning through Technology." The grant title was later changed to "Discovering Springfield's First Century." This project was funded by MCI through Brown University for the purposes of teaching the first 100 years of Springfield history to Title I third and fourth grade students. The grant was designed to implement district and state objectives in the classrooms, with the following major goals and objectives: (1) to provide a service-learning experience for Missouri State University students; (2) to provide experiential learning that focuses on the values and applications of the computer and the Internet to low income, "at-risk" students; (3) to provide an opportunity for parents and students to work cooperatively; (4) to develop an innovative social studies curriculum using a web-based medium that will enhance the learning experience of third and fourth grade students; and (5) to enhance the community's understanding of the history of Springfield through a new historical website and "Living History Reenactment." The project applied constructivist principles, demonstrated the importance of instructional design, and showed that a holistic integrated curriculum using a variety of strategies and visual elements does make a difference in student learning. (Contains 3 figures.)