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Presentation Description

Visual illustration of the nine laws of nature by Janine Benyus, mother of the Biomimicry movement. Biomimicry is the design and production of materials, structures, and systems that are modeled on biological entities and processes. Also includes amazing examples of products. Public domain slideshow created by globalstewards.org.

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Biomimicry - the Nine Laws of Nature And Amazing Examples

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Visual illustration of the nine laws of nature by Janine Benyus, mother of the Biomimicry movement. Biomimicry is the design and production of materials, structures, and systems that are modeled on biological entities and processes. Also includes amazing examples of products. Public domain slideshow created by globalstewards.org.

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Summary Students discover how engineers can use biomimicry to enhance their designs. They learn how the careful observation of nature-becoming a nature detective, so to speak-can lead to new innovations and products. In this activity, students reverse engineer a flower to glean design ideas for new products.
This engineering curriculum aligns to Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

Engineering Connection

Plants and animals are truly nature's engineers. For example, a simple leaf can harness solar energy more efficiently than our best solar panels. Over millions of years, plants and animals have developed ingenious ways to survive on Earth. As engineers, we can consult nature to improve upon our existing designs and products. By studying nature, we can also gain inspiration for designs that have never before existed.

Learning Objectives

After this activity, students should be able to:

Explain how biomimicry can be used to enhance engineering design.

Describe the process to reverse engineer an object.

Explain how brainstorming in a team can lead to more creative ideas.

Educational Standards

Each TeachEngineering lesson or activity is correlated to one or more K-12 science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) educational standards.

All 100,000+ K-12 STEM standards covered in TeachEngineering are collected, maintained and packaged by the Achievement Standards Network (ASN), a project of D2L (www.achievementstandards.org).

In the ASN, standards are hierarchically structured: first by source; e.g., by state; within source by type; e.g., science or mathematics; within type by subtype, then by grade, etc.

NGSS Performance Expectation

Click to view other curriculum aligned to this Performance Expectation

This activity focuses on the following Three Dimensional Learning aspects of NGSS:

Science & Engineering Practices

Disciplinary Core Ideas

Crosscutting Concepts

All human activity draws on natural resources and has both short and long-term consequences, positive as well as negative, for the health of people and the natural environment. The uses of technologies and any limitations on their use are driven by individual or societal needs, desires, and values; by the findings of scientific research; and by differences in such factors as climate, natural resources, and economic conditions.

Suggest an alignment not listed above

Materials List

Each team needs:

1-2 flowers (lilies or sunflowers work best)

tools to reverse engineer the flower, such as toothpicks, tweezers, cutting tools

magnifying glass

1 sheet of blank paper

markers or colored pencils

Exploring Biomimicry Worksheet

1 plastic bag to store the flower components if the activity is completed over more than one day

Worksheets and Attachments
Visit [www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/cub_lifescience_lesson03_activity2] to print or download.

Introduction/Motivation

Who has heard of the word "biomimicry"? We can guess what the word means by breaking it into smaller words. "Bio" means "life," and "mimic" means "to imitate." Biomimicry, then, is precisely that-imitating life or objects in nature to solve human challenges. What are some human challenges that we face? (Possible answers: Harnessing energy, food and farming, building shelter, creating new materials and products, etc.)

Animals and plants face the same challenges as we do. Engineers can study the way nature has approached solutions to these challenges to improve their own designs. For example, a plant must find a way to transport nutrients to its leaves and petals just like humans must find ways to transport water and air through buildings. With the inspiration from how plants do it, engineers might design water and air transport systems that are more "plant like." Another example can be found in the ocean, where sea creatures must find ways to build strong shells for shelter-just like humans are challenged to design ways to build sturdy houses.

Figure 2. A small group of students studies lilies for design inspiration.

Engineers may also use biomimicry to come up with designs and products that have never before existed. For example, geckos have amazingly sticky feet that allow them to scurry up walls and hang from ceilings. These little lizards have millions of tiny hairs and pads on their feet which produce electrical attractions. The shape of their feet and their electrical attractions "glue" the gecko to a surface - even to polished glass. When geckos walk, their tiny hairs and pads roll onto a surface and then peel off again, just like tape. Today, engineers are studying the gecko in hopes of creating an adhesive that would be dry and self-cleaning. What about tape? Wouldn't it be cool to have a roll of tape that never lost its stickiness? These are the types of questions you can ask nature as you learn more about biomimicry.

Today we are going to study a flower for design inspiration. To get ideas for new designs, we are going to reverse engineer our flower. Reverse engineering is the process of discovering the technical principles of an object by taking it apart and carefully studying its different parts. Besides inspiring new designs, studying the components of the flower will also help us better understand how the flower functions as a whole. Once we understand how the flower works, we can create new designs using the flower as our natural model. Perhaps the flower is a good model for a house? A water catchment system? New waterproof materials? The possibilities are endless!

Procedure

Background

Biomimicry is a new science that studies nature's best ideas and then imitates these designs and processes to solve human problems. Studying a leaf to create a more efficient solar cell is an example of nature-inspired design. The premise is that nature, imaginative by necessity, has already found solutions to many human design challenges.>

As an approach to problem-solving and design, biomimicry is impacting the way engineers design our products and systems. More and more, engineers are consulting nature's genius to answer pressing questions such as, "How will we harness energy?" or "How will we make our materials?" and "How will we come up with new product designs to compete in a global marketplace?" We are discovering that for every human challenge, nature has a time-tested solution.

Example innovations inspired by animals and plants:

Airplanes modeled after birds (wing and body shapes)

Swimsuits worn by Olympic athletes that imitate dolphin and shark skin membranes

Radar and sonar navigation and medical imaging inspired by the echo-location abilities of bats

Re-usable adhesives inspired by the powerful adhesion abilities of geckos and lizards

Super-strong and waterproof silk fibers made without toxic chemicals by spiders

A better ice pick for mountain climbers designed after the woodpecker

Glow sticks made with light-up chemicals, just like fireflies

Very efficient pumps and exhaust fans applying the spiraling geometric pattern found in nautilus sea shells, galaxies and whirlpools

Example inventions inspired by plants:

Hook and loop material (Velcro®) inspired by cockleburs

Solar cells inspired by plant leaves (photosynthesis, capturing energy from sunlight)

A wind-driven planetary rover design that maximizes drag, learned from the tumbleweed

Self-cleaning exterior paint, tiles, window glass and umbrella fabric inspired by the slick leaves of the lotus flower plant and its natural ability to wash away dirt particles in the rain

At the core of these biomimicry applications lie fundamental, intuitive concepts. Derived from bios, meaning life, and mimesis, meaning to imitate, biomimicry is not a new way of thinking-we have studied nature for solutions since the beginning of human history. Early human civilizations evolved by play, imitation, and trial and error. If you watch animals in nature, or even small children, you see that they, too, learn by play, imitation, and trial and error. Many indigenous cultures still engage in a more connected relationship with the natural world. They observe animals and birds to learn the best techniques for stalking prey, identifying edible foods, and predicting weather changes. Some of our early inventions were discovered by watching nature; for example, the airplane (inspired by birds of flight) and Velcro® (invented in 1948 by a Swiss mountaineer who returned from a hike covered in burrs).

In essence, biomimicry provides a holistic framework for engineering design that challenges us to look beyond what we see in the human-made environment to the more subtle designs found in nature. These subtle designs can lead to innovative materials and products that have never before existed.

Before Activity

1. Gather materials.

2. Make copies of the Exploring Biomimicry Worksheet.

3. Review the above examples of biomimicry (more examples can be found through resources listed in the Reference section).

4. Practice reverse engineering a flower to prepare for the types of questions the students will ask.

With the Students
Part I: Reverse Engineering

1. Review the main concepts of biomimicry and present several case studies to motivate students.

2. (recommended) Complete the pre-assessment activity before conducting the main activity. This helps set the stage for the reverse engineering challenge.

3. Divide the class into groups of 2-3 students each.

4. Give each group a worksheet.

5. Use the worksheet to review the concept and procedure of reverse engineering before handing teams their flowers and tools. You could even require each team to answer an Investigating Question before handing out the materials.

6. Give each group a set of reverse engineering tools, such as toothpicks, tweezers, cutting tools, magnifying glasses and plastic bags.

7. Direct students to begin reverse engineering their flowers. Make sure the groups are following their worksheets, which outline the following four steps:

Figure 3. Two students reverse engineer a sunflower.

a. Carefully take apart the flower and sketch its different components.

b. Describe the colors and textures of the flower. Why was the flower created with these materials?

c. Describe the overall shape and structure of the flower. What challenge might the flower solve by having this shape and structure?

d. How could an engineer mimic the material, color, shape and structure of the flower to design something new?

e. What scientific concepts that you have learned about before relate to the flower? How could you use these in your design?
Part II: Product Design

1. Once students are finished reverse engineering the flowers, ask them to brainstorm potential new products based on what they observed. For example, products inspired by the flower might be new waterproof clothing, a water catchment system for a house, lightweight building materials, a skyscraper that can sway in the wind without breaking, etc.

2. Have each group brainstorm potential products for about 10 minutes. Have them write down or draw everyone's ideas generated during the brainstorming process.

3. Ask groups to choose one final product to present to the class. Give students a list of design criteria or constraints. For instance: size, budget, materials, resources, cultural setting etc. This helps students to put on their "engineering hats." Examples might include one of the following:

Require students to develop designs that help solve environmental problems.

Require students to develop designs that help solve health/medical problems.

Require students to develop designs that could be built in a developing country or rural area with limited resources.

Give students a hypothetical budget, such as $100.

Require that students' designs result in zero waste, that is use entirely reusable materials.

1. Give each group another 10 minutes to develop the best ideas for their final products. Require them to make sketches and notes about their products on a fresh sheet of paper. Have students incorporate the teacher's design constraints, as appropriate.

