Design to Learn is a summer program for middle school students developed by a group of biologists and science educators. The goals are to enrich science teaching in public middle schools and to encourage students to continue their studies of science. During four summer workshops per year for three years, the program will train 120 teachers to use innovative methods and exercises and then have them teach those exercises to 600 students in a science camp atmosphere. Students will participate in activities for three hours each day for five days. In each session, two teachers will work with 10 students, guiding them through a diverse set of science exercises that engage them in active learning using design techniques, discovery, observation, measurement, model-building, hands-on activities, and collaborative group learning—techniques used by scientists themselves in the pursuit of knowledge and understanding.

Quickfacts Format: summer science camp Area Served: Triangle area of NC and surrounding counties Program dates: one week sessions for students Open to: grades 5-8 Application: recruitment by classroom teachers Requirements: none, except being chosen by classroom teachers Contact: Norman Budnitz, Ph.D. Address:Center for Inquiry-Based Learning Department of Biology, Duke University Box 90338 Durham, NC 27708-0338 Phone: (919) 684-3592 Fax: (919) 660-7293 Email: nbudnitz@duke.edu Links: Center for Inquiry-Based Learning

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