Applications Open! Enroll for Summer 2027 at 2026 Tuition Pricing Until Sept 30
Test engineering ideas and prototype a real-world solution in this three-week engineering course for elementary school students on Bryn Mawr College’s campus.
Course Description
Engineers turn needs into questions they can investigate. Students explore how civil, chemical, electrical, biomedical, and mechanical engineers approach different problems, then use the engineering design process to ask, imagine, plan, create, test, and improve.
Hands-on challenges make core principles visible. Students investigate structural stability, buoyancy, heat, simple electrical systems, materials, and machines. They create blueprints, mix and test materials, build prototypes, measure performance, and compare how a change affects the result. Collaboration asks teams to explain tradeoffs instead of assuming there is one perfect design.
For the capstone, students identify a challenge in their community or the wider world and engineer a response. They research the need, define criteria and constraints, develop and test a concept, and present the design process. Final work may include a prototype, blueprint, or multimedia model that shows how the proposed solution could improve life.
This three-week course is part of Summer Discovery’s Institute for the Gifted program on Bryn Mawr College’s campus in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. The program is available to commuter students. Beyond class, students take part in campus activities, make new friends, and build confidence trying something new.
What Will You Do?
• Explore civil, chemical, electrical, biomedical, and mechanical engineering
• Test stability, buoyancy, heat, materials, and simple systems
• Create blueprints and build hands-on prototypes
• Measure performance and revise a design after testing
• Define criteria and constraints for a real-world need
• Present a community-focused engineering capstone
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
• Apply the engineering design process to a defined problem
• Use test evidence to compare and improve a prototype
• Present a solution with criteria, constraints, and supporting reasoning
Students will leave with engineering notes, challenge prototypes, and a capstone blueprint or model that addresses a real community or global need.
Why Engineering Skills Matter
Engineering helps students see that useful inventions grow from evidence and revision. A bridge, device, or material must meet a need while working within limits such as strength, cost, safety, or available resources. Testing reveals which parts of an idea succeed and which need to change.
Working across several engineering fields builds flexible problem solving. Students practice measurement, spatial reasoning, scientific explanation, teamwork, and communication. Most importantly, they learn that an unsuccessful first test is information that can lead to a better design.
Who Should Attend?
This course is for elementary school students who have completed 4th or 5th grade and like taking things apart, building, drawing plans, testing ideas, or solving practical problems. It is a good fit for students who are curious about the many kinds of work engineers do.
No prerequisites are required. Students should be ready to use classroom tools and materials safely, collaborate, measure results, and keep improving a design after an imperfect test.
View the eligibility requirements for the Institute for the Gifted on our FAQ page. A completed program application is required.
Why Bryn Mawr?
Bryn Mawr gives elementary students a welcoming place to spend the day learning, creating, and meeting new friends. Its historic, tree-lined setting near Philadelphia makes a summer class feel special and academically structured while remaining close enough for students to return home each afternoon.
The commuter-day format combines hands-on academics with a clear daily routine, shared activities, and Summer Discovery support throughout the program day. Students can try something new, build confidence through participation, and enjoy the fun of learning on a college campus without an overnight stay. For families, Bryn Mawr offers a thoughtful balance of creativity, academic challenge, friendship, and age-appropriate independence in a structured day-program environment.
Summer Discovery Certificate of Completion
After successfully finishing this course, you will be awarded a certification of completion for your accomplishment.
*This is a preview, not what you will receive