Applications Open! Enroll for Summer 2027 at 2026 Tuition Pricing Until Sept 30
Extract strawberry DNA, grow seeds, and invent an original plant in this 3-week program for elementary school students at Fairfield University.
Course Description
Why does a plant have tall stems, purple flowers or jagged leaves? Students begin with real plants and seeds, then investigate the tiny instructions behind those visible traits. They plant fast-growing seeds, track changes in a journal and watch colored water travel through celery stems.
The class moves from plant parts into genetics. Students extract DNA from strawberries, build a double-helix model with paired bases and compare inherited traits with learned traits. They open soaked beans to find the embryo, seed coat and cotyledon, explore pollination and group plants into families by shared features.
Each student invents a plant with its own DNA pattern, traits, habitat and helpful mutation. They develop the idea through capstone checkpoints, rehearse their explanation and present the finished model during a Plant Genetics Showcase.
This three-week course is part of Summer Discovery’s Institute for the Gifted program on Fairfield University’s campus. The course is available to commuter students. Beyond class, students connect engaging academic exploration with a welcoming campus community, growing confidence, and curiosity students can carry into what they explore next.
What Will You Do?
• Plant fast-growing seeds and record changes in a plant journal
• Watch colored water move through celery stems and compare the results
• Extract visible strands of DNA from strawberries
• Build a double-helix model using the A-T and C-G pairing patterns
• Investigate seeds, inherited traits, habitats, pollination and plant mutations
• Design and present an original plant with its own DNA, traits and habitat
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
• Explain how DNA carries instructions that influence plant traits
• Observe plant growth and record evidence using drawings and simple descriptions
• Create and present a model that connects DNA, traits, mutations and habitat
Students will leave with a course completion certificate, a plant journal, a double-helix model and an original plant capstone that may spark more questions about genetics and the natural world.
Why Plant Genetics Skills Matter
Plant genetics gives young scientists a way to connect what they can see with what is happening inside a living thing. Observing a seed, recording growth and comparing traits teaches students to slow down, notice details and use evidence to explain a change.
Building models also makes an invisible idea easier to understand. When students pair DNA bases, design plant traits and explain how a mutation may help a plant survive, they practice following patterns, making predictions and communicating scientific thinking in their own words.
Who Should Attend?
This course is for elementary school students who have completed 1st, 2nd, or 3rd grade and are curious about plants, animals, DNA, or how living things grow. It is a strong fit for children who enjoy building models, making observations, drawing, gardening, and sharing what they discover.
Students should be ready to participate in group discussions, handle classroom materials carefully, and work on a project over several days. The course introduces big scientific ideas through concrete experiments, creative making, and age-appropriate explanations.
Why Fairfield University?
Fairfield gives elementary students a fun and welcoming first taste of campus life in a coastal Connecticut town along Long Island Sound. The day includes hands-on classes, outdoor courtyard time, shared meals, and opportunities to make friends in a setting that feels active without feeling overwhelming.
The commuter-only Institute for the Gifted has operated at Fairfield for more than two decades. Students try new challenges and build confidence within a clear, structured program day. For families, Fairfield offers an age-appropriate combination of learning, creativity, friendship, routine, and support. Students get the fun of a summer program and the satisfaction of discovering what they can make, solve, and explore next.
Summer Discovery Certificate of Completion
After successfully finishing this course, you will be awarded a certification completion for your accomplishment.
*This is a preview, not what you will receive