The guide provides activities for use with children in grades four through six before and after a field trip to Shakertown at Pleasant Hill. Established as a Shaker community in 1805, Pleasant Hill now has 27 buildings restored and open for public use. The study of Pleasant Hill can be used as an example of rural or village life in nineteenth century America, as an exhibit of the contributions Shakers made to American culture, or as an example of how the interplay of ideals and environment affect the development of a community. This guide contains a variety of activities and information designed to promote higher levels of student interest and to enrich their field trip experience. Students will learn, for example, that scaled rugs, pegboards, flat brooms, packaged seeds, and spring-action clothes pins are among the unique contributions of Shakers to American life. For the teacher, background information on Shaker history and customs is provided. Line drawings of buildings and exhibits, Shaker poems, songs, proverbs, and puzzles which can be duplicated for classroom use are included. Followup games and a bibliography of additional resources complete the guide. (Author/DL)