Biodomes are Engineered Ecosystems: A Mini World
Figure 1. The Eden Project, Cornwall, England.Copyright Millennium Commission http://www.millennium.gov.uk/projects/images/Eden.jpg
As students learn about the creation of biodomes, they are introduced to the steps of the engineering design process, including guidelines for brainstorming. They learn how engineers are involved in the design and construction of biodomes and use brainstorming to come up with ideas for possible biodome designs. This lesson is part of a series of six lessons in which students use their growing understanding of various environments and the engineering design process, to design and create their own model biodome ecosystems using the series of associated activities.
Engineers and scientists design biodomes to study ecosystems by modeling how living and nonliving things interact in their natural environments. To develop a human-made environment, such as a biodome, engineers follow the steps of the engineering design process to generate ideas and create prototypes or models. Engineers design, create and test projects in advance so as to increase the chance of success for the final product. The practice of brainstorming and designing through the engineering design process is used throughout all of the engineering disciplines.
After this lesson, students should be able to:
- Define a biodome as a human-built environment used to study interactions of organisms.
- Describe brainstorming as a step in the engineering design process.
- Explain the steps of the engineering design process.
- Explain how engineers are involved with the design and construction of biodomes.
- Construct an argument with evidence that certain habitats are more suitable for certain organisms.