This resource unit, developed by University of Minnesota's Project Social Studies as part of a course on Our Political System, introduces eighth graders to decision making at the local level. This unit, much shorter than the others in the course, attempts to have pupils use concepts learned earlier to analyze one or more crucial problems in their own community. Students identify and define problems to determine alternative ways of trying to solve them. A list of objectives is followed by an outline of content correlated to objectives, teaching procedures, and materials of instruction. A supplementary reading and bibliography conclude the unit. The teacher's guide is SO 007 511. (Author/KSM)