Learning Goals
The emphasis of this biomimicry design challenges playlist is around Engineering Design and interdisciplinary STEM challenges, highlighting bio-inspiration solutions in engineering and real-world contexts. Students will use the NGSS crosscutting concept of Structure and Function to analyze how natural orgnisms achieving a certain function; Use LEGO Science Kits to construct a physical prototype with moving parts; Implement a biomimetic design process; and investigate the strengths and weaknesses of different nature-inspired design ideas.
- ===
- title
- Introduction of Biomimicry
- description
- “Interdisciplinary cooperation of biology and technology or other fields of innovation with the goal of solving practical problems through the function analysis of biological systems, their abstraction into models, and the transfer into and application of these models to the solution.” (International Organization for Standardization, 2015)
- placematlinks
- Video Link
- Teacher Guide Link
- Natural Organisms
- placematpic
- ../web/img/IntroBiomimicry.png
===
- title
- Retractable Shade Cover
- description
- In this hands-on design challenge, students take inspiration from plants and animals to design and build a retractable shade cover. To begin the challenge, students are guided through structure/function analysis of three organisms that are well-adapted to the task of extending and retracting a covering surface: flying squirrels, birds, and ground squirrels. After deepening their understanding of nature’s shading mechanisms, students then take inspiration from one or more of these animals to construct, test, and revise a device that can open and close a shade cover. They use LEGO Science Kits to build their prototypes, and a lamp or flashlight to test how well they shade the area beneath them.
- placematlinks
- Placemat Link
- Teacher Guide Link
- Resources Card (Print)
- Students’ projects
- placematpic
- ../web/img/JazzShadeCover.png
- ../web/img/ShadeCover.png
- gallery
-
-
-
===
- title
- Treasure Exploration Robots (Digging)
- description
- In this hands-on design challenge, students take inspiration from plants and animals to design and build a digging tool. To begin the challenge, students are guided through structure/function analysis of four organisms that are well-adapted to the task of digging: moles, pocket gophers, pangolins, and naked mole rats. After deepening their understanding of nature’s digging mechanisms, students then take inspiration from one or more of these animals to construct, test, and revise a device that can dig through a pile of material. They use LEGO Science Kits to build their prototypes, and pom-poms, rice, or shredded paper to test how well they work.
- placematlinks
- Placemat Link
- Teacher Guide Link
- Resources Card (Print)
- Pedlet Resources
- Students’ projects
- placematpic
- ../web/img/JazzTreasureExplore.png
- ../web/img/Digging.png
- gallery
-
-
-
===
- title
- Fruit Harvesting Robots (Grasping)
- description
- In this hands-on design challenge, students take inspiration from plants and animals to design and build a fruit-harvesting tool. To begin the challenge, students are guided through structure/function analysis of three organisms that are well-adapted to the task of grasping: birds of prey, Venus fly traps, and trap jaw ants. After deepening their understanding of nature’s grasping mechanisms, students then take inspiration from one or more of these plants and animals to construct, test, and revise a device that can harvest fruits without damaging them. They use LEGO Science kits to build their prototypes and wiffle balls or ping-pong balls to test how well they work.
- placematlinks
- Placemat Link
- Teacher Guide Link
- Resources Cards (Print)
- Pedlet Resources
- Students’ projects
- placematpic
- ../web/img/JazzFruitHarvest.png
- ../web/img/Grasping.png
- gallery
-
-
-
===
- title
- T-shirt Launcher Robot (Flinging)
- description
- In this hands-on design challenge, students take inspiration from plants and animals to design and build a T-shirt launching tool. To begin the challenge, students are guided through structure/function analysis of three organisms that are well-adapted to the task of flinging: springtail fleas, click beetles, and the seed pods of violet and impatiens flowers. After deepening their understanding of nature’s flinging mechanisms, students then take inspiration from one or more of these plants and animals to model, test, and revise a physical prototype of a device that can launch a T-shirt into the upper seats at a sports stadium.
- placematlinks
- Placemat Link
- Teacher Guide Link
- Resources Cards (Print)
- Pedlet Resources
- Students’ projects
- placematpic
- ../web/img/JazzTShirt.png
- ../web/img/Flinging.png
- gallery
-
-
-
===
