Embedded Files
Teacher : Megan. megan@motec.nz
SITUATION
I need to check my back yard beehive. This is a great opportunity for you to learn a bit about bees and how they help and inspire humans.
BRIEF
Create something from the produce of bees like delicious Honey & Rice Bubble Crisps (recipe below) OR design something inspired by the hexagonal shape of honey comb.
Backyard Bees.mp4Take a look inside Megan's backyard beehive.
Take a look inside Megan's backyard beehive.
Honey & Rice Bubble Crisps
Honey & Rice Bubble Crisps
Make these quick and easy honey and rice bubble crisps. You could leave out the coconut and sesame seeds and just add 1/2 a cup more rice bubbles if your prefer.
You will need:
125g butter
3 tablespoons honey
4 cups rice bubbles
1/4 cup coconut
1/4 cup sesame seeds
Grease an 18x28cm slice tin with butter or line with baking paper.
Melt the butter and honey over a medium heat.
Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Turn off element.
Add the rice bubbles, coconut and sesame seeds.
Stir until combined.
Pour into the prepared slice tin. Press down with the back of a spoon to flatten it.
Place in the fridge for two hours to firm.
Cut into squares
and enjoy the tasty honey sweetness.
Take a photo of your honey rice bubble crisps and email to megan@motec.nz
Biomimicry and Bees
Biomimicry and Bees
Biomimicry is when humans solves problems by copying what happens in nature.
Bees are very clever and have inspired designers to solve some interesting problems.
Honeycomb Windows
Worker bees make wax and build hexagonal shaped honeycomb to store honey and larva. The hexagon makes the most storage possible with the least amount of wax. There are no gaps.
Architects and designers are copying this hexagon shape. The Sonosteel skyscraper in China uses honeycomb windows to help regulate heat and let in lots of light.
Driverless Cas LRF
Bees have 330 degree vision literally giving them eyes in the back of their head. You dont see bees flying into each other do you?
Nissan Motors are designing a Laser Range Finder (LRF) inspired by the bees curved compound eyes that may help prevent driverless cars crashing into things.
Biomedicine
Bees can flap their wings a 1000 times a minute. Insect joints contain a very springy protein called resilin which makes this possible.
Scientists have engineered a resilin like material.They think it could be used in medicine to repair damaged tissue in humans.
Want to know more about Biomimicry?
For more innovations from nature and design challenges go to The Biomimicry Institute
Hexagonal Honeycomb Challenge
Hexagonal Honeycomb Challenge
Be like a bee and use the hexagon shape to design a storage solution.
It could be shelves, containers, boxes, picture frames.......................I'm sure you can think of more ideas.
What could you make it from? Card, timber, fabric, plastic, metal, concrete....? Can you reuse something?
Draw a sketch and/or make a model from cardboard. Click the link for how to draw a hexagon.
I'd love to see all your creative storage solutions.
Take a photo and email it to me: megan@motec.nz
Maybe we could make it when we get back to MoTEC.
Make bees wax food wraps.
Make bees wax food wraps.
If you have some bees wax at home - it's super easy.
Theres lots of different videos on line but heres one to get you started.
You can cut up old cotton shirts or sheets. Use ordinary fabric scissors if you don't have zig zag scissors. The coconut oil isn't essential. And if you don't have an iron look for the oven method on line.
email me photos please; megan@motec.nz
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