ERIC Number: EJ1299348
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021
Pages: 13
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0036-8121
EISSN: N/A
Inspired by Nature: An Engineering Design-Based Biomimicry Activity
Science Activities: Projects and Curriculum Ideas in STEM Classrooms, v58 n2 p77-88 2021
This activity provides opportunities for middle school students to design bio-inspired, eco-friendly vehicles. Twenty-four 8th grade students (12 girls, 12 boys) engaged in the activity which was implemented in four class periods, 40 minutes each, in an elective Environmental Education course. During the activity, students engaged in engineering design process and they integrated eco-friendly systems that can be used to solve the problem of air pollution. In this process, the students researched and observed living organisms and made their designs inspired by the body and movement systems of grasshoppers, ants, spiders and red Japanese beetles, and added eco-friendly elements (such as solar panels, exhaust filtering systems, hybrid batteries, electric motors) to their prototype vehicles. Working as "engineers", students had the opportunity to gain knowledge and engage in engineering design practices. The activity helped students explore science concepts such as biomimicry, air pollution, and structural features of different living organisms. This study suggests the use of biomimicry design activities in STEM classrooms.
Descriptors: Science Instruction, Engineering, Design, Natural Resources, Middle School Students, Grade 8, Environmental Education, Pollution, Conservation (Environment), Motor Vehicles, Scientific Concepts, STEM Education, Foreign Countries, Problem Solving, Social Problems, Teamwork, Student Attitudes, Program Effectiveness
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Junior High Schools; Middle Schools; Secondary Education; Elementary Education; Grade 8
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Turkey
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A