Applications Open! Enroll for Summer 2027 at 2026 Tuition Pricing Until Sept 30
Investigate ocean life and propose a conservation solution in this three-week marine biology course for elementary school students on Bryn Mawr College’s campus.
Instructor:
Course Description
The ocean connects tiny plankton, enormous marine mammals, coastal communities, and the global climate. Students investigate life from coral reefs to the ocean floor while asking how organisms are adapted to water, food webs, temperature, depth, and one another.
Experiments and research make ocean systems tangible. Students test density, model the water cycle, examine ocean chemistry, and compare evolutionary and ecological relationships among marine plants and animals. They research a chosen organism, communicate its adaptations, and consider how temperature change, pollution, fishing, habitat loss, or other human activity may affect it.
For the capstone, students investigate a marine issue and its effects on local animals, plants, and people. They propose a solution designed to benefit both communities and the environment, then plan how it could gain funding, supplies, or public support. A mock-election presentation asks them to defend the evidence and practicality behind the proposal.
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.
Why Marine Biology Skills Matter
Marine biology helps students understand that an ecosystem is a network, not a list of separate species. Changes in water chemistry, temperature, habitat, or one population can affect many others. Experiments with density and water movement connect physical science to where organisms live and how ocean systems behave.
Conservation planning develops balanced reasoning. Students must consider ecological evidence, human needs, tradeoffs, and the resources required to act. These skills support science learning while showing how research can inform practical decisions about shared environments.
What Will You Do?
• Research marine organisms and their adaptations
• Compare food webs and ecological relationships in ocean systems
• Test density and model water movement and ocean chemistry
• Investigate how climate and human activity affect marine life
• Evaluate a marine issue from ecological and community perspectives
• Propose and present a practical conservation solution
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
• Explain how marine organisms interact with physical and ecological conditions
• Use experiments and research to analyze a change in an ocean system
• Propose a conservation response that considers both people and the environment
Students will leave with marine-science investigations, organism research, and a capstone proposal for protecting an ocean or coastal system.
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 collegiate 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.
Who Should Attend?
This course is for elementary school students who have completed 4th or 5th grade and are curious about ocean animals, coral reefs, climate, conservation, or what happens beneath the surface. It is a good fit for students who enjoy experiments, research, drawing, and discussing how people can help ecosystems.
Students should be ready to handle classroom materials carefully, work with a team, consider more than one perspective, and present an evidence-based solution. Curiosity, patience, and a willingness to revise will help them get the most from the course.
View the eligibility requirements for the Institute for the Gifted on our FAQ page. A completed program application is required.
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