Research Information System
Journal Of Biological Education, vol.55, no.1, pp.1-25, 2021 (Journal Indexed in SCI)
This study aims to integrate biomimicry into science education by proposing a teaching
approach for primary school students. Action research approach as the qualitative
research method was used. The developed “Biomimicry Teaching Approach” was
applied in a 5 th grade classroom the researcher teaches in a public school in Turkey.
According to this approach, the students firstly were presented with different kinds of
organisms in order to develop the ability to observe organisms and make a relationship
between structure and function. Secondly, they were introduced to biomimicry concept
with several examples. Finally, the students were engaged with “Biomimicry Design
Model”. At the end of the biomimicry lessons, the students designed their models
through drawing and modeling inspired by the organisms. The effects of “Biomimicry
Teaching Approach” on student designs were analysed. Results showed that the 5 th
grade students mostly produced their own design ideas inspired by the organisms which
were presented throughout the biomimicry lessons. The students’ attempts to create
different designs by taking inspiration from the organisms in nature and considering the
function behind the physical structure of the organisms showed that students can
produce creative and applicable design ideas inspired by nature when they are
introduced biomimicry through “Biomimicry Teaching Approach”.
Keywords: Biomimicry; nature inspired design; Biomimicry Teaching Approach;