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Test engineering ideas and prototype a real-world solution in this 3-week program for elementary school students at Fairfield University.
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 Fairfield University’s campus in Fairfield, Connecticut. The course 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 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