Start with curiosity
No research background, polished résumé, or perfect grades needed. Bring a question about the world around you.
BIG CURIOSITY. SMALL GROUPS.
Every researcherstarts with a question.
A free, six-week introduction to research for middle school students. Three curious minds, one college mentor, and a first discovery of your own.
Grades 6–8 · Bay Area · Online
THE CURIOSITY NOTEBOOK01 / 06
An example question
Could a little more green make a place feel cooler?
ParkStreetCourtyard
Illustrative data, not research findings.
Observe. Compare. Ask again.
What if…?
Your first research poster
A little guidance. A new way of seeing.
$0Free for families
3Students per mentor
6Weeks of discovery
24Planned first-cohort places
Founding-cohort targets, not current enrollment. Launch dates to be announced.
NOT A LAB COAT REQUIRED.
Research is a way of thinking.
Before big discoveries come small questions. We help students turn “I wonder…” into a question they can explore, a method they can explain, and a story they can share.
Learn with someone closer
College mentors make research approachable, with time for every voice in a group of just three students.
Make something your own
Connect a question, sources, a method, and a chart in your first research poster and three-minute presentation.
SMALL STEPS, REAL UNDERSTANDING.
Six weeks. A whole new perspective.
A shared toolkit gives each group a clear path, with room for students to follow their curiosity.
90-minute online session
Turn “I wonder” into a question.
Notice something interesting, then learn what makes a question specific enough to explore.
What you’ll work on
This week’s milestoneA short list of researchable questions
GOOD QUESTIONS BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER.
Find your place in the collective.
High school founders organize. College mentors guide. Middle school students explore.
FOR STUDENTS & FAMILIES
You bring the curiosity.
We bring a welcoming small group and a clear starting point. A guardian guides the application; students don’t need their own account to apply.
- For Bay Area students in grades 6–8
- Six weekly sessions, completely free
- Questions and commitment matter more than grades
FOR COLLEGE MENTORS
Be the person who makes it click.
Guide three students with ready-to-use lesson materials. We’re planning a founding team of eight college mentors—not an institution-branded program.
- Approximately 2.5 hours a week for six weeks
- Shared slides, templates, and mentor preparation
- Teaching experience, documented service, and feedback
Start thoughtfully. Grow together.
The original roadmap begins with a small test, then 8 mentors and 24 students. The growth goal is 20 mentors and 60 students, supported by a shared toolkit.
ONE PLACE TO KEEP LEARNING MOVING.
A home for the whole cohort.
Families see their next step. Mentors find their toolkit. Organizers keep the cohort on track.
YOUR FAMILY’S VIEW
Preview onlyA good question is taking shape.
The next chapter
A few small next steps
Demo checklist only. Changes reset when the page is refreshed.
All records below are fictional. Switching views demonstrates the design; it is not a sign-in or permission system.
CURIOSITY NEEDS A PLACE TO FEEL SAFE.
Designed with families in mind.
Guardian-led participation
Clear program information and guardian consent before a student joins. Separate permission before a poster is shared publicly.
Visible communication
Group-based learning and approved channels, with no private mentor-to-student messaging.
Private by design
The production platform will restrict cohort work and recordings to authorized participants. Recording notice, consent, and retention must be approved before launch.
A FEW THINGS YOU MIGHT BE WONDERING.
Good questions, answered.
LET’S MAKE ROOM FOR CURIOSITY.
The first question is just the beginning.
Explore the founding-cohort experience—as a student, a family, or the mentor who helps someone see what’s possible.
Explore how to joinApplication preview only · Launch dates to be announced