Designed to remedy student's lack of opportunity to learn about the decision making process at the city or county government levels, this teacher handbook focuses on local government in Florida. The subject areas around which units and corresponding lessons are developed include: (1) the foundations of local government, history, legal roles, home rule, and forms of local government; (2) local government services; (3) local government finances; (4) key officials and elections; (5) public participation in local government--influencing local government decisions, serving as members of local government boards and committees, careers in local government, and running for local government office; (6) current local government issues, water management, solid waste management, public safety, and transportation; (7) growth management at the local government level; and (8) municipal incorporation and boundaries. Lessons are designed to provide students with information about local government in Florida and activities which seek to engage students in hands on operations. The volume is supplemented with four appendices containing a glossary, a list of available videotapes, a 44-item bibliography, and an appendix titled, "Getting to Know Your City and County Governments," which contains a 643-page listing of all the city and county governments within Florida and a profile for each respective government, based on a June 1990 survey by the Florida League of Cities. The profiles contain such information as the mailing address, main telephone number, population, form of government, assistance available to schools, a history, financial information and innovative programs. Note that most curriculum handbooks contain survey information for the respective county school district only (surveys for the county government and its respective city governments within that county area). (RJC)