2. Evaluate the different designs to determine how well they meet the criteria/constraints.

3. Ask each group to present its product to the rest of the class. If groups feel comfortable, have them draw their ideas on the classroom board and answer other teams' questions about their products.

4. After all groups have presented, lead the post-asessment activity with the students.

Vocabulary/Definitions

biomimicry: Copying or imitating the special characteristics of naturally-existing things (animals, plants, etc.) in human-made designs, products or systems. The science that studies nature to find solutions to human challenges. From bio, meaning life, and mimesis, to imitate.

brainstorming: A group creativity technique designed to generate a large number of ideas for the solution to a problem. In brainstorming, you want to 1) focus on quantity (the more ideas, the merrier); 2) avoid criticizing any group member's ideas; 3) welcome unusual ideas; and 4) combine and improve ideas.

design: To form or conceive in the mind; to make drawings, sketches or plans for a work; to design a new product; to design an improved process.

innovation: A new way of doing something; creating new ideas, methods, or products.

reverse engineering: The process of discovering the technological principles of an object by taking it apart and carefully understanding its parts to better understand the whole object.

Assessment

Pre-Activity Assessment

Listening to Nature: Take students outside and have them close their eyes. Direct them to spend a moment being completely quiet. Talk them through paying attention to what they are hearing, smelling, the way air feels on their skin, the ground beneath them. Make the point that if we want to learn from nature, we must get out of our human mindset and into the mindset of other organisms. As humans, we use our eyes a lot. Other animals may use other senses to learn what is going on around them.

Once students are finished listening, ask them to share what they observed when they had their eyes closed. Did they feel they were more in tune to what was happening around them? Emphasize the idea that careful observation of nature-becoming a "nature detective"-can lead to the inspiration for new designs and products.

Activity Embedded Assessment

Worksheet: Use the Exploring Biomimicry Worksheet to guide the students through the reverse engineering activity. Examine their sketches and answers to asses their depth of comprehension of the activity concepts.

Post-Activity Assessment

My Favorite Animal or Plant: Have each student choose his or her favorite animal (or plant) and sketch it on a piece of paper. After sketching, ask them to reverse engineer the object (on paper or in their minds). Challenge them to think of a new engineering design application inspired by their favorite animal or plant. These do not have to be feasible ideas; the point is to get students thinking about the possibility of looking to nature for design ideas. Students might feel like they need to gather more information about the animal or plant. If so, assign this background research as homework, and continue this assessment at a later class time.

Investigating Questions

What is biomimicry? (Answer: Biomimicry is the close examination of nature's best ideas and then imitating these designs to creatively solve human problems or come up with materials and products that have never existed before.)

Can you think of anything that is based on or inspired by nature? (Possible answers: Airplanes - based on birds; Velcro® - based on cockleburs; solar panels - based on photosynthesis in plant leaves.)

What is reverse engineering? (Answer: Reverse engineering is the process of better understanding an object by taking it apart and studying its different pieces and how they work together.)

Can you think of a time when you took something apart and learned more about it by studying its pieces? (Example answers: I took apart my bike to better understand how the wheel was attached; I took apart my pen to see what parts were in it; I took apart my remote-control toy to see how the circuit board looked, etc.)

Why do we use brainstorming when working in a team? (Answer: Brainstorming helps us come up with many more ideas for the solution to a problem.)

Can you give me an example of good and bad brainstorming? Remember: when we brainstorm, we want to: 1) generate a long list of ideas; 2) never criticize any group member's ideas; 3) welcome unusual ideas; and 4) combine and improve ideas. (Possible answers: Good brainstorming - "Wow! That is a really creative idea! I've never thought of such a thing. Maybe we can combine your idea with some simpler ideas to come up with something innovative yet practical"; Bad brainstorming - "Ugh. Your idea is just way too weird. It will never work.")

Troubleshooting Tips

Students may have trouble coming up with ideas for the fourth question on the worksheet: How could an engineer mimic the material, color, shape and structure of the flower to design something new? If students seem stumped, ask them the question in a different way. For example: Does a flower's shape (or material, or colors or structure) remind you of something you see that is human-made? Could you redesign that human-made object based on what you see in this flower? For example, When I look at this flower, I am amazed by the way water on the petals forms tiny balls and then rolls down to the stem. When I watch this, I think about a new material that could be designed to collect and transport water. Maybe we could design a water catchment system for a roof?

Activity Extensions

Create a Prototype Challenge students to turn their product ideas into reality by designing simple prototypes. Product ideas might be taken from the flower reverse engineering activity or from the post-activity assessment. Students' prototypes might be very simple representations of products (sketches or physical models made using basic classroom or household materials); the important point to emphasize is to focus on modeling the product, not the animal or plant that inspired the product. For example, the drawing of the "moon-walking device" in Figure 4 was inspired by the dragonfly, whose wings are very precise and able to cling to many materials.

Figure 4. What if we could design human devices that were as nimble as the dragonfly?

Call to Action! We study biomimicry not only to glean ideas from nature but also to understand why we should protect all species of life on Earth. Every time a species becomes extinct, we lose the chance to study the design strategies contained within that animal or plant. By working to protect animals' and plants' environments and habitats, engineers are literally keeping nature's design inspiration alive. Ask students to create a Call to Action! poster about their favorite animals and plants. Students may want to describe the animal or plant, provide information about its habitat, and explain challenges to survival the animal or plant is currently facing and what people can do to help keep this species stay alive. This activity extension work well with the post-activity assessment.

Activity Scaling

For younger students, complete the reverse engineering challenge as a class. Verbally walk them through the worksheet. It may be helpful to write students' ideas on the board and brainstorm new product ideas as a group.

For older students, ask them to bring in their own natural artifacts for the reverse engineering challenge. This adds variety to the resulting products inspired from nature.

References

The Biomimicry Institute, "Inspiring, educating and connecting biomimics through the world," 2007-2009. Accessed August 5, 2009. http://www.biomimicryinstitute.org

Benyus, Janine M. Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature. New York, NY: William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1997

Copyright © 2009 by Regents of the University of Colorado

Contributors Lauren Cooper; Malinda Zarske; Janet Yowell

Supporting Program Integrated Teaching and Learning Program, College of Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder

Acknowledgements

The contents of this digital library curriculum were developed under grants from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), U.S. Department of Education and the National Science Foundation (GK-12 grant no. 0338326). However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policies of the DOE or NSF, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government.

Last modified: March 8, 2020

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Students discover how engineers can use biomimicry to enhance their designs. They learn how the careful observation of nature-becoming a nature detective, so to speak-can lead to new innovations and products. In this activity, students reverse engineer a flower to glean design ideas for new products.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Summary Students are introduced to the idea of biomimicry-or looking to nature for engineering ideas. Biomimicry involves solving human problems by mimicking natural solutions. Students learn about a few fun examples of the many creative and useful instances of biomimicry followed by then utilizing their engineering skills to prototype applications and products from the associated activity.
This engineering curriculum aligns to Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

Engineering Connection

Engineers design products that are essential to our health, happiness and safety. To meet these human needs, engineers often look to nature's examples of efficient design solutions. The natural world provides myriad creative solutions that can inspire effective and elegant design ideas.

Learning Objectives

After this lesson, students should be able to:

List products or devices that are based on examples from nature.

Explain why engineers might want to copy ideas from nature in their designs.

Educational Standards

Each TeachEngineering lesson or activity is correlated to one or more K-12 science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) educational standards.

All 100,000+ K-12 STEM standards covered in TeachEngineering are collected, maintained and packaged by the Achievement Standards Network (ASN), a project of D2L (www.achievementstandards.org).

In the ASN, standards are hierarchically structured: first by source; e.g., by state; within source by type; e.g., science or mathematics; within type by subtype, then by grade, etc.

NGSS Performance Expectation

Click to view other curriculum aligned to this Performance Expectation

This lesson focuses on the following Three Dimensional Learning aspects of NGSS:

Science & Engineering Practices

Disciplinary Core Ideas

Crosscutting Concepts

Define a design problem that can be solved through the development of an object, tool, process or system and includes multiple criteria and constraints, including scientific knowledge that may limit possible solutions.

The more precisely a design task's criteria and constraints can be defined, the more likely it is that the designed solution will be successful. Specification of constraints includes consideration of scientific principles and other relevant knowledge that is likely to limit possible solutions.

All human activity draws on natural resources and has both short and long-term consequences, positive as well as negative, for the health of people and the natural environment. The uses of technologies and any limitations on their use are driven by individual or societal needs, desires, and values; by the findings of scientific research; and by differences in such factors as climate, natural resources, and economic conditions.

Suggest an alignment not listed above

Introduction/Motivation

Why can fish swim faster than you? (Listen to student ideas.) Fish bodies are shaped like smooth ovals so that water flows around them without resistance, or without getting in the way of movement (that is, the water moves around the fish's body). Also, the fins of fish are shaped to help effectively push water and make movement faster. What about frogs? What makes them fast swimmers? Even though frogs do not have round bodies and fins like fish, they still swim fast because of their webbed feet and how their legs move through the water.

Imagine designing tools like these so that we could move through water just as easily and quickly as fish and frogs. In fact, you do not need to imagine it, because engineers have already designed such products. Can you think of any examples? (Listen to student answers and then share some additional examples: flippers for your feet, webbed mitts for hands, boats with streamlined hulls, swimsuits made of low-resistance material for Olympic athletes.)

When engineers use examples from nature to inspire the design of new projects, we call this biomimicry. It is easy to remember this term, because "bio" means "life," and "mimic" means "to copy"; therefore, engineers copy examples from life. Aquatic animals are not the only examples that engineers study for biomimicry design. Almost any living thing can inspire an engineering solution. Here are just a few more quick examples:

The venom from some spiders kills insects much better than any of the chemicals that people have been using. Biochemical engineers are studying spider venom to try to develop alternatives to the harmful chemical pesticides (see Figure 2).

Figure 2. The milking of a Blue Mountains Funnel-Web Spider for venom.

