Building on the three traditions of teaching social studies and the emphasis on reflective praxis and civic efficacy, this article proposed a curriculum design model from the social action perspective. This model presents three stages of the teaching/learning process: community learning, community inquiry and community action. The research team, composed of college professors, elementary school teachers, student teachers and preservice college students, developed several school-based curriculum plans for elementary students to study their communities as text, inquire their social issues as well as possible solution, and carry out actions. In this model, six criteria of curriculum design were made clear with examples of the Chou-Tzu Bay Case. The Chou-Tzu Bay Case, one of the curriculum plans, was presented to illuminate the ideas, the features, and the effects of the implementation. This study contributes to the innovation of teaching and curriculum design.