CMSD Partnership
At Great Lakes Science Center, we support a learning culture that encourages curiosity and experimentation to cultivate innovative and critical thinkers for the 21st century. Our partnerships with Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) serve students with a variety of STEM educational programs beyond the classroom. These field experiences allow today’s students to develop the skills to prepare for the careers of tomorrow.
Cleveland Creates 6 & Cleveland Creates 7 (CC6 & CC7)
The CC6 and CC7 programs use Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) and interactive projects that challenge students and encourage creativity, experimentation and self-efficacy among students. The programs serve all CMSD 6th graders and 7th graders and are designed to align with classroom curriculum.
Science Center educators work with students on programming that combines classroom instruction with practical design challenges and experimentation to teach the engineering process, reinforce STEM concepts and encourage creative problem-solving. To support continuing STEM learning outside of the classroom, CC6 and CC7 students receive take-home kits to design, build and rework projects with their siblings, friends or family members.
Creating Connections 8 (CC8)
CC8 leverages the Science Center’s unique position as a STEM education leader to bridge the gap between youth and the opportunities of emerging technologies. CC8 provides CMSD 8th graders with STEM education in the areas of blockchain, coding, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), cybersecurity and data protection. Students develop skills vital to meeting the needs and high demands of the digital career landscape.
Launched in 2019 with funding by the Cleveland Foundation, this multi-year initiative was developed in collaboration with Northeast Ohio’s leading tech-related economic drivers and builds on the successful model of the CC6 and CC7 programs.
Robotics Initiative
The Great Lakes Science Center Robotics Initiative provides high school students with the curriculum, mentorship and resources to participate in FIRST Robotics competitions. Working directly with expert mentors and coaches, students in this team-based initiative work collaboratively to build and program innovative industrial robots. Robotics programming provides students with hands-on engineering, coding and design experience while honing critical soft skills, such as communications, teamwork and leadership.
As part of the Science Center Robotics Initiative, the Science Center is host to the Curiosity Open, an off-season FIRST Robotics Competition for high school students from Northeast Ohio and surrounding regions.
MC2 STEM High School
Did you know that there’s a high school at Great Lakes Science Center? It’s the MC2 STEM High School, the result of an innovative partnership between CMSD and the Science Center.
Designed as a project-based learning environment, the MC2 STEM High School exposes students to the design and implementation practices scientists and engineers use. Students spend their days creating, exploring and discovering as they learn to become innovators, logical thinkers and inventors. The school’s unique curriculum incorporates Science Center resources, and students get to experience Science Center exhibits and programs that turn scientific theory into reality.
