Â鶹´«Ã½Èë¿Ú

Project-Based Learning (PBL)

Resources and Downloads for College and Career Readiness

Educators from MC2 STEM High School in Cleveland, Ohio, have provided these resources and tools for integrated project-based learning, real-world experiences, and other strategies to prepare students for college and beyond.

October 31, 2012

Your content has been saved!

Go to My Saved Content.
Photo credit: Zachary Fink
Principal Jeffrey McClellan (right) leads MC<sup>2</sup> STEM High School, where campuses are embedded in STEM-related businesses such as the Great Lakes Science Center to help emphasize the connection between school and the working world.

Tips for downloading: PDF files can be viewed on a wide variety of platforms -- both as a browser plug-in or a stand-alone application -- with Adobe's free Acrobat Reader program. .

School Overview

Below are documents provided by MC2 STEM High School about the school and some of its programs and strategies.

  • - Overview of the school that includes information about its design, academic programs, graduation requirements, and college preparatory curriculum.
  • - The seven core design principles that are the basis of MC2 STEM's design and operation.
  • - Overview of transdisciplinary PBL instruction. All capstone projects map to state standards, are organized around a specific theme, and are developed collaboratively by MC2 STEM staff and often with industry partners.
  • - Overview of the school's partnership with the General Electric Company. The demand for college and career readiness requires educators and business leaders to work together. GE provides instructional support through mentoring and job shadowing programs.
  • - Overview of the school's mastery-based assessment system. Students in grades nine and ten are required to achieve 90 percent or higher on benchmark skills in order to receive credit.
  • - 2010-2011 school year report card for Cleveland Metropolitan School District.
  • - 2010-2011 school year report card for MC2 STEM.

Sample Projects at MC2 STEM High School

Below are sample project documents provided by MC2 STEM. All projects have four phases of the design process. These phases include:

  • Determining Big Ideas -- Teachers brainstorm topics and essential questions to identify subject matter goals.
  • Operationalizing Big Ideas -- Teachers map learning goals to state standards, identify mastery learning goals, and develop project rubrics.
  • Assessment Development -- Students show evidence of mastery, description of assessment and performance.
  • Choreography of Learning -- Teachers identify resources required for the project and create a schedule.
  • - Blank template used to design and plan capstone projects at MC2 STEM.
  • - Diagram of the four phases of the design process for capstone projects used at MC2 STEM.
  • - Detailed planning document for the Communications capstone project; includes thorough description of the four phases of the design process, the project schedule over a ten-week period, and curriculum planning for the big ideas including math, engineering, and social studies.
  • - Simplified summary of the Communication project; includes lists of learning goals, formative assessments, and requirements for the final product.
  • - Rubric used for the Communications project; includes mastery learning goals and descriptions of how students are assessed for different levels of mastery.
  • - Detailed planning document for the Communications capstone project; includes thorough description of the four phases of the design process, the project schedule over a ten-week period, and curriculum planning for the big ideas including art, math, English, science, and social studies.
  • - Detailed planning document for the Communications capstone project; includes thorough description of the four phases of the design process, the project schedule over a ten-week period, and curriculum planning for the big ideas including English, math, social studies, science, and engineering.
  • - Document showing several projects that were done in the . Fab Lab is an abbreviation for Fabrication Laboratory, which has fabrication and electronic tools with open source software. The lab includes a laser cutter that makes 2D and 3D structures.

Additional Resources from MC2 STEM

  • MC2 STEM Parent Handbook - Parent handbook that includes general information on the school, project-based learning, differentiation, mastery, student goals checklist, and core operating principles.

    Below are excerpts from the handbook:
    • - Summary of project-based learning at MC2 STEM.
    • - Summary of differentiated instruction at MC2 STEM that adjusts for pace, interest, learning style, process, and content.
    • - Summary of assessment at MC2 STEM including mastery and the grading scale, earning credit, and report card information.
    • - Checklist for what students need to accomplish each year at MC2 STEM.
    • - Summary of teachers', parents', and students' commitments to MC2 STEM. This includes the mission and vision of the school, student achievement, progress and partnership, and student expectations.
    • - Operating principles at MC2 STEM, include owning one's potential, making a difference, recognizing problems, and accepting responsibility.
  • - School proposal submitted by the Cleveland Metropolitan School District to The Partnership for Continued Learning STEM Subcommittee in January 2008.
  • - Summary of the internship program, benefits for high school students, and corporate benefits and responsibilities.
  • - Detailed summary of the STEM sophomore project with MC2 STEM students and GE Lighting employees.
  • - Example of a one-week health and wellness calendar for grade ten.
  • - Blank template used for grading students on mastery assignments.
  • - Overview video about the Cleveland STEM network.

Useful Websites on College and Career Readiness

  • - Homepage for Cleveland Metropolitan School District
  • - Network that assists in starting up STEM schools and programs in Ohio
  • - School's website
  • -- GE Lighting & Electrical Institute website; the Cleveland Metropolitan School District brokered a unique partnership with GE Lighting to support real-world learning experiences for Cleveland students; MC2 STEM High School has a campus embedded in the GE Lighting campus.
  • - Nonprofit dedicated to improving 21st-century teaching and learning through effective project-based learning
  • - Mississippi State University and three rural school districts focus on technology, inquiry-based learning for grades 7-12
  • - Journal on STEM Education from the Teaching Academy at Purdue University

(For more innovative ideas for teaching STEM, check out our math and science blog series.)


What do you think about this Schools That Work story? We'd love to hear from you!
to , comment below, or email us.

School Snapshot

Mc2 Stem High School

Grades 9-12 | Cleveland , OH
Enrollment
270 | Public, Urban
Per Pupil Expenditures
$10406 School • $15072 District • $10571 State
Free / Reduced Lunch
100%
DEMOGRAPHICS:
74% Black
16% White
8% Hispanic
1% Asian/Pacific Islander
1% Native American

12% individualized education programs
2% English-language learners

Data is from the 2010-2011 academic year.

Share This Story

  • email icon

Filed Under

Follow Â鶹´«Ã½Èë¿Ú

Â鶹´«Ã½Èë¿Ú is an initiative of the Â鶹´«Ã½Èë¿Ú.
Â鶹´«Ã½Èë¿Ú®, the EDU Logoâ„¢ and Lucas Education Research Logo® are trademarks or registered trademarks of the Â鶹´«Ã½Èë¿Ú in the U.S. and other countries.