Lessons from a ninth-grade course which integrates social studies skills development and economic concept teaching are outlined. An overview describes the content of the year-long course and the skill objectives. Course content is divided into three sections: a basic introduction to economics, student interest topics such as the economics of crime and consumer economics, and a simulation of an economic community. Skills developed in the course are related to: textbooks, "Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature," card catalogs, encyclopedias, charts, graphs, tables, editorial cartoons, fact and opinion, bias, time lines, and source reliability. Following a chart which tags economic concepts to activities and skills lessons, lessons are described in greater detail. The appendix contains the following sample lessons: use of economic cartoons to understand symbols and opinions; examination of circle graphs of energy production and consumption; use of the encyclopedia to study the industrial revolution; and location of information on inflation, energy, and unemployment through the "Reader's Guide." Also included is a test of junior high school level economic understanding. (LP)