The walls of biological cells have tiny holes that help sort DNA and RNA. Bioengineers and applied physicists have recreated human-made versions of these holes called nanopores. They hope to use nanopores to sequence DNA more quickly.

Snakes have a capability to see things that give off infrared light, or heat. People can only see things that are in the visible range. This means that we cannot see too well at night when not much visible light is available. We also cannot see "through" things, like being able to look through skin into the human body. However, engineers working on military technology have developed night vision goggles that enable people to see things at night using infrared light. Biomedical engineers are also applying infrared light to "see" through the skin to detect tumors in people.

Can you think of any another ways in which we could copy examples from nature to design great new products? Have students design and build model shelters inspired by nature with the Live Like an Animal activity. Then, students can reverse engineer a flower to glean design ideas for new "engineered" products using the Design Inspired by Nature activity.

Lesson Background and Concepts for Teachers

Biomimicry is an engineering concept about looking to nature for ideas. Engineers are able to solve problems by mimicking natural solutions. One of the reasons that this technique works so well is that natural processes have evolved to work effectively and efficiently. Furthermore, biomimicked solutions are often environmentally sound, being copied from the natural environment, which is an important factor in today's world.

Here are some additional bimimicry examples and ideas that are being explored:

Aquatic animals are often shaped to minimize resistance, and evolutionarily, their shapes are why they survive in the water. Resistance can be thought of as matter resisting motion. For example, when you try to walk while in a swimming pool, it is hard to push against the water because the water is resisting the motion of getting out of your way. The bodies of many aquatic animals are hydro-dynamically shaped, meaning they have low resistance to water. This helps them swim through the water efficiently. Engineers study the shapes of these animals and apply what they learn to the design of efficient boats or other aquatic technologies.

Most spider venoms are toxic to insects but do not harm mammals or other vertebrates. Therefore, using the venom as a pesticide would not have the negative environmental effects of other pesticides. Genetic engineers are looking for ways to insert the genes for the spider venom into viruses that attack specific insects so only the targeted insects would die. Copying what spiders use to kill insects can help engineers produce pesticides that are safer and more effective.

Many of the energy sources that people use, like burning coal, produce CO₂, a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. CO2 is in plentiful supply and would be a great resource if people could find some use for it. Plants use CO₂ as they form sugars, and engineers are looking at them to try to come up with ways in which they can use CO₂.

Sea mussels secrete an adhesive substance that enables them to stick to almost anything in the ocean, including metals and rocks. Engineers are looking for ways to copy what mussels make to produce glue that is stronger and more waterproof than anything that has been developed thus far. Mussels also make this thread-like substance that they can stick out of their shell like a foot. The amazing thing about this thread is that it changes gradually from being like nylon on one end to being like rubber on the other end. Creating substances that change gradually could help engineers produce things that are stronger. Tires, for instance, are made by attaching rubber to metal. Most problems with tires develop because the rubber rips off the metal part. If tires could be made such that they change gradually from the hard part to the rubber part, they would be much safer.

The abalone shell is one of the strongest substances in the world, and it is made naturally under normal temperatures. Many of the strong materials that engineers make are produced in extremely hot temperatures, and they involve a lot of chemicals, some of which are harmful to the environment. Engineers are trying to learn from the abalone shell to safely and efficiently make extremely strong products. Furthermore, the abalone shell is made by a process of forming one extremely thin layer of protein that gets covered by a thin layer of minerals to form mother of pearl, which is thin covered by another thin layer of proteins, and the process repeats. This technique has been copied and modified by engineers to form extremely thin products such as those found in microchips.

In the book, "Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature," author Janine Benuys suggests that nature offers a sustainable living example from which humankind can learn more intelligent ways to live. According to Benuys, biomimicry-based designs should adhere to the following nine laws derived from the behavior of the natural world (write the following list on the board):

1. Nature runs on sunlight.

2. Nature uses only the energy it needs.

3. Nature fits form to function.

4. Nature recycles everything.

5. Nature rewards cooperation.

6. Nature banks on diversity.

7. Nature demands local expertise.

8. Nature curbs excesses from within.

9. Nature taps the power of limits.

Associated Activities

Live Like an Animal - In this activity, students design and build model shelters that are based on examples from shelters used by animals.

Design Inspired by Nature - Students reverse engineer a flower to glean design ideas for new "engineered" products.

Lesson Closure

Some of the best inventions come about by someone taking an existing technology and applying it in a new way. With biomimicry, engineers find those examples of existing technology in nature. As you all develop in your ability to think like engineers, it is helpful to ask yourself, "What would nature do?" and "What would nature never do?" These questions might help you develop solutions that are safer, longer lasting and more efficient.

Vocabulary/Definitions

biomimicry: Copying nature to produce new things or ways of doing something.

venom: A deadly chemical that an animal or insect uses in self-defense.

Assessment

Pre-Lesson Assessment

Brainstorming: As a class, have students engage in open discussion. Remind them that in brainstorming, no idea or suggestion is "silly." All ideas should be respectfully heard. Take an uncritical position, encourage wild ideas and discourage criticism of ideas. Have them raise their hands to respond. Write their ideas on the board. Ask:

What products that we use may have been developed from copying nature?

Post-Introduction Assessment

Question/Answer: Ask students the following question and discuss as a class:

How could pesticides developed from spider venom be better than pesticides developed from chemicals? (Answer: Spider-based pesticides will not harm people and animals, and it can better target the specific insects we want to kill.)

Lesson Summary Assessment

Biomimicry Boggle! Break students into groups of three to four. Give the class 2 minutes to write down as many original examples of biomimicry as they can. They should write down the example from nature as well as how that feature of the plant or animal could be used (or is being used already) by engineers to solve a human problem. At the end of two minutes, have each team read aloud their answers and write them on the board. Ask if any other teams came up with the same idea; if they do, then both/all teams have to cross that answer off their list. The team that ends up with the most "unique" ideas, wins!

Ask student groups to think about the biomimicry design guidelines (aka "laws" of nature) on the board as well as about the ideas/examples that they came up with during the Biomimicry Boggle! exercise and figure out which "laws" of nature apply to each design idea. Tell each group to pick one biomimicry design idea and on a sheet of paper list (1) the natural "laws" that apply to the design concept (2) the scientific principles behind the design (3) which traditional technologies exist that serve a similar function to the selected biomimicry design (4) ways in which the biomimicry design is or would be expected to be an improvement over traditional alternatives. Remind the students to consider impacts on human and natural systems while they compare technologies.

After 7-10 minutes, have a member of each group describe which biomimicry design they focused on and how they answered each of the four questions. After each group has presented their idea, pause and ask the class if they think the design would serve its intended function and if anyone can think of potential negative or otherwise unintended consequences associated with the idea.

Lesson Extension Activities

Have students build prototypes (models) of one of the original ideas that their team came up with during the lesson summary assessment.

References

The Biomimicry Institute, "Inspiring, educating and connecting biomimics through the world." 2007-2009. Accessed August 5, 2009. http://www.biomimicryinstitute.org

Beggs, K., Zarske, M.S., Carlson, D.W. "Biomimicry: Natural Designs" hands-on activity. 2004. University of Colorado Boulder, TeachEngineering.org. Accessed July 31, 2014. https://www.teachengineering.org/view_activity.php?url=collection/cub_/activities/cub_bio/cub_bio_lesson05_activity1.xml

Dye, Lee. For ABC News, Technology and Science, "How Snakes See Two Ways: How Snake Eyes Could Lead to Smarter Missiles and Stop Cancer," January 9, 2008. Accessed March 19, 2009. http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Story?id=98115&page=1

Johnson, Dan. Discoveries, "Discovery: Spider Venom Could Yield EcoFriendly Insecticides," May 3, 2004. University of Connecticut Health Center. Accessed March 19, 2009. http://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=100676&org=NSF

Learning Technologies Channel, NASA Quest, National Aeronautics and Space Administration. October 21, 1997. Photo of shark. Accessed March 19, 2009. http://quest.nasa.gov/ltc/nps/images/shark.jpg

Copyright © 2009 by Regents of the University of Colorado

Contributors Glen Sirakavit; Megan Podlogar; Karen King; Janet Yowell

Supporting Program Integrated Teaching and Learning Program, College of Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder

Acknowledgements

The contents of this digital library curriculum were developed under grants from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), U.S. Department of Education and National Science Foundation (GK-12 grant no. 0338326). However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policies of the Department of Education or National Science Foundation, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government.

Last modified: March 25, 2020

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Students are introduced to the idea of biomimicry-or looking to nature for engineering ideas. Biomimicry involves solving human problems by mimicking natural solutions. Students learn about a few fun examples of the many creative and useful instances of biomimicry followed by then utilizing their engineering skills to prototype applications and products from the associated activity.

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Each TeachEngineering lesson or activity is correlated to one or more K-12 science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) educational standards.

All 100,000+ K-12 STEM standards covered in TeachEngineering are collected, maintained and packaged by the Achievement Standards Network (ASN), a project of D2L (www.achievementstandards.org).

In the ASN, standards are hierarchically structured: first by source; e.g., by state; within source by type; e.g., science or mathematics; within type by subtype, then by grade, etc.

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Sustainable Design and Biomimicry in a Desert Ecosystem - Unit

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Students are presented with an engineering challenge: To design a sustainable guest village within the Saguaro National Park in Arizona. Through four lessons and five associated activities, they study ecological relationships with an emphasis on the Sonoran Desert. They examine species adaptations.

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Summary Students learn about the amazing adaptations of the ptarmigan to the alpine tundra. They focus on one adaptation, the feathered feet of the ptarmigan, and ask whether the feathers serve to only keep the feet warm or to also provide the bird with floatation capability. They create model ptarmigan feet, with and without feathers, and test the hypothesis on the function of the feathers. Ultimately, students make a claim about whether the feathers provide floatation and support this claim with their testing evidence.
This engineering curriculum aligns to Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

Engineering Connection

Engineers often design using inspiration from the incredible adaptations of plants and animals in their natural environments-an approach called biomimicry. When engineers and researchers observe an interesting adaptation, such as feathered feet on a ptarmigan, they make a hypothesis about the function of the adaptation. Then, they design experiments to test the hypothesis and support their conclusion with evidence. In this activity, students practice this method through making a hypothesis about the function of an adaptation and then generating a claim based on their experimental evidence.

