We present a sequence of professional development sessions to support science teachers in designing socio-scientific inquiry-based learning (SSIBL) lessons to foster democratic citizenship. We focus on seven stages for enacting SSIBL: (1) introducing a dilemma; (2) initial opinion-forming; (3) creating a 'need to know'; (4) inquiry; (5) dialogue; (6) decision-making; and (7) reflection. These stages were practised by pre-service science teachers (n=79) in designing SSIBL lessons (n=30). Activities trialled in the sessions as well as the challenges and opportunities identified by the preservice teachers will be discussed.