Topics and guidelines for stimulating interest in the study of local history at the elementary and secondary levels are described. The paper lists roles and responsibilities of teachers and students engaged in historical research, suggests projects for elementary and secondary teachers, and lists five basic reference books for teachers who are seeking additional information on local history projects. Motivation and skill development are discussed as essential preliminary tasks for the teacher in order to help students, who are improperly prepared to perform basic historical research, avoid frustration. It is recommended that elementary children do projects related to home and neighborhood, such as telling stories of family history connected with moving into the neighborhood, making scrapbooks of photos of the neighborhood, and visiting museums and public libraries to research simple themes. Secondary level students could study broader community issues such as poverty, pollution, and unusual local events. They could use community resources, such as local newspapers. Suggestions are given to help students choose appropriate topics, organize their project work and classroom presentations, and write final reports. (AV)