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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
A design looks promising on paper. Now comes the fun part: build it and find out what happens.
In this course your child will try the work of civil, chemical, electrical, biomedical, and mechanical engineers. Challenges with structures, floating objects, heat, materials, simple electrical systems, and machines turn ideas into things they can test. Teams draw blueprints, mix materials, build prototypes, and measure what changes. If a design falls short, they’ll look for a reason and try an improvement.
Their own project starts with a need in their community or the wider world. Students research the problem, decide what a solution must do, and work within limits. A prototype, blueprint, or multimedia model can show their answer. Sharing the design means explaining the choices behind it, including why one approach may work better than another.
This three-week course for elementary school students 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.
What You Will Do
• Test structures to see what makes them stable
• Investigate floating, heat, and simple electrical systems
• Mix materials and compare how they perform
• Draw blueprints and build prototypes with classmates
• Measure results and try a design change
• Present a solution to a community or global problem
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
• Use a design process to turn a need into a possible solution
• Compare test results to decide how a design could improve
• Explain design choices using evidence and the problem’s limits
You’ll leave with your engineering notes, challenge prototypes, a capstone blueprint or model and a certificate of completion.
Why Engineering Skills Matter
An idea can look good until it has to stand up, float, or work within a limit. Testing gives students a way to see what happens and decide what to change. An unsuccessful attempt becomes useful information.
Moving between different kinds of engineering builds flexible problem solving. Measuring results and explaining a choice connect science, mathematics, and communication. Children can use those habits in school projects and whenever they want to make something work better.
Who Should Attend?
For students who have completed 4th or 5th grade.
For the child who sketches an idea, takes something apart, or wonders how to make it work better, engineering offers plenty to try. This course suits builders and practical problem-solvers who want to explore different kinds of engineering. Working with classmates and improving a design after testing are part of the appeal. No prerequisites are required. Building activities include following safety instructions for classroom tools and materials.
Institute for the Gifted eligibility requirements apply; see the program FAQ.
Your Summer at Bryn Mawr College
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 and shared activities 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
Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr College