When you think of nature and the 3.8 billion year-long process of evolution, do robots come to mind? How about robots designed to have a flea’s powerful legs? Or Japanese bullet trains inspired by the Kingfisher?

In this NewsHour lesson, students will learn about biomimicry — an innovative method in which nature inspires new inventions to solve some of the world’s toughest problems. Students will design their own invention using biomimicry to address an issue in their school, home or community.

Overview: Let students know that their main goal for this lesson will be to identify a problem that could be solved through an invention. As the teacher, you will provide support, guidance and answer students’ questions as they design and build their inventions.

The goal is to utilize biomimicry as the foundation to create a new or an improved inventive device to solve a problem in a student’s school, home or community.

The actual product generated should include a well-designed drawing or prototype using only recycled, reused and repurposed materials (in other words, please don’t spend any money!). Lastly, students will present their designs on the final day in front of their peers and key stakeholders.

Antonio Gamboa is an educator and science department chair at Garey High School in Pomona, Calif. Antonio holds two Master’s degrees in Biology and Cell and Molecular Pathology. He challenges his students to create innovative science projects which have resulted in a patent-pending device and county and state science fair prizes. Antonio is an active California Instructional Leader, a former Lemelson-MIT InvenTeam mentor, a National Science Foundation Teacher, a Microsoft Inventor #MakesWhatsNext, a Society for Science and the Public Grant Recipient, and a collaborator on research university grants and various other organizations.

Access the original lesson by PBS NewsHour here.