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Solve number mysteries in this 3-week data and statistics course for elementary students on Fairfield University’s campus.
Course Description
A paper airplane’s longest flight can be a clue. So can the colors in a bag of candy. Numbers give young detectives a way to test a guess and discover something surprising.
In this course your child will sort candies, measure rolling balls, compare basketball scores, and test predictions with classmates. Colorful graphs and simple tables help the discoveries take shape. They’ll explore averages, middle values, and numbers that appear most often, then notice how much results change from one try to the next.
Dice and spinner games introduce chance. Class surveys show how different wording can change an answer, while weather observations reveal patterns over time. For their own detective project, your child will choose something they want to find out, make a prediction, gather information, and share the story their graphs tell.
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
• Sort candy colors and graph the results
• Test paper airplanes and measure their flights
• Compare basketball scores and rolling-ball distances
• Ask classmates questions and spot unfair wording
• Compare dice and spinner results with predictions
• Investigate your own question through a data-detective project
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
• Collect and organize information from surveys and hands-on experiments
• Use graphs, averages, and number patterns to describe results
• Support an answer with information gathered through an investigation
You’ll leave with your data-detective project, graphs to share and a certificate of completion.
Why Data and Numbers Skills Matter
Numbers become more interesting when they help answer a question a child cares about. Counting, measuring, and making graphs turn a guess into something students can check. Comparing several airplane flights also shows why one lucky throw may not tell the whole story.
Working with classmates gives students practice taking turns, listening, and explaining what they notice. Asking fair survey questions helps them see why everyone’s answer matters. These habits support everyday math and science learning while giving children the satisfaction of figuring something out for themselves and sharing it with others.
Who Should Attend?
For students who have completed 4th or 5th grade.
For the child who keeps asking “how many?” or “what happens if?”, this course gives questions somewhere to go. Games, experiments, and colorful graphs make room for children who enjoy spotting patterns, trying a prediction, or finding out what their classmates think. They’ll get to choose a question of their own and share what they discover.
Institute for the Gifted eligibility requirements apply; see the program FAQ.
Your Summer at Fairfield University
Fairfield University’s campus gives children a new place to learn, play, and make friends in a coastal Connecticut town. Summer Discovery’s Institute for the Gifted program combines hands-on classes with a familiar daily routine, shared meals, and outdoor courtyard time.
Children can try a new challenge, share a discovery, and enjoy being part of a group while returning home at the end of the day. For families, the commuter program brings together learning, creativity, friendship, and structure. The appeal is simple: a summer day full of things to explore and people to explore them with.
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