Learning Objectives

After this activity, students should be able to:

Develop and test a hypothesis.

Define the term adaptation, describe how the ptarmigan is adapted to its harsh and challenging environment, and provide examples.

Define the term floatation, and explain how snowshoes provide floatation.

Use a protractor for constructing a model with a specified angle.

Provide evidence to support the claim that the feathers on ptarmigan feet provide floatation to the bird.

Educational Standards

Each TeachEngineering lesson or activity is correlated to one or more K-12 science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) educational standards.

All 100,000+ K-12 STEM standards covered in TeachEngineering are collected, maintained and packaged by the Achievement Standards Network (ASN), a project of D2L (www.achievementstandards.org).

In the ASN, standards are hierarchically structured: first by source; e.g., by state; within source by type; e.g., science or mathematics; within type by subtype, then by grade, etc.

NGSS Performance Expectation

Click to view other curriculum aligned to this Performance Expectation

This activity focuses on the following Three Dimensional Learning aspects of NGSS:

Science & Engineering Practices

Disciplinary Core Ideas

Crosscutting Concepts

Research on a problem should be carried out before beginning to design a solution. Testing a solution involves investigating how well it performs under a range of likely conditions. At whatever stage, communicating with peers about proposed solutions is an important part of the design process, and shared ideas can lead to improved designs.

NGSS Performance Expectation

Click to view other curriculum aligned to this Performance Expectation

This activity focuses on the following Three Dimensional Learning aspects of NGSS:

Science & Engineering Practices

Disciplinary Core Ideas

Crosscutting Concepts

Suggest an alignment not listed above

Materials List

Each group needs:

4 craft sticks

craft feathers, enough to cover the craft sticks of one model foot

protractor

1 sheet blank paper

hot glue (use with adult supervision)

To share with the entire class:

plastic tub, approximately 12 x 8 x 4 inches in size

dried beans, enough to fill at least ont-third of the plastic tub; small white beans work well, but any kind of dried bean is acceptable

bathroom scale; analog scales works best

Introduction/Motivation

The tundra is a harsh and beautiful place. Cold temperatures, strong winds and a short growing season limit which plants can grow in the tundra. Tundra occurs above tree line because trees cannot survive the difficult conditions in this biome. Tundra is common in the arctic and also in the high mountains much further south. In Colorado, alpine tundra can be found starting around 11,000 - 11,500 feet (the highest elevation in the state is 14,433 feet). Plants and animals that can survive in the tundra have amazing features. For example, many plants are short and group together, helping each other stay warm and escaping the strong winds blowing higher above them. Many flowering plants in the tundra have hairs on their stems that trap pockets of air. These pockets of air heat up in the sun and serve as a blanket for the plant. In addition, these plants often have a red-colored pigment called anthocyanin in their stems and leaves. Anthocyanin absorbs ultraviolet radiation from the sun and converts it into heat for the plant.

We call these amazing features adaptations. An adaptation is a change in structure or function that helps organisms survive in a particular place or habitat. As with plants, the animals of the tundra have incredible adaptations. Can you think of any? The white coat of the Arctic Fox makes it hard to see in the snow. The marmot, another tundra animal, has adapted to hibernate through the winter. The marmot eats and eats all summer while food is plentiful to build up layers of fat. While hibernating, the marmot's body temperature is much lower and it also takes fewer breaths. In this way, the marmot needs much less energy to hibernate than to be awake. This helps the marmot live through cold, snowy winters with a scarcity of food.

The ptarmigan is a chicken-sized bird that lives in the tundra and has many amazing adaptations. First, it changes color from summer to winter. In the winter, the ptarmigan has a white coat to blend in with snow. In the summer, the ptarmigan's coat is a speckled brownish grey, which helps it look like a rock to predators. The ptarmigan does not migrate in the winter. It stays in the tundra, so it must be able to stay warm. Some of the ptarmigan's adaptations are behavioral. The ptarmigan has learned, for example, how to burrow into snow banks to stay warm. Snow banks may seem cold to us, but they can provide a lot of insulation; the temperature inside a snow bank may be as warm as 32 °F while the outside temperature is below 0 °F. The ptarmigan also has a double-coat of feathers. The inner coat (down) traps the heat while the outer coat of longer feathers keeps out the wind and snow. Muscles connected to the feathers enable these birds to fluff themselves up when it is cold to stay even warmer. Ptarmigans have feathers everywhere -on their eyelids, nostrils and even their feet! With these adaptations, every inch of the ptarmigan can stay warm in the winter.

Sometimes, adaptations can have more than one purpose. Looking at the ptarmigan foot (see Figure 1), how else does it look unusual compared with the feet of other birds?

Figure 1. The feathers of a ptarmigan's foot help it stay warm in the winter.

We talked about feathers on the ptarmigan's feet providing warmth. How else could these feathers help the ptarmigan? (Guide the class discussion to the possibility that the feet act as snowshoes.) Yes, feathers on ptarmigan feet could act like snowshoes. Some other animals, such as snowshoe hares, have extra-large feet so that they can better walk through deep snow. Let's take a look at a snowshoe to see how it works (see Figure 2).

Figure 2. Snowshoes increase floatation by distributing weight over a larger surface area.

Snowshoes work by spreading out a person's weight over a larger area than usual. We call this floatation. We can define floatation as the resistance to sinking into the snow. So, when using snowshoes, you have more floatation and it is harder for you to sink into the snow! But, if you wore a really heavy backpack and increased your weight, the weight could be great enough for you to sink, even when wearing snowshoes. That is why snowshoes come in different sizes; you need bigger snowshoes if you are a bigger person or plan on carrying a really heavy backpack.

I have not told you whether or not feathers act like snowshoes for the ptarmigan; I have only suggested that perhaps they might. What is your hypothesis about whether these feathered feet give the ptarmigan more floatation? (Ask students to talk with nearby students first, and then ask several students to explain their hypotheses and reasoning.) How could we test whether ptarmigan feet act like snowshoes? (Lead a few minutes of class brainstorming.) Do we need to bring in real ptarmigans to test our hypothesis? This could be a challenge. Could we model them instead?

Engineers use models all the time when testing a hypothesis or designing a solution to a problem. How could we model a ptarmigan foot using simple materials available to us? (Show some of the activity materials and also a photograph of a ptarmigan foot. Lead groups to agree on modeling two ptarmigan "toes" with craft sticks at a set angle, with and without feathers.) Today, each group will make model ptarmigan feet with and without feathers, and test how much weight each one takes to sink.

Procedure

Before the Activity

Gather all necessary materials.

Make available for display a photograph of a ptarmigan foot, such as Figure 1.

With the Students

1. Divide the class into groups of two to four students each.

2. Give the groups a few minutes to talk about and write down their hypotheses. Direct each student to write down his/her own hypothesis on a blank sheet of paper in the form of: "My hypothesis is that the feathers on the ptarmigan's foot give it (more / the same / less) floatation compared to feet without feathers, because (reason). If my hypothesis is correct, then the model feet with feathers will support (more / less / the same) weight (than / as) the feet without feathers."

3. Demonstrate how to build the two ptarmigan feet (refer to Figure 3):

Non-feathered: Place the ends of two craft sticks together at a 40° angle. Have students use protractors to measure the 40° angle and use hot glue to secure the craft sticks. If students do not already know, instruct them on how to use a protractor.

Feathered: Begin by making the non-feathered foot as described above. Then, hot glue feathers along the foot. Craft feathers are often long enough such that one per "toe" (2 per foot) is sufficient.

Figure 3. The activity setup of two craft stick "feet" models, with and without feathers.

1. On the reverse side of their hypothesis papers, direct students to make blank data tables to record their test results (refer to Table 1). Explain the table rows and columns to students. The "weight of the beans" is the weight of the testing apparatus on the bathroom scale, without the ptarmigan foot. The "weight to sink" is the number that students read on the bathroom scale when the ptarmigan foot is just barely submerged. The "weight supported" is the "weight to sink" minus the "weight of the beans."

Table 1. A table to record model ptarmigan feet testing results.

2. Demonstrate how to test the model ptarmigan feet:

Place the tub of beans on the bathroom scale. Write down in the table the weight of the tub of beans.

Place one model foot into the tub of beans that is on the bathroom scale. Using a closed fist, push down evenly on the ptarmigan foot until it just sinks. As a class, set a criterion for what is defined by sinking.

The weight supported is the weight to sink minus the weight of the beans.

1. Once each group member has prepared a table and written down a hypothesis, a group may have its materials and begin creating its model ptarmigan feet.

2. Have each group member write down the team results in his/her table.

3. As a class, graph the results (see example in Figure 4). Expect each group to generate two data points: a weight supported for feathered and non-feathered feet.

Figure 4. Example class data graph of model feet data, showing weight supported, with and without feathers.

4. To conclude, lead a class discussion about this graph, as described in the Assessment section.

Vocabulary/Definitions

adaptation: A change in structure or function that helps organisms survive in a particular place or habitat.

biomimicry: Using inspiration from the incredible adaptations of plants and animals in their natural environments to design something.

flotation: Resistance to sinking; for example, into the water or snow.

hypothesis: A proposed explanation for a phenomenon.

model: (noun) A representation of something for imitation, comparison or analysis, sometimes on a different scale. (verb) To make something to help learn about something else that cannot be directly observed or experimented upon.

natural selection: The gradual process by which heritable biological traits become either more or less common in a population as a function of the effect of inherited traits on the differential reproductive success of organisms interacting with their environment. It is a key mechanism of evolution.

tundra: A biome where tree growth is hindered by low temperatures and short growing seasons.

