Teaching first grade students to design inventions which mimic nature is a science standard. Nature has inspired people to create solutions for problems for centuries. However, the lesson concept sounds like a tough challenge for 1st grade. Firstly, just the word “biomimicry” may get your students tongue tied and your heart pounding. But it’s easier than you think to teach. Just follow the steps below and your students will be ready to tackle designing a nature inspired solution to human problems.

Animal and Plant Parts Inspire Inventions

STEP #1: Start with a Video

Before you even begin, consider that your students may not have the background knowledge or vocabulary to understand the concept you plan to talk about. For this reason, showing a video or even pictures are wonderful ways to introduce the topic. A video shows real inventions and gets your students ready to learn how to design inventions which mimic nature. While it may be true that a picture is worth a thousand words, a video makes it relatable and real for kids.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2GvQXvjhLA&t=313s

STEP #2: Read All About It

"The things I want to know are in books."

Abraham Lincoln Tweet

One of my favorite t-shirts states, “Read More Books”. Whether the books are from your own collection, a school library, the local library, or an online source, gather as many books as you can to support the concept you are teaching. Grab them off the shelf to read aloud. Let students select them when they read to a friend. Basically, read!

Specifically, having books which are printable is the best option. Each student gets their own copy to keep and take home which they can read again and again. (Of course, they get to color them too – so most kids love them.)

Read all about how a bandage was inspired by a leaf.

STEP #3: Hands on Engaging Activities

At this point in teaching how to design inventions, you want to know what have your students learned so far? Their task is to recall the information learned. So provide them with interactive activities in which they reflect on their new knowledge.

Cut and paste activities help with fine motor skills too.

STEP #4: Respond to the Text

Writing and putting concepts into their own words makes new knowledge more permanent in the brain. For this reason, don’t forget this important step. Let your students write about the information they just learned. There are so many options. For example: write about a picture, complete a writing prompt, finish the sentences, fill out an exit ticket, etc.

Write and apply knowledge for other invention examples.

Don’t procrastinate on those lesson plans any longer. You have the step by step process needed to teach students how to design inventions which mimic nature. So go get those lesson plans done.