Students discover how engineers can use biomimicry to enhance their designs. They learn how 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.
Material Type: Activity/Lab
Through an overview of the components of the hydrologic cycle and the important roles they play in the design of engineered systems, students' awareness of the world's limited fresh water resources is heightened. The hydrologic cycle affects everyone and is the single most critical component to life on Earth. Students examine in detail the water cycle components and phase transitions, and then learn how water moves through the human-made urban environment. This urban "stormwater" water cycle is influenced by the pervasive existence of impervious surfaces that limit the amount of infiltration, resulting in high levels of stormwater runoff, limited groundwater replenishment and reduced groundwater flow. Students show their understanding of the process by writing a description of the path of a water droplet through the urban water cycle, from the droplet's point of view. The lesson lays the groundwork for rest of the unit, so students can begin to think about what they might do to modify the urban "stormwater" water cycle so that it functions more like the natural water cycle. A PowerPoint® presentation and handout are provided.
Material Type: Lesson Plan
Students are introduced to the concepts of biomimicry and sustainable design. Countless examples illustrate the wisdom of nature in how organisms are adapted for survival, such as in body style, physiological processes, water conservation, thermal radiation and mutualistic relationships, to assure species perpetuation. Students learn from articles and videos, building a framework of evidence substantiating the indisputable fact that organisms operate "smarter" and thus provide humans with inspiration in how to improve products, systems and cities. As students focus on applying the ecological principles of the previous lessons to the future design of our human-centered world, they also learn that often our practices are incapable of replicating the precision in which nature completes certain functions, as evidenced by our dependence on bees as pollinators of the human food supply. The message of biomimicry is one of respect: study to improve human practices and ultimately protect natural systems. This heightened appreciation helps students to grasp the value of industry and urban mimetic designs to assure protection of global resources, minimize human impact and conserve nonrenewable resources. All of these issues aid students in creating a viable guest resort in the Sonoran Desert.
Material Type: Lesson Plan
The curriculum section provides over one hundred garden-based lessons to create, expand, and sustain garden-based learning experiences. It offers practical ideas and resources for every level of garden-based learning from sprouting seeds to understanding the food system. This curriculum section was compiled by the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources Garden-Based Learning Workgroup. The content for this section was borrowed, with permission, from various resources. It was our goal to use existing resources as not to “recreate the wheel” and to give a broad example of the garden-based learning resources that are currently in print. The section is divided into 12 theme areas with applications for primary and upper grade level students.
Material Type: Activity/Lab, Homework/Assignment, Lesson Plan, Reading
In 2001, Budding Blooms Greenhouse was created and initiated for fourth-grade students between two elementary school teachers at Tower Rock Elementary School in Prairie du Sac. The purpose was to create hands-on activities that promote an understanding and respect for Wisconsin’s agriculture. The vision for ls project was three-fold: to-naturally integrate real-world learning in every part of the curriculum, to utilize the program as a mentorship opportunity, and to obtain district-wide involvement.
Material Type: Activity/Lab
Through a study of the Central Sand Plains region of Wisconsin, students will participate in learning experiences both in the classroom and outdoors, so that they can recognize and identify natural divisions and forest types within this region. Students will learn how the conditions essential for a native forest community can help us make decisions about what foods grow best in our region. They will write a research piece to compare and contrast the life cycles and structures of two plants, one forest and one garden plant) we have studied.
Material Type: Unit of Study
This template is to be used in the Connect, Explore, Engage professional learning series. Sign into WISELearn to create your own copy of this resource and update the template and this abstract.
Material Type: Unit of Study
Through this interactive, hands-on lesson, students will read and gain an understanding of Aldo Leopold’s essay, “January Thaw”. This lesson is best taught in January and/or when animal tracks are present outside.
Material Type: Lesson, Unit of Study
Through this interactive, hands-on lesson, students will read and gain an understanding of Aldo Leopold’s essay, “Come High Water”. This lesson is best taught in April or around Earth Day when students may be doing a trash cleanup project. If students are cleaning up or exploring near a river, even better!
Material Type: Unit of Study
In this series of activities, students build their background knowledge about bats through a variety of media and texts (Activity 1), play games to learn more about how bats interact with their prey and how they use their bodies, and choose an action(s) to help make the world a better place for bats, and therefore, humans (Activity 2). My students decided to create educational posters convincing people to help bats, plant a bat garden, build a bat house, and adopt-a-bat. They also wrote persuasive letters to hang the bat house on our school, which they presented to the administration (and the project was approved - in addition to which the principal asked us to create additional educational materials to teach the school community - teachers, students, other staff - and families about the benefits of bats).
Material Type: Unit of Study
The students will develop an understanding of how ethnographers studied the Native American uses of plants in the Wisconsin region. They will learn specically about Menominee, Ojibwe, Potawatomi, and Meskwaki tribal uses of plants.
Material Type: Lesson Plan
An introduction to the Unit, including timeline, a game, and ground rules. This class is where the students begin a foundation for learning the entire unit. They will make a sketchbook to hold the knowledge gained throughout the entire two weeks of the unit. They will take ownership over their time spent through the development of a timeline for completion.
Material Type: Lesson Plan
Students will identify a specific plant used for dye. They will learn the proper method and prayers in the Menominee language for collecting plants for use in creating the dyes.
Material Type: Lesson Plan
Students will learn about the process of Batik while using the natural dyes used by their ancestors to create a work of art that will also function as a teaching tool for other and future students.
Material Type: Lesson Plan
Students will learn the batik process using dyes from the plants they have collected. They will learn where Batik originated and the cultural ways of the Javanese people.
Material Type: Lesson Plan
Students will continue to develop their community collaborative project by connecting their individual batiks to a larger “quilt”.
Material Type: Lesson Plan
Students will present what they have learned about their plants, prayer, the Menominee language, and the traditional uses of plants by the Menominee people.
Material Type: Lesson Plan
The medicine wheel has many teachings about balance in life: from ourselves to directions, to life stages, to medicines, to seasons, to elements, and many more. Here to share a few teachings through meditation, drawing, and CGI math.
Material Type: Unit of Study
This unit consists of the Origin of the Menominee from various sources as well as lessons attached that discuss the Menominee Clan system including links to research sub-clans, mini-language lessons, the exploration of the 12 Tribes of Wisconsin and a highlight of the Menominee Forestry Practices including a Lesson on the Menominee Tribal Enterprises.
Material Type: Activity/Lab
Through this unit, students will learn about a conservation issue that is important to them through active research. They will also improve public speaking skills through the delivery of a speech.
Material Type: Unit of Study
