The recent worldwide SARS outbreak has put the science of epidemiology into the headlines once again. Epidemiology is "... the study of the distribution and the determinants of health-related states or events and the application of these methods to the control of health problems" (Gordis 2000). In this context, the authors have developed a curriculum called Detectives in the Classroom for middle school teachers to teach the science of epidemiology to their students. This article describes the pedagogical framework, provides a sample activity for each teaching point, and illustrates how the curriculum aligns with the "National Science Education Standards" fundamental abilities in science as inquiry and attributes of scientific literacy (NRC 1996). (Contains 2 resources.)