Assessment

Pre-Activity Assessment

Hypotheses: Have every student write down his/her own hypothesis on a blank sheet of paper in the form of: "My hypothesis is that the feathers on the ptarmigan's foot give it (more / the same / less) floatation compared to feet without feathers, because (reason). If my hypothesis is correct, then the model feet with feathers will support (more / less / the same) weight (than / as) the feet without feathers."

Embedded Assessment

Question/Answer: Ask students if they can think of other types of animals that might use their feet for floatation. What environments specifically support animals with floatation-capable feet? What other parts of animals' bodies would be useful for making them capable of floatation?

Post-Activity Assessment

Graph Comparison: After all groups have tested their model ptarmigan feet and marked their results on the class graph, lead a group discussion about the data.

Ask students to make a claim about the function of the feathers, using evidence from the graph. Expect students to explain their ideas using the concept of floatation.

Ask students if any of their conclusions were different from their hypotheses and discuss.

Safety Issues

Provide adult supervision for use of the hot glue gun.

Troubleshooting Tips

If time is limited, having several hot glue guns available is helpful.

If students are not observing a difference in weight required to submerge the feathered and not-feathered feet, make sure that they are 1) comparing model feet with similar angles between the toes and 2) pressing steadily to just the point when the feet begin to submerge.

Activity Extensions

Challenge students to design ptarmigan feet with the greatest floatation. They could investigate how the number and positioning of feathers affects the floatation. They could also explore how the angle of the model foot changes the floatation.

Activity Scaling

For older students, such as those in grades 5-6, have them test each model foot multiple times and average the results. Also have them discuss genetic variation; what would happen if in nature some ptarmigans had feathered feet and others did not? Based on the data generated by the experiment, would you expect that in the future, more ptarmigan would have feathered feet? Why? Discuss feathering from the perspective of natural selection.

References

Alpine Tundra Eosystem. Last updated May 30, 2015. Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, National Park Service. Accessed June 4, 2015. http://www.nps.gov/romo/learn/nature/alpine_tundra_ecosystem.htm

Ptarmigan. Last updated May 30, 2015. Denali National Park & Preserve, Alaska, National Park Service. Accessed June 4, 2015. http://www.nps.gov/dena/naturescience/ptarmigan.htm

Rock Ptarmigan ( Lagopus mutus). Published 2000. Bird Species and Distributions in Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve, National Park Service. Accessed June 4, 2015. http://home.nps.gov/yuch/learn/nature/birds.htm

Yuhas, Daisy. Published February 14, 2014. "Ptarmigan May Be Tops in Adapting to Winter Weather: Only one bird genus molts into all-white feathers each year." Audubon, National Audubon Society. Accessed June 4, 2015. http://www.audubonmagazine.org/articles/birds/ptarmigan-may-be-tops-adapting-winter-weather

The Tundra Biome. The World's Bioimes, University of California Museum of Paleontology, Berkeley Natural History Museums. Accessed June 4, 2015. http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/tundra.html

Copyright © 2011 by Regents of the University of Colorado

Contributors Chelsea Heveran

Supporting Program Integrated Teaching and Learning Program, College of Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder

Acknowledgements

The contents of these digital library curricula were developed by the Integrated Teaching and Learning Program under National Science Foundation GK-12 grant no. 0946502. However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policies of the National Science Foundation, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government.

Last modified: March 19, 2019

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Biomimicry Project: Do Ptarmigans Have Snowshoes? - Activity

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Students learn about the amazing adaptations of the ptarmigan to the alpine tundra. They focus on one adaptation, the feathered feet of the ptarmigan, and ask whether the feathers serve to only keep the feet warm or to also provide the bird with floatation capability.

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Quick Look

Grade Level: 4 (3-5)

Time Required: 45 minutes

Expendable Cost/Group: US $0.00

Group Size: 2

Activity Dependency: None

Subject Areas: Biology, Life Science, Science and Technology

NGSS Performance Expectations:

Students learn about biomimicry and how engineers often imitate nature in the design of innovative new products. They demonstrate their knowledge of biomimicry by practicing brainstorming and designing a new product based on what they know about animals and nature.
This engineering curriculum aligns to Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

Learning Objectives

After this activity, students should be able to:

Define biomimicry.

Explain how engineers use biomimicry to design innovative new products.

List examples of engineered products that were inspired by nature.

Use biomimicry to develop an idea for a new product.

Educational Standards
Suggest an alignment not listed above

Introduction/Motivation

Does anyone know what the word "biomimicry" means? Let's break down the word into more understandable parts. "Bio" means life and "mimicry" means to imitate. So, biomimicry means to imitate life or nature. Who has heard the expression, "Nature knows best"? Well, biomimicry is a way of learning from nature. It is a way to observe nature in action and use that knowledge to inspire new ideas. Engineers often use these ideas to develop cool new products or better ways to do things to help people. Today we are going to learn all about biomimicry and how engineers look at the amazing characteristics of animals and plants to create new or improved product designs.

Can anyone think of an example of biomimicry? Think of something that has been designed with nature in mind. How about Velcro ®? Velcro ® was invented after a man took a very close look at those little prickly seeds that stick to your clothing when you walk though a field. Water filters are designed like animal cell membranes that let certain things pass through while others are kept out. Also, though planes do not flap their wings like birds, their shapes and the principles of keeping a plane in flight are the same as bird wings. People have also created adhesives that mimic the fascinating and sticky surface of gecko or lizard's five-toed feet. Did you know that? Radar and sonar navigation technology as well as medical imaging was inspired by the echo-location abilities of bats. Also, the solar cells that make up solar panels are designed to mimic the way leaves collect energy from the sun.

Who created most of these products? Well, engineers, of course! Engineers have also used biomimicry of animals to design things like prosthetics, agriculture methods, navigation tools, and even running shoes. Darcy Winslow, the general manager of environmental business opportunities at Nike, Inc. said, "The extent to which the natural world can provide technological solutions for the types of product performance characteristics we must provide are virtually unlimited. Biomimicry still requires exploration, innovation and creativity, but by thinking like or working with a biologist we must learn to ask a different set of questions and look to nature for inspiration and learning opportunities." Source: The Science Creative Quarterly, http://www.scq.ubc.ca/?p=321.

Engineers definitely look to nature for inspiration and learning opportunities! Another way that engineers learn from nature is to figure out ways to address the pollution that results from making and using products. Nature has a well-defined way of taking care of its "trash," such as dead animals and leaves. Everything in nature is used, even its waste products. Sometimes natural "waste" becomes food for others animals or breaks down into soil nutrients available for reuse. This is a very important model for engineers; we can learn from nature to recycle our resources and not leave a contaminated mess behind every time we make something.

Biomimicry is a process in which you ask the question, "What would nature do here?" Today we are going to be design engineers who use the biomimicry of animals to come up with a new invention! Are you ready?

Procedure

Background: More on Biomimicry

People have called on nature's inspiration throughout humans' history. By observing animals, plants and natural processes, we gain insight into what works and what does not. For engineers, these observations are helpful in both the design process and inspiring new inventions using natural technologies. There are many examples of biomimicry, with one of the most well-known being Velcro ® - a product designed to behave like the cockleburs that stick to animals (and people) when they brush by the plant. For more examples, see the list below as well as the resources in the References section.

Example inventions based on or inspired by animals:

Airplanes modeled after birds (wing and body shapes, falcon beak)

Morphing airplane wings that change shape according to the speed and length of a flight, inspired by birds that have differently-shaped wings depending on how fast they fly

Fish-inspired scales that easily slide over each other to enable the morphing airplane wings

Boat hulls designed after the shapes of Fish

Torpedoes that swim like tuna

Submarine and boats hull material that imitates dolphin and shark skin membranes

Radar and sonar navigation technology and medical imaging inspired by the echo-location abilities of bats

Swimsuit, triathlon and bobsled clothing fabric made with woven ribbing and texture to reduce drag while maintaining movement, mimics shark's skin

Adhesives for microelectronics and space applications inspired by the powerful adhesion abilities of geckos and lizards

Water filters designed like animal cell membranes to let certain things pass through while others are kept out

Running shoes with technology learned from studying the mechanics of animal feet

Super strong and waterproof silk fibers made without toxic chemicals by spiders

Ceramics and windshields, after the mother of pearl material made by abalone mussels

Underwater glue for slippery surfaces, as made by mussels

Anti-reflective, anti-glare film used for flat panel displays, touch screens, lamps, and phone and PDA lenses replicates the nano-structures found in the eyes of night flying moths

A better ice pick for mountain climbers designed after the woodpecker.

Glow sticks made with light-up chemicals, just like fireflies

Very efficient pumps and exhaust fans applying the spiraling geometric pattern found in nautilus sea shells, galaxies and whirlpools

Example inventions based on or inspired by plants

Hook and loop material (Velcro®) inspired by cockleburs

Solar cells inspired by plant leaves (photosynthesis, capturing energy from sunlight)

A wind-driven planetary rover design that maximize drag, learned from the tumbleweed

Self-cleaning exterior paint, tiles, window glass and umbrella fabric inspired by the slick leaves of the lotus flower plant and its natural ability to wash away dirt particles in the rain

Reduced-drag propeller designs inspired by the spiral shape of kelp, which moves with the current rather than fight it, so much less energy is required to move water or ship

Filter and clean water like a marsh

When biomimicry is well done, it is not just imitation, but inspiration using the design principles that nature has shown to be successful. In her book, Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature, Janine Benyus suggests that biomimicry can be especially applied to the field of environmentally-friendly design. For example, she looks to the production of waterproof silk by spiders. This silk is a tougher material than Kevlar and is produced in water, at room temperature, using no high heats, petroleum oil, chemicals or pressures.

Benyus suggests looking more to nature for sustainable ways to produce quality materials and processes. She outlines nature's seven "rules" (below, source: http://www.interfacesustainability.com/mimicry.html); following them might lead to ways we could engineer more a sustainable way of life for humans.

