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Calling all K-12 educators interested in biomimicry!

The Biomimicry Institute invites you to participate with your students in the 2011-2012 Biomimicry Youth Challenge!

Three levels of competition allow students of all ages to explore biomimicry in a format which is creative, project-based, and STEM-focused.

PK-4th Grade- Ask the Planet: Use the amazing children's music CD Ask the Planet, and its accompanying curricula, to explore biomimicry as a class and create original work together.

5th - 8th Grade- Biology-to-Design: Go outside and learn about YOUR local ecosystem, then apply your knowledge to design something innovative for humans.

9th - 12th Grade- Challenge-to-Biology: Identify a challenge, or problem, in need of a solution, then use Ask Nature, the free database of nature's strategies (or other research) to design a solution inspired by nature.

Prizes at each level of competition!

Complete details and registration information can be found at the website of The Biomimicry Institute or contact Grace Decker ([email protected])

Registration is open through February 1, 2012, and submissions are due April 1, 2012.

Hi Grace - I missed this when you initially posted it. Thank you so much for sharing this resource - are you participating?

Hi Caryn, I'm actually helping coordinate this year's Biomimicry Youth Challenge- I work with the Biomimicry Institute. Last year's Challenge was a pilot project with fewer than 10 participating teachers. We would love to see 30 - 50 teachers participate this year. -Grace

Adah - thank you for the resource
Grace - the link to the Biomimicry Institute was not working for me - is this the correct page for your challenge? I have some students interested in participating..

http://www.biomimicryinstitute.org/education/university/student-design-challenge.html

Thanks!
Caryn

Hi Caryn,
Sorry it took me a bit to get back to you!

The link you posted above is for our University-level Design Challenge. We're excited to report that we had 129 teams from 25 different countries participate this year!
Information about the K-12 Challenge is available here; please let me know if you have any trouble accessing the link or getting registered.

Best,

Grace Decker
[email protected]

Thanks Grace! A few years ago I had a group of students participate in a kids science challenge that was similar and so much fun learning- I'm not sure how best to go about this one - are you interested in seeing individual students participate or whole classes? The website is very informative and I cannot wait to get into the professional development you provide right on the site and then the curriculum provided with my kids! So I do not misplace the URL again I put together this collection of resources to help me deepen my understanding as I forge ahead. Any other resources you would be willing to share would be appreciated!

Biomimicry (for Students) Collection (6 items)

Applying the Design Process

- User Uploaded Resource

TED Talks: Biomimicry

- User Uploaded Resource

Biomimicry Youth Design Challenge

- User Uploaded Resource

View All 6 Items

Hi Caryn.
Thanks for posting those resources! I'm pretty new to this Forum and didn't realize how helpful that might be to teachers.

In regard to the Youth Challenge, we ask that the youngest participants enter with an all-class project (we've even had an all-school project!) which uses the free curriculum materials that accompany our children's music CD about biomimicry, Ask The Planet.

Older students may enter individually, in pairs, or in teams, but we ask that if there would be more than 5 submissions from any one class that the teacher hold a preliminary internal contest and submit the best entries.

-Grace Decker