The University of California at Berkeley in conjunction with the area school districts will create Applied Design Engineering Project Teams (ADEPT).  These teams will design and deploy a standards-based engineering curriculum for middle schools and high schools (grades 6-9) designed to integrate mathematics and science concepts applied in engineering projects, inspire secondary students, and strengthen the classroom experience of current and future faculty in math, science, and engineering.  ADEPT curriculum development teams will combine the best of inquiry and activity-based teaching and learning with cutting edge university research and resources.  Each team will be made up of local school teachers (Teacher Fellows), graduate students (Graduate Engineering Fellows), university faculty, and advanced undergraduates. Each will contribute unique perspectives and skills in the creation of discrete curriculum modules.  These modules will be exemplary “hands-on – minds-on” engineering projects as model lessons that enrich the learning experience of the entire range of secondary students. 

The overall goals of the program are to:  Engage middle and high school students in doing mathematics and science through engineering projects that strengthen their understanding of core concepts in math and science; Engage and enrich learning for the diverse population of middle and high school students found in urban classrooms; Create and sustain a vibrant learning community of teachers, graduate students, undergraduate students and university faculty who work together to develop exemplary curriculum modules; Foster a college-going culture among middle school students, parents, and teachers that provides a supportive and attractive alternative to counter--academic pressures confronting students when they make the transition from middle school to high school.  

ADEPT teams will design and develop modules to serve the needs of the full range of students in grades 6 to 9, including those who do not learn core math and science concepts with current curriculum and teaching methods.  These “hands-on – minds-on” engineering design projects will tap into a greater range of learning modalities than current textbook and classroom practices.  Second, ADEPT modules will serve the needs of students who have mastered the core math and science concepts and are challenged by the open-ended opportunities to integrate these math and science concepts, and apply their understanding in engineering projects that have implications for their lives and their community. 

Each ADEPT Project Team consists of one Math and one Science Teacher Fellow, two Graduate Engineering Fellows, a university faculty, and undergraduate tutors.  Together they will help secondary students succeed in math and science through comprehensive in-class academic support and engineering project modules.  Curriculum modules are available for download as a ZIP folder or PDF file.

Curriculum Modules