Curriculum Promotes Group Participation
A project-based learning curriculum, My Oval Office encourages students to explore through research and group participation the historic and evolving role of American education, the strengths and weaknesses of their own education, and economic and budgetary matters pertinent to the education system. The curriculum, for 11th and 12th grade social studies instruction, includes detailed information and examples on how to incorporate technology to further help students prepare for college and the job market. Classes will create a dynamic proposal and can present their plan of action to concerned members of the education community, in or outside of their schools. A related contest challenges students to discuss where American education should be headed,and why and how it can achieve that end. Five finalist presentations will be selected and student representatives and teachers from winning classes will go to Washington, D.C., to present their proposals. The curriculum was developed by Lifetime Learning Systems and Microsoft Corp. Teachers can obtain a copy of the My Oval Office curriculum by calling Lifetime Learning at (203) 259-5257 or downloading it from the Microsoft Office web site at http://www.microsoft.com/MSOffice. Microsoft Corp., Redmond, WA, (800) 426-9400.
This article originally appeared in the 09/01/1996 issue of THE Journal.