How Does Nature Sense?
Adelheid Fischer, Biomimicry Fellow and Coordinator of InnovationSpace at Arizona State University, explains how she finds inspiration in the star-nosed mole. The mole does not use its unusual nose for smell, but as a touch sensing organ. The mole can also smell under water by sending out bubbles to catch odour molecules, and then…
How Does Nature Cool?
In this video from The Biomimicry 3.8 Institute, Sherry Ritter describes how the red kangaroo stays cool in temperatures of up to 45°C. The kangaroo licks its wrists, where there are a large number of blood vessels close to the surface, and this cools through evaporation. Sherry asks whether we could learn from this cooling technique…
How Does Nature Convert Energy?
In this video Janine Benyus, co-founder of The Biomimicry 3.8 Institute, describes a surprising adaptation of the pistol shrimp. The pistol shrimp has a very large claw and uses this to fire a bubble and stun its prey. The shrimp can close its claw so quickly that a vacuum is created behind the bubble. The vacuum collapses and for…
4/5- Publication year: 2010 to date
- Video
Hunting and Gathering for Ideas
This resource describes an outdoor activity which can be used to introduce students to the concept of biomimicry. Janine Benyus, founder of the Biomimicry 3.8 Institute, explains how systematically observing nature and then emulating it can lead to innovative and sustainable technologies and designs. She describes how to conduct…
ARKive School Museum (Age 11-14)
Produced by ARKive, this series of activities teaches students about endangered species through the creation of an interactive museum. The ARKive School Museum presentation looks at examples of endangered species and explains the concept of an ARKive School Museum. Students then research an endangered species using the ARKive…
Plants and Animals
Produced by the Technology Enhancement Programme (TEP), these images are useful for adding to documents or presentations, or for use with an interactive whiteboard. Mainly simple line drawings, they can be cut and pasted into documents and image processing applications. The images in this resource are related to the topic of plants…
Humans
Produced by the Technology Enhancement Programme (TEP), these images are useful for adding to documents, presentations or for use with an interactive whiteboard. Mainly simple line drawings, they can be cut and pasted into documents and image processing applications. The images in this resource are related to the topic of humans…
Futurecade
Futurecade is an innovative interactive suite of games from the Science Museum that allows students to explore how science and technology impacts on their everyday lives. Futurecade’s four games are inspired by current and future technology in the fields of robotics, satellites and space junk, geo-engineering and synthetic…
- 5/5
- Publication year: 2010 to date
- Interactive resource
Taste (Key Stage Three)
From the Chilled Food Association, this resource helps students to think about how they taste food and find out about the work of a taste scientist. The materials are aimed at STEM ambassadors or company personnel running a session in a secondary school. However, they can be adapted for use by teachers in the classroom. The materials…
Food Bacteria (Key Stage Three)
From the Chilled Food Association, this resource helps students to think about bacterial contamination of food and how the risk of contamination can be reduced. The materials are aimed at STEM ambassadors or company personnel running a session in a secondary school. However, they can be adapted for use by teachers in the classroom.…
Food Hygiene (Key Stage Three)
From the Chilled Food Association, this resource helps children to think about hygiene and in particular the importance of washing hands. The materials are aimed at STEM ambassadors but are readily adapted for use by teachers in the classroom. The materials consist of a lesson plan, stimulus materials and suggested activities.…
New Product Development (Key Stage Three)
From the Chilled Food Association, this resource helps students to think about the development of a new food product. The materials are aimed at STEM ambassadors but they can readily be adapted for use by teachers in the classroom. The materials consist of a lesson plan, stimulus materials and suggested activities. These activities…
Bronze Award: Triathlon
The British Science Association CREST Awards encourage students to take an investigative approach to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) related projects. These resources are just a few ideas that could be used to help students gain an award. These materials look at three possible projects that relate to a…
Fortune Tellers
In this Planet Science resource, instructions are given for making a fortune teller so students can make one with their own questions and answers. Attractive templates are provided where the science topic links to a possible career. They can be used to stimulate interest among 9 to 13 year olds and suggest possible careers. The cooking…
Princeton USA: Can You Really Be a Burger Addict?
This Planet Science resource highlights the problems of fast foods and obesity to students. The stimulus is an American court case where a 56 year old man with diabetes and two heart attacks sued several fast food chains claiming they were responsible for his illnesses. Some scientists believe eating fast food can become an addiction.…
Texas USA: Can Malaria be Defeated by Building Tall Towers?
This resource from Planet Science aims to give students an insight into the problems caused by the disease malaria and to come up with creative solutions to combat the disease. Malaria is a major worldwide life threatening parasitic disease transmitted by mosquitoes, particularly in hot countries - it kills an African child every…
Pandora: How Do We Learn Without Taking Risks?
This resource, from Planet Science, provides teachers with case studies and information which can be use to plan lessons involving debates on two questions. The underlying message to students is for them to consider whether all scientific inventions are for the good of society. The two case studies considered are: 1. Alfred…
Big Bang Careers Resources
A number of careers resources on a range of themes such as biosciences, internet technology and world population were developed as part of the Big Bang Fair. These resources took the form of set of quiz questions about different careers for students to find out the answers to. The resources offered are: • Body talk •…
Plants in Our Lives
In this topic, from the Association for Science Education, students learn about the many products obtained from local plants. The topic is designed to allow classes in schools across the world to exchange information about the ways in which their lives depend on plants. The topic provides opportunities for students to identify…
Food Technologist
Jessica Chambers is a food technologist at Sainsbury's. This Department for Education clip could be useful when teaching microbiology, food technology, or as a context for applied science. Jessica's job allows her to gain experience of work in many different areas that include: • development of new products and…
Biotechnology: Fizzy Pop
This resource, from the Association for Science Education (ASE), contains a number of recipes for making fermented soft drinks and some suggestions about how students could explore the science involved in making them. The predecessors of modern carbonated drinks were often made at home or on a small scale. Commercial production…