Nature runs on sunlight

Nature uses only the energy it needs

Nature fits form to function

Nature recycles everything

Nature rewards cooperation

Nature banks on diversity

Nature demands local expertise

Nature curbs excesses from within

Nature taps the power of limits

Biomimicry can be used as a model for engineering designs that are useful to solve human problems. With the concerns for the environment, biomimicry may offer suggestions of how industrial designs can be more sustainable and appropriate for different climates and cultures.

Before the Activity

Gather materials.

Review the list of biomimicry inventions above, or if desired, research additional examples.

With the Students

1. Divide the class into pairs of students.

2. Ask the pairs to list three things both students have as common interests. These interests can be anything; examples: sports equipment, music, clothes, games, furniture, cars, etc.

3. Next, have the students agree on one of those common interests for their design topic area.

1. Tell the students they have 10 minutes to brainstorm with their partners to come up with possible ideas for designs within their interest topic using biomimicry of animals. Ask the students if they can think of any animals that remind them of their topic. What unique features do those animals have? How could they design something that uses those features? Remind students that this type of brainstorming and building on each other's ideas is an important step in engineering a new, innovative product.

2. As necessary, remind students of the brainstorming guidelines:

No negative comments allowed.

Encourage wild ideas.

All ideas are recorded.

Stay focused on topic.

One conversation at a time.

Build on the ideas of others.

1. Pass out paper, rulers, markers and colored pencils to the students.

2. Give the students 20 minutes to design and draw their new product that uses biomimicry. Have students be as detailed as possible. Ask them to label parts and materials in their design.

3. Once they have finished design, have each team make a list of the special features of their design and which animal(s) inspired those features.

4. Mount the drawing and design features onto a piece of construction paper.

5. If time, have students role-play engineering companies and present their biomimicry designs to the class. Post their completed designs in the classroom or school resource center to share with others.

Vocabulary/Definitions

biodome: A human-made, closed environment containing plants and animals existing in equilibrium.

biomimicry: Copying or imitating the special characteristics of naturally existing things (animals, plants, etc.) in human-made designs, products and systems. From bios, meaning life, and mimesis, meaning to imitate.

brainstorming: A technique of solving specific problems, stimulating creative thinking and developing new ideas by unrestrained and spontaneous discussion.

design: To form or conceive in the mind. To make drawings, sketches or plans for a work. To design a new product. To design an improved process.

engineer: A person who applies scientific and mathematical principles to creative and practical ends such as the design, manufacture and operation of efficient and economical structures, machines, processes and systems.

engineering design process: The design, build and test loop used by engineers. The steps of the design process include: 1) Define the problem, 2) Come up with ideas (brainstorming), 3) Select the most promising design, 4) Communicate the design, 5) Create and test the design, and 6) Evaluate and revise the design.

imitate: To copy or follow as a model or example.

inspire: To be the cause or source of; bring about. An invention that inspired many imitations.

invent: To originate or create of a product of one's own imagination, ingenuity or experimentation. To invent the iPod.

mimic: To imitate or copy.

model: (noun) A standard or example for imitation or comparison. (verb) To simulate, make or construct something to help visualize or learn about something else (as the living human body, a process or an ecosystem) that cannot be directly observed or experimented upon.

Assessment

Pre-Activity Assessment

Warm Up: Ask students to come up with an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, and behavior and how those structures can be useful to engineers.

Define it! Ask the class: What is biomimicry? Break down the word to help students guess at its meaning. "Bio" means life and "mimicry" means to imitate, so, "biomimicry" means to imitate life or nature, specifically to help design products and systems for human use. Once the class has come to a consensus, ask volunteers to suggest examples.

Activity Embedded Assessment

Thinking through the Design: Ask the students to identify which feature(s) of their design are inspired by nature. If possible, have them be specific about what type of animal or plant they are mimicking and have them describe inspiration (plant or animal characteristics, etc.).

Is It Biomimicry? Give examples of design ideas, some that are biomimicry and some that are not. Have students vote whether or not they think the designs involve biomimicry. If the design does include biomimicry, as for a volunteer to explain the natural world source of inspiration. Examples include:

Airplane wing? (Answer: Yes, after bird wings.)

iPod? (Answer: No)

Sonar navigation? (Answer: Yes, after bats.)

Computer printer? (Answer: No)

Hard coatings for car windshields? (Answer: Yes, after abalone mussels' mother of pearl coating.)

Hulls of submarines? (Answer: Yes, after dolphin and shark skins.)

Soft cushion for a chair? (Answer: No)

Solar cell? (Answer: Yes, after leaves.)

For additional ideas, see the Procedure: Background section.

Post-Activity Assessment
Re-visiting Argument: Have students re-visit and assess their arguments they made in the Pre-Assessment. Ask students to strengthen their arguments using what they learned in the activity.

Homework

Engineering Inventors Log: Have students think about everything in the natural world (animals, plants, cycles, processes) that might inspire them to create new products. Over the next week, have them look around their environment and make journal entries of design ideas and sketches for products that an engineer might create. Let them know that engineers often think of many ideas over a long period of time before they decide on one idea to develop. Often, they keep their evolving ideas in a dated engineering or inventor's journal with details on the materials and methods they might use to produce the product.

Troubleshooting Tips

If students have difficulty coming up with a design idea, help to steer them with suggestions. Or, assign a common class design area topic, such as sporting equipment or playground toys. After individual team presentations, have the class vote for the best design - the one they would choose invest in if they were paying clients.

Activity Extensions

Have students investigate an existing product that was inspired by nature. Require that they draw the product and describe the design features. For extra credit, have them provide creative ideas on how the product could be made even better.

In addition to learning from nature's animals and plants, we can learn from its processes and cycles. Ask students to think of the many natural closed loop cycles, such as the food chain, water cycle, hydrogen cycle, etc., which are models that recycle endlessly, providing long-term sustainability. Ask them to think of a way that people could do something better by mimicking a natural process or cycle. Hint: There is no waste in nature. Take a new look at pollution and manufacturing waste as a sign of inefficiency and source of unused resources.

As suggested by Janine Benuys in her book, Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature, nature provides us with a sustainable living example from which people can learn smarter ways to live. Provide students with nature's seven "rules" (see Procedure: Background section) and ask them to pick one and brainstorm how following that rule might lead to ways we could engineer more sustainable way of life for humans.

Reinforce math skills and help students learn more about scale drawing and engineering design. Have students imagine new engineering products and practice drawing their designs on graph paper to scale by assigning each grid square a real-life measurement value (such as cm or m).

Activity Scaling

For lower grades, help students by suggesting ideas for products they can design, as necessary. Or, assign a common class design area topic, such as sporting equipment or playground toys. After individual team presentations, have the class vote for the best design - the one they would choose to invest in if they were the clients.

For upper grades, have students make their drawings to scale with two "engineering" view drawings, a front and side view. Or, assign them one of the Activity Extensions.

References

Benyus, Janine M. Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature. New York, NY: William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1997.

Biomimicry: Design Inspired by Nature. Interface Sustainability, Interface, Inc. (Informative interview with David Oakey with many good concepts to explore).

Biomimicry: Learning from Nature. (Much good information)

Biomimicry. TecEco Sustainable Technology, Australia.

Bionics. Last modified October 13, 2006. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Center for Biologically Inspired Design. Georgia Tech University.

Dictionary.com. Lexico Publishing Group, LLC. (Source of some vocabulary definitions, with some adaptation)

Faludi, Jeremy. Biomimicry 101. Posted October 13, 2005. WorldChanging Essays.

Grace, Deborah. Biomimicry. Spring 2001. Trimtab, Bulletin of the Buckminster Fuller Institute, Vol. 14, No. 2, Spring 2001.

Healy, Ann Marie. Another Coup for the Science of Biomimicry. Posted April 26, 2005. Z + Partners - Weblog. (Autoflex MothEye Anti-Reflective Anti-Glare film)

High-Tech Materials 101: Lotusan Paint by Sto Corporation (http://www.stocorp.com). Published October 2006. Dwell magazine, page 258.

Kennedy, Sean. Biomimicry / Bimimetics: General Principles and Practical Examples. Written August 2004. The Science Creative Quarterly, Issue Two, Sept - Nov 2006. (Source of Darcy Winslow quote [see second paragraph] and other background information).

Kolancinski, Richard M. and Roger D.Quinn. Design of a Biologically Inspired Martial Rover Based upon the Russian Thistle (Salsola tragus). Presented July 2004. Orbital Research, Inc., Cleveland, OH, and Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH.

Kurk, Fran, and Curt McNamara. Better by Design: An Innovation Guide: Using Natural Design Solutions. Published 2006. Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, St. Paul, MN. (An inspiring and comprehensive resource)

Polymers: Lizard Lessons. Prism magazine, American Association for Engineering Education. October 2005, page 19.

Rich, Deborah. Biomimicry: Taking on Nature's Way, Biomimicry shows us that Mother Nature really does know best. Published July 27, 202. San Francisco Chronicle.

Shore, Sandy. Technology Gets in Gear for Athletes: Companies Spend Millions to Give Products an Edge. Published February 11, 2006. Associated Press, Rocky Mountain News.

Copyright © 2004 by Regents of the University of Colorado.

Contributors Katherine Beggs; Malinda Schaefer Zarske; Denise Carlson

Supporting Program Integrated Teaching and Learning Program, College of Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder

Acknowledgements

The contents of this digital library curriculum were developed under a grant from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), U.S. Department of Education and National Science Foundation GK-12 grant no. 0338326. However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policies of the Department of Education or National Science Foundation, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government.

Last modified: February 9, 2021

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Students learn about biomimicry and how engineers often imitate nature in the design of innovative new products. They demonstrate their knowledge of biomimicry by practicing brainstorming and designing a new product based on what they know about animals and nature.

