Empathize
Students will engage in hands-on exploration and observation of plant structures to gather insights on how nature solves problems, which will serve as the foundation for designing innovative, nature-inspired solutions to human challenges.
Days 1 - 2
30 min over capacity (60 min available across 2 days)
Meet Plant Helpers
Launch 45m
Observe Plant Features to Define Problem
Knowledge/Skill Building 45m
Define
Students will collaborate to define a clear problem statement derived from their plant observations, discussing and synthesizing research findings to identify human challenges that can be addressed using nature-inspired design solutions.
Days 3 - 4
Draft Plant-Inspired Problem Statement and Sketch
Project Work 50m
Define Plant-Inspired Problem
Deliverable
Ideate
Students will brainstorm and sketch various nature-inspired design solutions by examining plant photos and their own plant observations, considering different shapes and functionalities to creatively solve human challenges alongside peers in small groups.
Days 5 - 6
Sketch Nature-Inspired Shelter Concepts and Tools
Project Work 40m
Nature-Inspired Concepts
Deliverable
Prototype
Students will construct and test simple prototypes of nature-inspired solutions using everyday materials, documenting their designs and iterating based on functional effectiveness and peer feedback.
Days 7 - 9
Prototype Testing: Shelter and Water Device
Project Work 45m
Guided Analysis of Prototype Performance
Knowledge/Skill Building 45m
Prototype Iteration Log
Deliverable
Test/Present
Students will present their nature-inspired designs in a 'Nature-Inspired Design Festival,' receiving feedback from community members and peers, while demonstrating their prototypes' functionality and explaining how they address human problems through biomimicry.
Days 10 - 12
Plant Detective Kickoff
Launch 45m
Prototype Testing and Peer Feedback
Project Work 45m
Nature-Inspired Design Showcase
Assessment