Applications Open! Enroll for Summer 2027 at 2026 Tuition Pricing Until Sept 30
Program Finch robots and build an interactive robotics capstone in this 3-week program for elementary school students at Fairfield University.
Course Description
What makes a machine a robot? Students compare familiar robots, investigate the jobs they perform, and identify the sensors, instructions, movement, and feedback that allow a robot to act. A human “robot and programmer” activity shows why precise commands matter before students move into block-based coding.
Using Microsoft MakeCode and Finch robots, students create sequences, control motion, test lights and sound, and adjust programs after observing what the robot actually does. Challenges include drawing geometric paths, measuring movement, and using code to reproduce patterns. Students learn to break a larger goal into smaller steps and debug one variable at a time.
The capstone combines programming and creative engineering. Students develop an interactive Finch performance or art challenge inspired by activities such as the bee waggle dance and Mondrian-style drawing. They plan the behavior, write and test the code, document revisions, and demonstrate how the robot responds to their instructions.
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.
A supplemental course fee of $195 applies.
What Will You Do?
• Compare robots and research the jobs they perform
• Practice precise algorithms through human robot-programmer activities
• Use MakeCode to control Finch movement, lights, and sound
• Measure and debug geometric drawing challenges
• Translate animal behavior or visual art into programmable rules
• Design, test, and demonstrate an interactive robotics capstone
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
• Explain how code, sensors, movement, and feedback work together in a robot
• Build and debug a block-based program for a Finch robot
• Design and present an interactive robotic behavior or artwork
Students will leave with tested MakeCode programs, engineering notes, and a capstone demonstration that shows how their robot follows and responds to instructions.
Why Robotics Skills Matter
Robotics turns computational thinking into movement students can see and measure. A program must be specific about sequence, distance, timing, and response. When the robot behaves unexpectedly, students learn to inspect the code, test one change, and use evidence instead of guessing.
The work also joins engineering with creativity. Drawing patterns or modeling animal communication requires students to translate an idea into rules a machine can follow. These habits strengthen logic, measurement, persistence, collaboration, and the confidence to improve a design through repeated testing.
Who Should Attend?
This course is for elementary school students who have completed 4th or 5th grade and enjoy building, coding, measuring, inventing, or figuring out why a machine behaves the way it does. It is a strong fit for students who like testing ideas and solving practical problems.
Students should be ready to share equipment, follow safety directions, test programs patiently, and collaborate on challenges.
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