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We believe the best way to affect change in education—and the world—is to make biomimicry curriculum a standard and continuous part of a student's journey.
To accomplish this, we partner with like-minded organizations, providing them with transformative biomimicry education and, in return, reaching more students than otherwise possible.
We are also focused on decolonizing our youth education offerings while providing strategic entry points into biomimicry for students and educators.
Here are our most recent partnerships and curriculum development accomplishments:
Climate Lab Curriculum
Written in collaboration with UC Irvine and Biomimicry Institute for NatureBridge at Golden Gate in San Francisco, CA, the curriculum and lab focuses on understanding climate change while using the lens of biomimicry at the outdoor school environment. The curriculum will advocate for student discovery and action through the use of biomimicry as an inquiry practice informed by nature with a goal of sustainability.
We envision elevating and positioning the NatureBridge Climate Lab as a unique program that offers climate science education coupled with solution-driven engineering and biomimicry experiences not available anywhere else.
California Career Technical Education Module Curriculum Standards
A Career and Technical Education (CTE) module of 15 lessons for middle school is being developed in collaboration with the San Mateo County Office of Education and the Alameda County Office of Education. The course will focus on integrating the practice of biomimicry into product design and sustainable manufacturing. The modules will be positioned to attract students who see themselves on a manufacturing and production career path. A course is anticipated to be written after the modules are completed and implemented.
BioConnect Labs Curriculum
BioConnect Labs curriculum is being written in collaboration with ASU (Arizona State University). The hands on, biomimicry kit curriculum is positioned for middle school educators (six, seventh, and eighth) to use in combination with a local zoo experience or desert climate.
Read an article on the project.
View the lesson plans here:
Biomimicry at UC Merced
Summer 6-12 Program
TBI provided Professional Development to prepare 2 YDC Coaches selected by TBI & UC Merced to present biomimicry lessons to middle and high school students throughout UC Merced’s CalTeach Summer Bobcat Program.
BYA Summer Camps
Biomimicry as a practice will be introduced into 4 days of the Sylvan Latinx camp and 2 days of the Africa American camp for summer 2021. Each camp will run for 2 to 3 cycles depending on interest, which has been high, due to additional educational funding.
SPEAKING OPPORTUNITIES
We engage in speaking opportunities as a means to offer professional learning and thought leadership. Rosanna Ayers, our Director of Youth Education, participated in the following events, among several others over the course of the year.
Closing speaker at the 2021 Sustainability Institute for Educators
Judge at I2G (Innovate to Grow) of Capstone Engineering Projects on May 14, 2021 from 11:00-1:30pm at University of California Merced.
Participated in the Physics Alive! Podcast https://physicsalive.com/biomimicry/ recorded on January 14, 2021.
Presented to both Orange County Department of Education and Sonoma County Office of Education Science Teacher Leadership on resources available to K-12 educators who would like to implement biomimicry as a sustainable design practice or STEM offering in classrooms.
WANT TO WORK WITH US?
As you can see, we partner in a variety of ways with academic institutions that are committed to integrating biomimicry into their education efforts. Our partners are developing new courses, making biomimicry an essential component of their programs, and join us in design challenges or similar semester- or year-long projects. Others seek to fund our work, enabling us to bring biomimicry education to more students, classrooms, and districts.
If you are interested in exploring these opportunities, please email us at info@biomimicry.org.
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