Lakeview Elementary School first graders discovered the fascinating ways nature inspires human innovation during an engaging program with PNW BOCES Center for Environmental Education naturalist Victor Messick. During a special lesson on “Biomimicry: Nature’s Solution to Human Problems,” Messick helped students discover how scientists and engineers have looked to nature to solve problems.
The students learned how fireflies inspired flashlights, how webbed animal feet influenced swimming gear, how Velcro was modeled after the burrs from the burdock plant, and how the structure of a mosquito’s mouth led to the development of hypodermic needles.
In addition, the first graders stepped into the role of biomimicry engineers themselves. They were challenged to invent a product inspired by an animal or plant that could help solve a human problem. Each student shared both their natural source of inspiration and the need their creation could meet.
The students’ ideas were imaginative and thoughtful. One student designed a pair of shoes with butterfly wings to help people fly, inspired by a butterfly’s flight. Another envisioned a way to improve human vision by drawing several spider eyes, creating a concept for enhanced sight. A third student used the soft fur of a bunny as inspiration to invent a super-soft rug, perfect for comfort and warmth. These creative ideas demonstrated how deeply the students connect with the lesson, translating the wonders of nature into innovative ideas for the real world.
