Educational research has shown that students learn best by participation. North Carolina: The Tar Heel State follows this principle religiously.

• The book keeps students involved while they work through exciting and fun activities.
• The book gives serious attention to having students understand all the goals and objectives of North Carolina's Social Studies curriculum, not just history and geography.
• Students will find outstanding material on government, citizenship, and economics, as well as Social Studies skills.
• The text uses an activity approach that teaches students how to think by integrating content with process skills.
• Students learn better because the content and process skills of Social Studies actually reinforce each other.
• Many of the activities are multi-disciplinary. Adopted by the State of North Carolina.