Live Like an Animal
Figure 1. This energy-efficient geodesic dome (left) at Sandia National Laboratory may have been inspired by the shape and structure of a turtle shell, such as that of the Eastern Painted Turtle (right).Copyright Sandia National Laboratories, U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration; Foundation for Ecological Research in the Northeast, Upton Ecological and Research Reserve http://www.sandia.gov/recordsmgmt/dome.gif http://www.bnl.gov/esd/reserve/images/turtle3.jpg
Students use the engineering design process to design innovative human shelters that are inspired and informed by animal structures. Each group is assigned an animal class, and then they gather information about shelters used by the animals in that class. After researching the topic and brainstorming ideas, students build small prototypes (models) of the structures. Finally, they present their products, explaining the attributes of the animal structures that influenced their designs.
Engineering requires creativity in order to introduce innovative technologies and solutions. An excellent way to develop new and innovative ideas is to look to the natural world—plants, animals and other organisms—to inspire new designs, new forms and new technologies. This design technique is called biomimicry. Structural engineers can gather information about animal shelters to inspire their own designs for effective housing options for people.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Use the engineering design process to invent a product.
- Research types of shelters used by vertebrate animals of the same class.
- Identify features of animal shelters that can inform human shelter design.