Applications Open! Enroll for Summer 2027 at 2026 Tuition Pricing Until Sept 30
Test engineering ideas and prototype a solution to a real community problem in this 3-week program for elementary school students at Fairfield University.
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 Fairfield University’s campus. The course is available to commuter students. Beyond class, students connect engaging academic exploration with campus life, new friendships, growing confidence, and curiosity about what students may want to explore next.
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 fits 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.
A strong participant brings curiosity, patience, and a willingness to revise. The most important preparation is readiness to ask questions and take part.
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 of completion for your accomplishment.
*This is a preview, not what you will receive