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This biomimetic engineering challenge introduces students to the fields of nanotechnology and biomimicry. Students explore how to modify surfaces such as wood or cotton fabric at the nanoscale. They create specialized materials with features such as waterproofing and stain resistance. The challenge starts with student teams identifying an intended user and developing scenarios for using their developed material. Students then design and create their specialized material using everyday materials. Each students test each design under specific testing constraints to determine the hydrophobicity of the material. After testing, teams iterate ways to improve their self-cleaning superhydrophobic modification technique for their design. After iterating and testing their designs, students present their final product and results to the class.

Maker Materials & Supplies
For investigating hydrophobicity:

printer

glue sticks

hydrophobic sand, available online

instant snow, available online

Waterproofing materials:

beeswax

aloe vera gel

cocoa butter

wax

crayons

flaxseed oil

lanolin

clay

glue

spoons or sticks for smoothing materials onto surface

Tools to modify surface roughness:
Surfaces to modify: (Depending on their target user, students will choose appropriate material)

10 cm x 10 cm piece of flat wood or 10 cm x 10 cm cotton fabric
Materials to simulate dirt: Materials to observe drop profile/contact angle:

hand lens

camera or camera phone

Materials to test roll off angle:

plastic clipboard

protractor

masking tape or duct tape

small container of water

pipette or eyedroppers

paper towels

sink

buckets or small bins to catch water during testing

Materials to test self-cleaning ability:

scale

50 ml graduated cylinder

Materials for posters:

large poster board or butcher paper

markers

Worksheets and Attachments
Visit [www.teachengineering.org/makerchallenges/view/rice-2389-hydrophobic-surfaces-engineering-challenge] to print or download.

Kickoff

(Have the Engineering Self-Cleaning Hydrophobic Surfaces PowerPoint Presentation available.)

Have you ever noticed how water rolls off a leaf, or how a blade of grass or a lily pad floats on water? We call these plants parts "superhydrophobic," which means that they repel water and they never get dirty. Why is this? First, let us define hydrophobic: "hydro" means water and "phobic" means fear. Think about oil and water. Do they ever mix? No, because oil is "hydrophobic" - the oil appears to avoid the water!

Engineered hydrophobic surfaces are in high demand for many products and industries. For example, hydrophobic surfaces are optimal for sweat-proof and dirt-proof clothing, rust prevention, anti-icing, solar panels and even sanitation.

[Show students a video (3:19) summarizing of how NASA is proposing the use of super hydrophobic surfaces on the International Space Station (ISS). Have students understand hydrophobic and hydrophilic materials by testing and observing what happens when a drop of water is dropped on (a) paper, (b) paper with a layer of glue, (c) paper with hydrophobic sand glued to paper, and (d) paper with instant snow glued to it. (Instructions provided in the PowerPoint.)]

Your challenge is to create a product that can make a surface both dirt and stain resistant using your knowledge of hydrophobicity. Working with your team of engineers you will first decide who needs your product: construction industries, car companies, city planners, clothing companies or homeowners. Based on your user, your team will choose a starting material of wood or cotton fabric. Your team will then choose methods for modifying your surface. After modifying your surface, you will test it to determine its hydrophobicity and its ability to keep dirt and water off.

To begin you need to do some research and gain background knowledge. Examine the materials that have been provided; your group must choose one type of material with which to work. You will be provided with two pieces of your chosen material. You will design and test the first prototype and then make modifications for your second and final prototype. You may use only two different waterproofing materials on each prototype to determine which combination works best for your task. You may test the water proofing materials to determine hydrophobicity and decide how you will use them to modify your surface.

After testing and redesigning, your team will evaluate your designs and propose improvements for next time. You will communicate these results with a poster. Let's get started!

Resources

Show students how they will test for hydrophobicity by testing three waterproofing materials provided.

Provide students with Engineering Self-Cleaning Hydrophobic Surfaces Student Sheet to help them organize their ideas, record drop profile, tilt angle, their definition of hydrophobic and future improvements.

Consider showing students the following videos for inspiration and brainstorming:

Maker Time

1. As a class, review the concepts behind hydrophobicity via the Engineering Self-Cleaning Hydrophobic Surfaces PowerPoint Presentation and the steps of the engineering design process. Next, review the materials available, the testing constraints, and the procedure.

2. Divide the students into groups of 3-4 and give students 15 minutes to brainstorm what target audience would benefit from the surfaces provided and potential waterproofing materials.

During the brainstorming session, allow students to test the waterproofing materials on their Engineering Self-Cleaning Hydrophobic Surfaces Student Sheet.

1. After each student team devises two ways to waterproof their chosen material, students must develop a written plan for both pieces of material. Students must modify and label the two approaches Material 1 and Material 2.

2. Students modify their two surfaces based on their written plan.

3. Teams will then observe and diagram the drop profile and contact angle of a drop of water on their modified surface.

1. Place a drop of water on the surface.

2. Look at the drop from the side and sketch the drops profile on your worksheet.

Teams will then test tilt and roll off angle (see Figure 1).

1. Tape the bottom edge of clipboard to lab table.

2. Clip your material onto the clipboard.

3. Place a drop of water on the material.

4. Person 1: Begin to raise the clipboard slowly, Person 2: make sure to observe at eye level when the drop of water begins to roll.

5. Using the protractor record the angle when the water drop begins to slide. If it did not slide, record no roll off angle.

Test self-cleaning properties.

1. Students will be provided with a set amount of "dirt" (pepper or glitter).

2. After sprinkling "dirt" on the surface, they will take the mass of the material and "dirt".

3. They will then pour 30 ml of water on surface to clean surface.

4. Students will then take the mass of the initial material with "dirt" and then the final after rinsing with 30 ml of water. They will then calculate the percent change in mass to determine how "clean" surface is.

Figure 1. Demonstration of testing the roll off angle

Wrap Up

Students will reflect upon their designs and test results. They may create a poster to include their specific problem, chosen material, proposed solutions, results (surface observations, tilt angle, and drop profile), and conclusion that includes future work.

They will choose a spokesperson to communicate their results and future improvements to the class.

Student team presents their findings on hydrophobic materials.

Tips

Break the challenge into two class periods. Complete the kickoff, show videos, provide background information and background research on Day 1. Students may also think of other materials to bring in to waterproof material. On Day 2, students should create, test, and create posters and present posters.

Allow students to use only two materials to modify.

Pre-measure materials for students to use in small bathroom cups to limit waste.

Copyright © 2019 by Regents of the University of Colorado; original © 2019 Rice University

Contributors Krystle Dunn; Qilin Li; Seth Pedersen

Supporting Program Engineering Research Center for Nanotechnology Enabled Water Treatment Systems (NEWT) RET, Rice University

Acknowledgements

This material was developed in collaboration with the Rice University Office of STEM Engagement, based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under grant no. EEC 1449500-Engineering Research Center for Nanotechnology Enabled Water Treatment Systems (NEWT) RET, Rice University in Houston, TX. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation or Rice University.

Last modified: August 30, 2019

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Engineering Self-Cleaning Hydrophobic Surfaces - Maker Challenge

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This biomimetic engineering challenge introduces students to the fields of nanotechnology and biomimicry. Students explore how to modify surfaces such as wood or cotton fabric at the nanoscale. They create specialized materials with features such as waterproofing and stain resistance. The challenge starts with student teams identifying an intended user and developing scenarios for using their developed material.

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10 Nature Inspired Architectural Designs

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How Biomimicry is Inspiring Human Innovation:

...we human beings, who have been trying to make things for only the blink of an evolutionary eye, have a lot to learn from the long processes of natural selection, whether it's how to make a wing more aerodynamic or a city more resilient or an electronic display more vibrant... one of the most often-cited examples is Velcro, which the Swiss engineer Georges de Mestral patented in 1955 after studying how burs stuck to his clothes...

And the butterflies?

More than a decade ago, an MIT grad named Mark Miles was dabbling in the field of micro-electromechanical and materials processing. As he paged through a science magazine, he was stopped by an article on how butterflies generate color in their wings. The brilliant iridescent blue of the various Morpho species, for example, comes not from pigment, but from "structural color." Those wings harbor a nanoscale assemblage of shingled plates, whose shape and distance from one another are arranged in a precise pattern that disrupts reflective light wavelengths to produce the brilliant blue. To create that same blue out of pigment would require much more energy-energy better used for flying, feeding and reproducing.

Miles wondered if this capability could be exploited in some way. Where else might you want incredibly vivid color in a thin package?

From Smithsonian Mag.

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How Biomimicry is Inspiring Human Innovation | The Kid Should See This

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Smart videos for curious minds of all ages: Science, art, nature, animals, space, technology, DIY, food, music, animation, and more! The Kid Should See This is a free video resource for parents, teachers, and kids of all ages. Watch a huge collection of high-quality, kid-friendly, age appropriate, educational videos together at home, during homeschool, or in the classroom.

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Science News Explores publishes news from all fields of science for students from middle school and up, with resources for parents and educators.

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There are amazing products, systems, and technologies that have been invented as a result of studying nature. We learn a tremendous amount from observing the natural world and understanding how it works. These designs have been echoed in many different ways. Here are just a few products that have come from nature's design.

