Superhero Storytelling and 3D Model Design

• Invent characters using everyday materials

• Compare character traits, motivations, and archetypes

• Map a story with a clear beginning, problem, and resolution

• Sketch and construct a three-dimensional character or invention

• Test and revise the model through the engineering design process

• Present an original superhero story and capstone visual

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Develop a character with clear traits, motivation, and a role in a story

• Use a plan-test-improve process to build a three-dimensional model

• Tell and present an original story with a connected beginning, middle, and end

Students will leave with story-planning materials, an original superhero story, and a visual or 3D model that reflects new storytelling and design skills.

Storytelling helps young students organize ideas into a sequence another person can follow. Building a character strengthens descriptive language and perspective because students must decide what the character notices, wants, fears, and does.

Model making turns imagination into a design problem. Students plan, choose materials, test whether a structure works, and revise it. Combining narrative and engineering strengthens creativity, communication, spatial thinking, persistence, and the confidence to share an original idea with an audience.

The result is a process students can use in future stories, models, and creative projects.

This course is for elementary school students who have completed 1st, 2nd, or 3rd grade and enjoy pretend play, drawing, building, superheroes, or telling stories. It is a good fit for imaginative children who want help turning a big idea into a character, a model, and a complete narrative.

Students should be ready to use age-appropriate craft materials, listen to classmates’ stories, try more than one design, and speak during a supportive final sharing.

View the eligibility requirements for the Institute for the Gifted on our FAQ page. A completed program application is required.

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.