In 2001, Drs. Steven Wainwright and Norman Budnitz at Duke University established The Center for Inquiry-Based Learning (CIBL) to help North Carolina K-8 teachers learn inquiry-based teaching practices. Today, CIBL serves schools and districts all over North Carolina with STEM kit rentals, STEM student activity packs, and professional development.

CIBL offers a full line of hands-on STEM kits for K-8 classrooms. At each grade level, CIBL has kits that provide additional math & ELA integrations and STEM design challenges. Many of CIBL’s kits were developed specifically to align to the North Carolina Essential Science Standards.

Additionally, CIBL offers individually-packed STEM student activity packs that create a safe, equitable, hands-on learning environment in the classroom or at home. Student activity packs provide STEM materials and guides, STEM design challenges, and teacher and student support documents.

In December 2014, CIBL conducted a survey to better understand the needs of teachers using CIBL kits. From the 269 responses, CIBL learned that:

When teachers use a CIBL kit in the classroom:

• 83% experience students spending more or much more time engaging with science content in the classroom
• 71% experience students asking more or many more questions during science
• 69% experience students being more or much more on-task during science
• 83% report spending less or much less time acquiring classroom materials to teach science
• 75% feel more or much more prepared to lead a hands-on science lesson
• 57% feel more or much more confident teaching the science content at their grade level

When no CIBL kit is available, 69% of teachers responded that they do not have the materials support they need to teach hands-on science.

54% of survey respondents currently receive 0-1 kits from CIBL.

76% of survey respondents would prefer to use 3-4 kits from CIBL each year.

We’re so glad you asked! When you work with CIBL, you will receive one-on-one customer service to help you through the process. Contact  Todd (todd@ciblearning.org) or Rachael (rachael@ciblearning.org) to determine which kits you would like to order, kit pricing, and when you would like to receive them. CIBL rents kits on a 9-week basis, corresponding with the traditional and year-round calendars.

We’re so glad you asked! When you work with CIBL, you will receive one-on-one customer service to help you through the process. Contact  Todd (todd@ciblearning.org) or Rachael (rachael@ciblearning.org) to determine which student activity packs you would like to order, pricing, and when you would like to receive them. Student Activity Packs can be purchased upon request.

CIBL does not sell kits. If your school owns kits, CIBL offers refurbishment packs to replenish consumable items.

Our K-5 kit prices vary, but the average cost is $285 for a 9-week kit that serves 32 students. Kits with living materials require the purchase of a starter kit. Starter kits are a one-time cost and stay in the classroom for use in future years. CIBL offers professional development at no charge with any kit rental.

6th-grade kits are $545; 7th-grade kits are $495; 8th-grade kits are $595. All middle school units serve 125 students for 9 weeks. CIBL offers professional development at no charge with any kit rental.

Please contact Todd (todd@ciblearning.org) or Rachael (rachael@ciblearning.org) for a full price list.

Our Student Activity Packs (SAP) prices vary, but the average cost is about $4 per student. 5th-grade SAPs are $100; 6th-grade & 7th-grade SAPs are $115; 8th-grade SAPs are $130.

Each SAP includes:

• 35 individual student bags
• Materials and student activity guides
• STEM design challenges
• Tacher and Student Support Documents
• Teacher Professional Development

Please contact Todd (todd@ciblearning.org) or Rachael (rachael@ciblearning.org) for a full price list.

There is no charge for shipping on kits. There is a $10 per box shipping charge on student activity packs. CIBL is required to charge sales tax. Tax rate will vary by county.

The K-5 kits serve 32 students. The middle school kits serve 125 students.

One student activity pack contains 35 individual student bags.

CIBL cannot offer partial kits or student activity packs.

CIBL offers professional development for both kits and student activity packs. Please contact Todd at (919) 294-9883 or todd@ciblearning.org for more information on professional development.