The Bullet Train
The Japanese Bullet train takes its design from the beak of the King Fisher and the plummage of the owl. It makes it one of the fastest, most efficient passenger trains in the world. This same inspiration is being used in various aircraft as well.
Mullusc superglue
So if mussels and acorn barnacles can attach to to the side of rocks and concrete pilings and be able to withstand powerful tidal flows and waves of salt water, why can't we make a glue that can do the same? Well that is just what scientist are doing now. They are trying to figure out the chemical structure of the that extremely powerful mullusc glue to use for practical human applications.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bur_Macro_BlackBg.jpg

Velcro
In 1948 a Swiss electrical engineer named George de Mestral came up with the idea for velcro when he was hunting in the Alps and began to examine the burrs sticking to his clothes from burdock. He noticed the hundreds of hooks when he examined the burrs under a microscope. After several years of trial and error, he managed to come up with the design we know today and commercialize it.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Uspn
Gecko Tape
Manchester University Scientists came up with the design by studying the feet of Geckos. The tiny hair-like structures called setae allow the lizards to climb walls and ceilings. The tape uses the same type of hairs and has become a popular alternative to adhesive
Bat Sonar Navigation inspires new products for the blind
By studying how bats communicate, scientists and inventors are creating new products for the blind including canes and sunglasses that communicate the distance to the user. These new fascinating tools will revolutionize how the blind interpret their surroundings and may open new opportunities for other inventions and drone robots in the future.
We still have a lot to learn from nature. What other inventions can we come up with from studying the genius of nature's design?
Also View:
Nature Inspired Inventions and Engineering for Aviation Top Scientist Engineers and Entrepreneurs Look to Nature for Inspiration and Guidance

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" Scientific Discoveries and Inventions Inspired by Nature - Outdoor Economy

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There are amazing products, systems, and technologies that have been invented as a result of studying nature. We learn a tremendous amount from observing the natural world and understanding how it works. These designs have been echoed in many different ways. Here are just a few products that have come from nature's design.

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14 Smart Inventions Inspired by Nature: Biomimicry

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Companies seeking breakthrough products tend to ignore the greatest invention machine in the universe: life’s more than three-billion-year history of evolution by natural selection.

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Biomimicry

Taking inspiration from nature to solve human problems is the idea behind "biomimicry," or "biomimetics." Over time, evolution has led to some incredible developments, from the photosynthetic machinery in plants to the human eye. Taking a leaf out of nature's book, scientists have developed technologies that seek to mimic some of life's unique innovations.

Sleek shark skin

Sharks, the stealthy predators of the deep, may have a thing or two to teach the U.S. Navy. Shark skin contains sleek scales that resemble tiny teeth and are made of a tough material called dentin. The scales create tiny vortices in the water that reduce drag, studies have shown. Shark skin also prevents barnacles and other organisms from glomming on, something called bio-fouling (those sticky creatures cost the Navy at least $50 million each year, one Navy scientist estimated.) The scales are constantly in flux, limiting the surface area to which marine hitchhikers can attach.

Researchers in Germany have developed a synthetic shark skin made of elastic silicone that reduces bio-fouling by 67 percent in tests. The U.S. Navy has funded work to develop similar critter-repellent coatings.

Flesh-grabbing worms

A new technique for attaching skin grafts- transplants used to treat wounds or burns - takes its design from a parasitic worm, of all things. The spiny-headed worm Pomphorhynchus laevispierces the intestines of its hosts with a razorlike spine, then inflates its cactuslike head inside the tissue to latch on.

Similarly, the skin graft adhesive consists of a patch of tiny needles whose tips swell up when exposed to water, keeping the graft in place. The material is three times as strong as surgical staples, researchers say.

The invention of Velcro

Velcro is ubiquitous these days, found on everything from astronaut suits to children's shoes. The sticky material was actually inspired by the way plant burrs stick to dog hair. In 1941, the Swiss engineer George de Mestral looked at the burrs under a microscope and noticed they contained hundreds of tiny hooks that could catch on loops of hair or clothing. He developed a material based on this and called it Velcro, from the French words "velours," meaning velvet, and "crochet," meaning hook.

Author Bio

Tanya Lewis, Staff Writer

Tanya was a staff writer for Live Science from 2013 to 2015, covering a wide array of topics, ranging from neuroscience to robotics to strange/cute animals. She received a graduate certificate in science communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a bachelor of science in biomedical engineering from Brown University. She has previously written for Science News, Wired, The Santa Cruz Sentinel, the radio show Big Picture Science and other places. Tanya has lived on a tropical island, witnessed volcanic eruptions and flown in zero gravity (without losing her lunch!). To find out what her latest project is, you can visit her website.

Copyright © All Rights Reserved.

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Biomimicry: 7 Clever Technologies Inspired by Nature

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Taking inspiration from nature to solve human problems is the idea behind "biomimicry," or "biomimetics." Over time, evolution has led to some incredible developments, from the photosynthetic machinery in plants to the human eye. Taking a leaf out of nature's book, scientists have developed technologies that seek to mimic some of life's unique innovations.

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Facts about American Robins for Journey North. Expert answers about robin nests such as nest size, nest weight, nesting materials and more.

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More than 700 bird species breed in North America, and the variations in their behaviors are fascinating and complex. Different species find mates, build nests, lay eggs, and raise their young in incredibly different ways. This overview is a generalization of the avian nesting cycle. For more information about the nesting cycles of individual birds, visit our guide to common nesting birds.

Finding a place to breed

Throughout the year, most birds use day length to tell what season it is. When the number of hours of daylight exceeds a certain critical level, physiological changes are triggered in birds which prepare them to breed. Most birds, especially those in temperate regions, also time their breeding activities so that they will be feeding their nestlings when food is most abundant. However, well before nestlings arrive, birds need to select a breeding territory. Non-migratory species may either maintain a territory throughout the winter or establish a new one in the spring. Migratory birds begin looking for and defending a territory as soon as they arrive in the spring. Good territories provide potential nest sites, reliable food sources, and protection from predators.

Choosing a mate

While territories are being claimed, birds try to attract mates. In most species, females choose males based on an assessment of their overall quality and vigor. Males advertise their suitability as a mate by exhibiting bright breeding plumage during courtship displays, by bringing food to females, by demonstrating their nest-building abilities, and by singing, drumming, or calling. Social pair bonds tie males and females of most species together throughout the breeding season, but promiscuity is not uncommon. DNA analyses has shown that even birds that presumably "mate for life," such as bluebirds, may not always be faithful. It is possible for nestlings in a single nest to be fathered by different males! Males of some species, such as Red-winged Blackbird and House Wren, can have more than one mate at a time (a mating system called polygyny). Much less commonly, females of some species, such as Wilson's Phalaropes, may have more than one mate as well (polyandry).

Nest building

Nests provide a safe place for eggs and young birds to develop. Bird nests are extremely diverse, although each species typically has a characteristic nest style. Some birds do not make nests at all and instead lay their eggs in a simple scrape in the ground. Other birds construct nests from natural materials, such as grass, leaves, mud, lichen, and fur, or from man-made materials like paper, plastic, and yarn. Nests can be found almost anywhere - on the ground, in trees, in burrows, on the sides of cliffs, in and on man-made structures, etc. Females typically build nests, but sometimes both parents or just the male will build it.

Copulation and egg formation

During the breeding season, hormonal changes cause the internal testes of males to swell to more than 1,000 times their normal size. The ovaries and oviduct of females also increase in size in preparation for egg fertilization and development. During copulation, the male's cloaca contacts and ejects sperm into the cloaca of the female. The sperm travel to the oviduct where they can be stored for long periods. If all goes well, the sperm penetrate through the wall of the ovum (egg) and fertilization takes place. During the first stage of embryonic development, the egg shell develops; pigments are added last. Ovulation and laying take about 24 hours, so female birds typically produce at most one egg per day.

Egg laying

The total number of eggs that a female can lay in one nesting attempt varies widely depending on the species. For example, many tropical birds lay clutches of only 2 or 3 eggs. Waterfowl, such as Wood Ducks, can lay up to 15 eggs in one nesting attempt. Clutch size can also vary widely among individuals of the same species depending on food and calcium availability, latitude, age of the female, weather, and time of year. The size, shape, color, and texture of bird eggs are also extremely variable both within and among species.

Incubation

Birds incubate their eggs to keep them at the proper temperature to ensure normal development. Female songbirds usually begin incubation after they have finished laying all of their eggs so that they will hatch at approximately the same time. Other birds, such as herons, cranes, cormorants, and raptors begin incubation as soon as the first egg is laid and therefore their eggs may hatch on different days. In some species, like Black-headed Grosbeak, both males and females incubate eggs. Incubation time varies depending on the species, but typically the larger the bird, the longer the incubation period.

Hatching

Songbirds and most seabirds have altricial young, meaning that the newly hatched birds are blind, featherless, and helpless. Immediately after hatching, altricial birds can do little more than open their mouths to beg for food. They remain in the nest where the parents can feed and protect them while they continue to develop. For the first week of life, most altricial birds cannot control their own body temperature and must be constantly brooded (kept warm) by their parents. By the end of the first week, their eyes are usually open and their feathers are beginning to emerge. During this period, nestlings can experience remarkable growth by doubling their body weight several times! Precocial species, such as ducks and many shorebirds, are born fully feathered, mobile, and with eyes open. Incubation periods are longer for precocial birds than altricial birds, allowing for increased embryonic development in the egg, and therefore they have relatively advanced motor and sensory functions at hatching.

Feeding the young

To keep up with the food demands of nestlings, their parents continuously forage for food. This is an extremely dangerous time for both the adult and young birds because the increased activity and begging cries of nestlings can attract predators. After 2 or 3 weeks, most songbirds are usually ready to leave the nest. Other birds, such as raptors, may stay in the nest for as long as 8 to 10 weeks. In contrast, precocial birds spend hardly any time in the nest and are often seen wandering in search of food alongside their parents only hours after hatching.

Leaving the nest

Most birds nest only once per year, but some species, like the American Robin, can have up to 4 or 5 nests during a single breeding season. After leaving the nest (fledging) young birds typically remain close to their parents for a short period. During this time, young birds must learn to survive on their own and are very vulnerable to predators and starvation. The first year is the toughest; in nearly all bird species, more than half of the first year birds perish. For birds that do make it to adulthood however, the odds of surviving another year improve greatly.

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More than 700 bird species breed in North America, and the variations in their behaviors are fascinating and complex. Different species find mates, build nests, lay eggs, and raise their young in incredibly different ways. This overview is a generalization of the avian nesting cycle.

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A female Blue Tit builds her nest inside a nestbox. Filmed with 2 cameras using motion detecting software from i-Catcher the female can be seen building her nest over a number of days compressed down to just 21/2 mins of video.