This teacher's guide is part of a media package that also includes 5 video dramas, a 2 CD-ROM set, and a set of 30 student resource portfolios. The teacher's guide contains a semester of learning activities; the five video dramas use real-life situations to illustrate and teach civic events; the student resource portfolios have more than 40 printed resources for the lessons; and the 2 CD-ROM set has an extensive survey of the 200 years of U.S. government and the roots of today's civil society. The package is a comprehensive high school course grounded in the principles and practices of U.S. constitutional democracy. The program places heavy emphasis on learning civics within the contexts of schools, homes, and workplaces and through authentic instruction and collaborative learning. The course is based on the five organizing questions of the National Standards for Civics and Government and the five competencies identified in the Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) Report. The course focuses on the institutions of government, the rights and responsibilities of citizens, and the political participation of individuals and groups under the Constitution. The teacher's guide along with the student resources offers the core foundation for 80 lesson plans. Each 8-day unit is a collection of activities and assignments. The curriculum's five modules are divided into 10 units. Modules include: (1) "What is Government and What Should It Do?"; (2) "Basic Values and Principles of American Democracy"; (3) "The Constitution and Principles of American Democracy"; (4) "The Relationship of the United States to Other Nations and to World Affairs"; and (5) "The Roles of the Citizen in American Democracy." A list of 25 additional related Internet resources and a textbook correlation chart conclude the guide. (EH)