Wayne State's College of Science is launching a summer science camp for seventh and eighth graders from three Detroit middle schools. The program, in its inaugural year, will teach students about biology, chemistry and physics.

Carl Freeman, a professor of biological sciences and co-director of the camp, said 70 students from Hally Magnet and Foch Middle Schools and University Preparatory School would participate in the weeklong camp from August 11-14.

Regina Zibuck, a chemistry professor, is director of the camp.

The notion behind the camp is to give students an opportunity to have fun with science beyond their routine classroom experiences.

"We want to get the kids pumped up about science with a series of activities where they get to do some fun things," Freeman said.

Those fun things include: having the students design roller coasters to demonstrate lessons in physics; building Lego robots to learn about programming and a field trip to Kensington Metropark to learn about biology.

Students will be involved in classes and activities from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. There will also be an open house on the camp's final day - Thursday, Aug. 14.

The camp is hosted by Wayne State's College of Science and also funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation.

Wayne State University is a premier institution of higher education offering more than 350 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to more than 31,000 students in metropolitan Detroit.